Tips for stocking your home pharmacy

Any good survival stockpile has medical supplies to cover health problems and emergencies. This guide will help you identify the healing items that you need in large quantities for your home pharmacy. (h/t to FoodStorageMoms.com)

When SHTF and the entire power grid goes down, people will no longer enjoy easy access to seemingly unlimited amounts of over-the-counter drugs. Arthritis, colds, and other common diseases and health issues are going to get much worse for patients who lack the appropriate remedies.

As such, you must stockpile far more medicine than you expect to use when SHTF. In all likelihood, you will use them up much faster than you expect. The last thing you want to do while sick is to leave your home at an inconvenient hour to look for a place that sells the medicine.

Visit the nearest box store, dollar shop, and other locations that sell medications. Look for the medicines with the cheapest price and furthest expiration date. Buy these in bulk.

When selecting a medication for stockpiling, check the date of expiration. Always get the freshest meds so that they last as long as possible before requiring replacement.

If you expect family members or friends to come over, you must get medicines that are right for the age of the patient. Medications suited for children will not be suitable for older people and vice versa.

Stock up on these medicines in your home pharmacy as any good prepper should

In addition to antibiotics and other treatments for serious illnesses, you must stockpile medications for common conditions. Treating minor health problems as quickly as possible helps keep them from getting worse or opening the door to other ailments.

Fever reducers bring down the body temperature of a sick person. They help break unnaturally long or excessively hot fevers.

Allergy medications relieve the symptoms of allergic responses to stimuli like food, pollutants, and insect bites. They include eye drops for alleviating irritation and swelling in the eyes.

Medications for constipation and diarrhea are must-haves when the sewer service shuts down from lack of power or damage. They include Colace, electrolyte packets, milk of magnesia, and rice water.

(On a related note, while a portable toilet is not a medication, getting one will help if the conventional toilet is not available.)

Colds and influenza have become more frequent and severe in recent years. Medications for them have become a must in any stockpile.

Elderberry-based herbal remedies like Sambucol are a good natural pick for the inevitable episode of cold or flu. Other medical supplies for consideration include cough lozenges and liquid silver.

Add these conventional and alternative remedies to your survival stockpile

Heartburn and nausea medication help ameliorate the uncomfortable effects of those conditions. The antihistamine meclizine is often used to alleviate nausea.

Skin irritation medicines help soothe the pain and swelling caused by inflammation and small wounds. Stock up on alcohol, aloe gel, apple cider vinegar, calamine lotion, coconut oil, Epsom salt, and hydrogen peroxide to tend minor injuries like cuts and gashes.

Anti-fungal medications help alleviate the effects of fungus-based diseases like athlete’s foot, diaper fungal infection, and vaginal yeast infection. Again, make sure to get the appropriate medicine.

Essential oils are volatile oils extracted from various plants. They are applied to the skin and absorbed into the blood, where they produce various beneficial effects. They have become popular alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs. If you want to try out natural alternative medicines for your home pharmacy stockpile, you may start with oregano, peppermint, and wintergreen essential oils.

Sources include:

FoodStorageMoms.com

LifeHack.org