Depopulation, 2012, endworld and medicine

Topic is hopefully accurate, not great at titles.

I am an asthmatic. As ready as I might feel for an endworld scenario I don't believe I would survive long without an inhaler.

I am sure there are other asthmatics here that may not have considered it, and there may be some that require other types of medications that will eventually run short in some apocolypse scenario. Surely even if we were able to secure a pharmacy, even then medicine expires after months to years or we'd use it and find we have nothing to survive on.

What I'd like to know is what you guys(&girls) think of this. What can we do?

I am on a fair amount of meds and two of them are narcotic so I do worry about this topic. What i have done is built up a bit of a buffer. I am very careful to refill on time and to stretch the medication as far as I can. I have just about two months of meds for that buffer should supply dry up.

For those that are on life sustaining medication this is a frightening prospect and one that people need to take seriously. It is hard to get a stock of meds since they have a shelf life, the only thing I could figure out is stated above. Great topic for those of us who need medication to have any sort of quality of life. red

Look into your meds and what happens after their destabilization. Some become toxic, others just become less potent. Do your research ahead of time. I personally save full web pages to my comp for reference if they have useful information. You can't count on the internet to be functional, but you can always count on a portable generator to print them last minute if need be.

As strange as it may sound.
For some people on medication may find that if they have to try and live off the land that they lose their relience on the medication.
A lot of the foods we eat cause many of our health problems without even realizing it.
If I eat certain products I get itchy skin which will turn into dermatitis if I continue to eat it.

I discovered this myself, The doctors gave me oral as well as topical medication to treat my condition.
I changed my diet and cleared it up.
Healthy food and avoid all the chemicals and GM food.

reply to post by munkey66


While I agree with that to a certain extent, there are many many cases where people need the medication to survive. There are reasons our life expectancy has doubled in a relatively short time.

[edit on 16-4-2009 by Magnivea]

I totally agree.
Unfortunately unless you can store certain medications I would try and become best friends with a chemist who can mix the ingredients for you.

If we are talking global collapse and people rounded up into camps, I think we may be in trouble and medication may be the last thing on anyones mind.
As long as you are relient upon someone, you are really not free.

Originally posted by nightrun
Topic is hopefully accurate, not great at titles.

I am an asthmatic. As ready as I might feel for an endworld scenario I don't believe I would survive long without an inhaler.

I am sure there are other asthmatics here that may not have considered it, and there may be some that require other types of medications that will eventually run short in some apocolypse scenario. Surely even if we were able to secure a pharmacy, even then medicine expires after months to years or we'd use it and find we have nothing to survive on.

What I'd like to know is what you guys(&girls) think of this. What can we do?

Don't worry friend,

After the Great Collapse I'm sure you'll be given the opportunity to get your meds.

You'll just have to agree to be chipped.

reply to post by munkey66


It is true to an extent. I eat healthy as it is and I try to keep reasonably fit because it does reduce frequency of asthma. When you get seasons like summer, the grass pollin is unavoidable and asthma is guaranteed. I had searched google for ways to stop asthma without medication it isn't exactly easy. They say you have to relax and breath slow and deep but once you become conscious you are getting asthma, it suddenly gets much heavier on the lungs. Alcohol and caffeine are good to relax the muscles, and sleep will do it too.

How did people survive asthma back before inhalers were invented?

Well to be honest till the day comes you have no idea how it'd truly affect you. I have asthma and haven't had an attack in a while now and haven't had a asthma attack or medication, in fact my last asthma attack I just dealed with it. Though I admit it wasn't a severe attack it's effects could still be felt. I've gone a while with serious asthma attack and all I have to say is it's amazing what a human body can do in times of need. If you had an asthma attack and don't have your meds then your body might be able to survive through it, granted it won't be easy. But there are a few ways to lessen the effects of asthma attacks, such as being in an area full of steam and taking in deep breaths always help.

Then there's always the option of having medication made for you by others, as suggested by another earlier. But that wouldn't be easy either to get the needed ingredients. My suggestion would just to have a small stock pile of medication and figure out what helps lessen asthma attacks too.

What about vision? I wear contacts, but they do expire after awhile. Glasses break, and people's perscription can change. Almost a a third of the population has some form of nearsightedness. If Lenscrafters are't around anymore, what happens to us?

Originally posted by oneinthesame
What about vision? I wear contacts, but they do expire after awhile. Glasses break, and people's perscription can change. Almost a a third of the population has some form of nearsightedness. If Lenscrafters are't around anymore, what happens to us?

The good thing about glasses is they don't expire, you will just have to have a few hidden away just in case and take good care of them in a disaster

Originally posted by oneinthesame
What about vision? I wear contacts, but they do expire after awhile. Glasses break, and people's perscription can change. Almost a a third of the population has some form of nearsightedness. If Lenscrafters are't around anymore, what happens to us?

I went the Lasik route in anticipation of not being able to replace or deal with contacts indefinitely. Not saying that is the best route but I "felt" that is what I should do.

- PM

It's possible to train your eyes, also. My fiancee went to some program for years because whatever it is that's wrong with her eyes let one point totally to the outside constantly. They gradually taught her the muscle control to keep it in, and now keeping it in place is "habit."

My mother also had some fairly rare problem with her eyes, so the glasses she needed were far more than her insurance would cover. She was almost totally blind for a while, but she tried different prescription and non prescription glasses until she found one that made her vision acceptable. Not something I'd recommend, but in an endworld situation maybe something to consider.

Just giving an update on the whole asthma situation as this can help others.

Been a month without my inhaler, where I used to use it daily.
I get light asthma still but it passes. What made me try this is that I was relying on the inhaler too much not giving my body the chance to deal with asthma itself.

How was Asthma dealt with before inhalers? Much the same way as I'm doing it and people still survived. There were unfortunate sufferers that have died but for a good majority of us, good health and a bit of commitment can take us a long way.

Looks like I have a standing chance in 2012 even if it does turn out fine I'll be better prepared for whatever if it ever.

So there ya go. If you suffer asthma, it would be a good idea to try going without the inhaler and give your body a chance to learn to fight it. Keep the inhaler handy though. Take care

[edit on 24/2/2010 by nightrun]

I can survive without my glasses (they just broke up some months ago and I haven't had money to get a new pair... I have severe astigmatism and I can't see borders, i see with Gaussian blur 10 px ratio all day baby!), I can live without my other medicines, but I certainly can't survive without my eutyrox... My hypothyroidism is second type and heavy, so not even eating dried pork thyroids would help me, my issue is on my pituitary gland nor my thyroid itself.