Besides the meds you need. (Doxy, Malarone...)

I take along some bandages and anti-biotic ointment. Asprin and benedryl are in there too.

I also take along a tube of A+D diaper rash ointment. For bug bites, chaffing or any itchy rash this stuff is amazingly useful.

What else does everybody take?

In addition to what you already listed, I add:

two courses of broad spectrum antibiotics
prescription pain killers (percocet, etc)
Imodium and Pepto Bismol
Ibuprofin
Steroidal Eye Drops
A couple of syringes and needles

This kit has gotten out of serious trouble a couple of times. Once on an elk hunt I caught a stick in the eye. The doctor told me that if I hadn't put those drops in right away, I would have lost sight in the eye. I had another friend have an attack of kidney stones when we were in Alaska; I don't think he would have made it without those pain killers!

Pete

Ditto on all of the above. Two sets of good tweezers - one fine, and one fairly stout have proven invaluable at times. I also add the small pre-packaged alcohol wipes, and a doc friend has given me some of the packaged needles and sutures for stitching up a gaping wound. The roll of dental floss in your kit has enough length and strength to tie gauze bandages in place.

Yes, if you're wondering, I have used them twice and it hurts. I now have added a topical anisthetic also.

My wife is on Coumadin, and so every scratch or cut bleeds profusely. She has found the medical super-glue kits to be a necessity for her on those nasty thorn scratches.

after my most recent of many safaris do your self a favor and bring 2 or 3 types of antibiotics, a pain medication such as demerol or even stronger and one slightly less powerful.I was not able to get some broken bones treated for over 2 weeks and I am glad i had the stuff

Cipro is a good choice for an antibiotic. Pretty much good for what ails you, and cheap to boot, nowadays.
Consider a disposable suturing kit, and local.
Also, you may wish to add a small emergrncy dental repair kit, if anyone loses a crown or filling.
Most outfitters really appreciate leaving this stuff behind, hard for them to get.

Whenever I hunt I take a small but well stocked first aid kit. Included in the kit are blister kit, tweezers, tick remover, rubber gloves, and Neosporin in addition to the normal banaids, tape, and guaze pads. Aleve, Pepto Bismol, Benady, and Immodium in unit dose packs are added. This is always in my day pack.

For the African trip I add Cipro for broad spectrum and intestinal problems, Declomycin 300 mg for tick bite fever, Ultram EQ (tramadol) for pain, and Ambien for sleep. Make sure and keep the Rx meds in their original containers with labels. These are usually left a camp.

All are goods things to have but most important is a big bottle of whiskey. It is multiple purposes, anthespic and good pain relief (even if not injured).

Add a couple of injection needles to your kit. The sharp edge cuts like a scalpel and can used very effectively to remove splinters and thorns.

One more item. Moleskin.

In addition to a general kit I include a couple of quickclot pkgs and compression bandages

We always bring some kind of a kit. We often have found that the PH or crew is in need of antihistamines, pain killers, and various over the counter meds more than we ever thought of. Laxatives and anti diarrheals can make or break your safari. A few band aids and antiseptic can he handy also.

Mark

One item that I always take with me is "Compeed" second skin blister protection.

We rely on our trackers.

Had a Maasai once who sliced open his ring finger down to the bone while skinning a kudu.

Those German kitchen knives will do that if one is not real careful.

So, what did our enterprising skinner do about his wound, you ask? He wrapped a strip of kudu connective tissue (that slimy, silvery stuff that encapsulates muscles and holds them together) around his finger several times, and then topped it off with about three inches of green bark from a nearby tree, which he also wrapped several times around his bound-up wound.

Two days later he was fully healed and not even preaching the Gospel.

Who needs Western Medicine?

Other than some blister protection, sun block, and bug dope, I do not carry any first aid kit. If you've looked at your PH's kit everything you might take would be redundant.

Dirk

quote:

Originally posted by dirklawyer:
Other than some blister protection, sun block, and bug dope, I do not carry any first aid kit. If you've looked at your PH's kit everything you might take would be redundant.

Dirk

Yeah, unless you get the runs on the way over, in the hotel, or on the way back.

I carry a lot of the stuff mentioned above, inluding sterile srynges. Don't want to get AIDS from some pre-used hypo.

I have a hunters first aid kit I've had for years. Laxative, Immodium, pain-killing antibiotic ointment, antibiotic eye drops, and some other stuff. Always carry Cipro and Percocet and Ambien. Jet lag's a bitch on a short trip, and the older you get, the worse it becomes.

