medication in wilderness

[chiangmaimav]

I see that some of the people in this forum are old guys such as myself and wondered if any have same problem as I. The thing is I take blood pressure medication and it is supposed to be stored above 30 degrees centigrade or it goes bad. The problem is sometimes I am in jungle for quite a long time and it is very hot and humid but obviously no refrigeration. I keep the pills in an airtight container but last time I came back to USA, I ended up in hospital and found out the pills had gone bad. Right now it is cool season here so not so much of a problem, but the hot season starts in March and then I will have same problem. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[wareagle69]

dude i would like to help ya but i don't know squat about your A/O. wild woman is into herbs but not sure if she could help with jungle stuff, nice place though, i thought about retiring there

[crashdive123]

chiangmaimav - for work, some of the materials I carry are temperature sensative. I have not tried with medication, but I carry these materials in a small cooler to preserve their integrity. They make various sizes. Here's a sample of what I'm talking about.

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[doug1980]

Is there a different type of medicine that wouldn't be affected by tem/humidity.

[chiangmaimav]

Thank you for your replies. The problem is every kind of medication available for blood pressure is affected by excess heat. At least that is what I am told by doctors here. Ice coolers are really too big to carry around and the ice doesnt last long here anyway. The best I have been able to do is carry the pills in waterproof box and put box into plastic bag with water from streams and river. This is no perfect solution but it is the best I have been able to come up with.

[crashdive123]

I'm sorry - I may not have been clear. I do not put ice in the coolers, but rather just use the insulating qualities of the cooler. Some are rather small. Does your doctor have any suggestions for keeping the meds cool?

[doug1980]

Something else about blood pressure meds as I'm sure you are aware is depending on the type will dehydrate you quickly. I took some when I was in Iraq and had to stop taking them. Now my blood pressure is ok so I don't need them anyway.

[primeelite]

Best advice I could give you is try to figure out other ways to help with your blood pressure such as diet, exercise, and any vitamins you could take. I know a guy who had to take blood pressure medicine and made a few changes to his diet and no longer had to take them. Like someone said above they do dehydrate you and in survival situations that is the last thing you want to happen.

[klkak]

Put the pills in a water proof container and then wrap the container in burlap. Keep the burlap wet.

This is what I did with my blood pressure medication while working in Central and South American.

[chiangmaimav]

Thanks again everyone. I will try these suggestions, which I have not tried before. I know what you mean about dehydrating. I take 2 kinds of pills, beta blockers and water pills, which the real purpose is to make you piss alot to get rid of salt. Which is okay but not in jungle where it is hot and you lose enough water anyway. As for other methods, in addition to pills I have been going to gym 4-6 times a week for last couple of months and doing the elliptical running machine, in addition to regular exercise from hiking in mountains. Lost about 12 pounds so maybe this will help. Also my girlfriend cooks without salt, which they generally use alot of here, as well as MSG.

[primeelite]

Yeah from what I hear exercise and diet can really knock it out or at least allow you to control it. I hear the water pills can be pretty rough. Also I know a few people who add in a lot of garlic to their meals and take the garlic pills, I guess it is supposed to help with bad cholesterol.

[klkak]

Yeah from what I hear exercise and diet can really knock it out or at least allow you to control it. I hear the water pills can be pretty rough. Also I know a few people who add in a lot of garlic to their meals and take the garlic pills, I guess it is supposed to help with bad cholesterol.

Yea and it's super for killing sweet smelling breath. I used to eat a clove of garlic every time that special aunt would come to visit. When she would try to hug me I would deeply exhale in her face.

Aunt: Come here little man and give your Auntie a big hug and kiss

Aunt: (after I breath in her face) Oh My Word. Sharon (aka. Mom) this child has the nastiest breath I've ever smelled.

Mom: Kevin go brush your teeth...........And use tooth past this time.

Me:

[primeelite]

Haha I guess that is true. It probably isn't even worth it then on the garlic thing.

[chiangmaimav]

Thank you, this is also good advice. Fortunately, or maybe not, as you say, Thai people use garlic alot. I even grow my own here. I have been exercising at gym four to six days a week and have lost weight, which probably helps. I haven't checked my blood pressure lately. Strangely. a month after getting out of hospital in Thailand, I went back for doctor's appointment. Supposedly to see if blood pressure medication was working. The doctor didn't show up, so came back following week. Noone even took my blood pressure, which they generally do no matter what you are there for. Just asked me questions, and gave me more pills. Then when I came back to US, I ended up in hospital again, because as I said my pills went bad. The doctor there changed my medication. The following day I was back at another hospital, at the insistence of my daughter who is an RN, and this doctor changed it again. I think medication is important, but from this experience I believe people are right, if you can control things with diet and exercise or whatever, you are much better off. For young people reading this forum, I would urge you to take care of your self when you are young. Don't eat too much salt, exercise and try to avoid stress as much as possible. I believe being in the forest or wilderness is a good way to do this, also.

[primeelite]

That is actually the exact reason I have gotten into hiking, camping, survival camping as it is a stress reliever and removes me from the office situation.

[Gray Wolf]

chiangmaimav - for work, some of the materials I carry are temperature sensative. I have not tried with medication, but I carry these materials in a small cooler to preserve their integrity. They make various sizes. Here's a sample of what I'm talking about.

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I use the same one only smaller (8"Wx4"Hx6"D), If it's hot 80 degrees or more, I put some ice in a double Ziploc baggie. Most Meds should not get hotter than 78 degrees.

[crashdive123]

Sarge - Move to General Survival

[bulrush]

My doctor told me to lose weight because my BP was going up, so I lost 20 lbs. He then said I did better than 90% of his patients, meaning that 90% are told to lose weight but don't.

During the warmer months I wear a 20lb backpack (I fill it with old UPS batteries and jugs of water) and walk around the neighborhood for at least 30 minutes. During the winter I ride a stationary bike for at least 20 minutes. This summer I am considering driving to a park with hills and doing my walking there.

[chiangmaimav]

I am in nakhon sawan now and in jungle I took advice of klkak and crashdive and wrapped pills in wet burlap and stored them in a small cooler. While at my gf's mom's house I kept them in fridge in the crisper section. Hopefully this will protect them. A nurse told me that even if temperature is too high, pills should be okay for a few days. Although it is cool season here now it is still much hotter than 78 degrees so I try to keep them cool.
Bulrush you are doing right thing I am told. I also try to do aerobic type stuff from 30-45 minutes a day. The other day I went to the local "gym" here. Thailand has a new rule now that district offices have a free gym for residents. I went to the local talukanam office and they had equipment I have never seen before. All made from what looks like scrap metal. Most of them are contraptions made with springs that you push or pull. The tension is not adjustable and it is designed for little Asian people so it is not going to give larger western types much workout but better than nothing I suppose.

[Geronimo!]

My old man started taking fish oil and folic acid for his high blood pressure. From what he tells me it did the trick. Good Luck.