The Annoyed Man wrote:And speaking of infirm, in the event of a complete and long term social collapse, there are a lot of people like me who are going to probably die much younger than we would otherwise simply because we are dependent upon medications to sustain life. Diabetics are an obvious example. In my own case, there are five medications on which I depend. Two of those can be probably dispensed with as my weight comes down and my diet changes, those are blood pressure meds. One of the meds can probably be dispensed with by replacing it with something naturally grown, and that is pain control because of my back. But, the other two are a real problem. I no longer have a functioning thyroid gland, and I am dependent upon a daily thyroid supplement (which contributes to the difficulty of weight loss). There is no homeopathic alternative of which I am aware. Without a thyroid supplement, I will get sicker and sicker, and I will die much sooner, likely of heart disease. The other medication is intended to prevent an enlarged prostate. Without it, I am subject to crippling urinary tract infections, which in turn require pretty stiff doses of Cipro to knock them down. In fact, without antibiotic treatment, a UTI can easily become systemic and degenerate into sepsis, which is almost universally and rapidly fatal.
I just read through this whole post and thought I might chime in about a couple of things.
TAM, Regarding you medication problem, I pulled this from survivalblog.com. You might want to see if you can stock up on medications, if you regular doctor won't help, maybe this doctor will:
Dr. Bob is is one of the few consulting physicians in the U.S. who prescribes antibiotics for disaster preparedness as part of his normal scope of practice. His web site is: SurvivingHealthy.com.
Also I recently heard that you can get fish antibiotics from the pet store and that they are usable for humans, with no prescription needed.
There are some natural remedies for heartburn you can stock up on as well:
1 - Similase GS or Complete GEST Enzymes (or any good digestive enzymes) - 2 capsules with each meal to help digest your food properly and drink warm liquids with meals.
2 - DGL Licorice- Chew 2 tablets 20 minutes before meals.
3 - Mastic Gum -1000mg twice a day for 2 months - then as needed.
4 - Heartburn Free - 1 every other day for 20 days (may initially aggravate reflux, but can give long term relief).
I am fairly new to prepping but have been making steady progress over the past few months...still have a long way to go though.
uuuhhhh....no!