I work mostly in Iraq, so I may pack differently. My med kit is short on meds and long on chest seal dressings, needles for reducing pneumothorax, tourniquets, nasal airways and a few other things for dealing with penetrating trauma. I think this would stand me in good stead in most hunting scenarios. I'm not sure if there would be any legal issues with the needles in some countries. Just yesterday I did manage to transit Kuwait, Frankfurt and enter the U.S. with my kit in checked baggage.

I bring my own doctor and he brings just about everything you can think of in spades as he's a bit of a hypocondriac anyway.

I take many of the above mentioned items but bandaids I take the large ones and finger ones but most importantly they will all be the fabric variety and not the plastic..

Mike

I second everything listed here, especially the prescription drugs and a good trauma kit (clotting agent, Israeli bandage, and a serious abdominal bandage).

Good source for first aid equipment I use:
http://www.chinookmed.com/

Don't underestimate over the counter super glue for:
- repairing cracked knuckles/skin
- covering insect bites
- mending split finger/toenails
- Mending cuts (avoided several ER trips for stitches)

PS: Don't forget the Duct Tape

quote:

PS: Don't forget the Duct Tape

Remember if you are travelling to Namibia, that despite the Namibian hunting professionals having first aid qualifications, and having first aid kits in their vehicles, they may by law not administer any form of medication, so yes,take your own.

When travelling overland across East and Southern Africa in the 80's I carried a "travellors medical kit" which included syringes and other stuff. Good to have your own syringes as it was known for media clinics in Africa to re-use syringe needles many times.

I always carry a similar kit in third world countries.

Regarding the dental kit: if you're in the bush and fracture a tooth / loose a filling or crown it can certainly make life miserable. Take some zinc oxide powder and eugenol liquid (oil of cloves) and a tongue depressor which you use as a spatula to mix the two togethter on a hard smooth surface untill you have a firm consistency. Make this into a ball and push it into the cavity and allow to harden. Nice instant temp filling. Make the mixture less firm if you want to recement a loose crown. You could get the material from your pharmacy or your dentist.
Thomas

Interesting argument and topic.

I had two experiences, one personal and one of a italian hunter.

I was on holydays in Turkey sailing shen during a break at Bodrum Bay the skipper broke a leg with a exposed fracture. I could help him because a US Army First Aid Medical Kit that I was used to have with me. I reduced the fracture, disinfected the wound and fixed splints with bandages.

That time the problem was that there was no alternative to bring him to hospital, I had to operate the reduction even if I'm not a doctor, because there were no roads, and the nearest port (Marmaris) was 30 miles away, night was falling and no one else wanted to intervene. He saved his leg.

The italian hunter story is that he did not bought pain killer product during a safari in Zim. And this saved his life. He had in the past problems with kidney stones and he was used to have always pain killer med with him but that time he forgotted them at home. And this saved his life. In fact he had an appendicitis attack evolved in peritonitis. If he has had pain killer meds with him, he probably would take some and continue to hunt until too late.

Instead, for the pain he went to have a visit by the doc, who understood immediately the problem and its seriousness, bought him to Bulawayo hospital and operate him immediately saving his life.

For sure is important to have a First Aid kit, more important to know when, how and why use it, or some particular product.

I usually load up on a little bit of everything but the only thing I end up using are the Compeed skins, the rest I leave with my PH who always appreciates it.

I usually "lend loan" stuff from the hospital so it´s actually a redistrubution of wealth on an international scale

I carry a FAK whenever I travel. The one I carry overseas is rather "extensive" and was worth its weight in gold on a trip to Belize last year.

All good suggestions and important to have your "own" kit (even if you leave most of it at the camp). Moleskin, bandaids and tylenol sure saved my "skin" last year.

One point - similar to Steve's.

I've never been a believer in anti-diarrheal medicine unless you know the cause. For example - don't take it if you have a fever or blood in your stool.

My advice, drink lots and lots of clear fuilds and rehydration salts and let the drain run open unless you have a proper medical diagnosis.

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Hunter:
One point - similar to Steve's.

I've never been a believer in anti-diarrheal medicine unless you know the cause. For example - don't take it if you have a fever or blood in your stool.

My advice, drink lots and lots of clear fuilds and rehydration salts and let the drain run open unless you have a proper medical diagnosis.

Okay, but the current advice from most travel medicine clinics is aggressive, early self treatment of traveler's diarrhea (TD). 1-3 days of a fluroquinolone class antibiotic, antimotility agents and oral rehydration.

TD is the #1 illness among travlers, and with the expense of a trip to Africa, a few doses of Cipro is prudent.