OTC Medications for Emergency Preparedness

We share a representative sampling of the over the counter (OTC) medications we have stored for emergency. This is not medical advice, but rather sharing what we have done. Each person should select medications for storing by consulting with their physician.

Any products we mention or show on our videos have been purchased with our own money and are recommended or not based on our own experience.

[Vg.]

Wonderful list! Something people might want to add is eye wash. Having a bottle or two of simple saline solution to wash the eye out if you get dirt or dust in the eye can bring much relief!

[WinkTartanBelle]

Retired after 30+ years of bedside nursing. I am so happy you are stepping up on this topic, Pam. Thanks you!
Clotrimazole/Monostat also works well topically (on intact skin) for yeast infections of the foot or outer ear, and skin folds. As people lose weight, folds of extra skin can form and stay damp, or anyone may find that sweaty feet might become an issue, which often leads to minor (but uncomfortable) yeast and fungal infections. I remember my son seemed prone to get them behind his ears. Many women suffer from them under the breasts. Babies sometimes get yeast on their bottoms. Powder helps, but sometimes you need to use this type of cream.

[laurielafleche]

I would add an electrolyte powder to help with dehydration. If you have excessive diarrhea it will help

[mariafreire]

Activated charcoal is a must in my emergency kit for food poisoning (both human and dogs - the toads in FL are poisonous) and severe upset stomach. Zinc lozenges and colloidal silver. I purchase a large bottle and have used it as a throat spray, on a qtip to swab the inside of nose when feeling that a bug is about to start. So far, so good. Mannose-D is great for UTI if you start as soon as you feel it coming on. Most adult women know the weird pulling sensation when it's about to start. An older GYOB recommended years ago using evening Primrose for menstrual cramps. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

[kayemoore]

I love you and your family! I’m an emergency room RN and want to let you know that if diarrhea is from a “bad bug” (dirty water) you need to let the diarrhea run it’s course to expel the “bad bugs”. I hope I not sounding rude, I honestly just want the best for you and your wonderful family. After all, you’ve graciously given so much of your time to teach me and mine. I watch and enjoy every episode on YouTube and can’t thank you enough!!

[lindaerwin]

i love how you two crack each other up its funny its sweet

[Stephanie-rfxs]

I have a host of life threatening food/food additives allergies; therefore, stocking Benadryl is a MUST for me. If anyone suffers life threatening allergies to drugs or foods or food additives, please be very careful when creating your own OTC medication emergency storage. I hope this helps someone and I truly appreciate your videos especially the humor that goes into them!

[HeidiVillegas]

Knowing how to use medicinal plants and/or keeping a stock of quality essential oils on hand (small and portable, too) can be EXTREMELY helpful if you know how to use them. What happens if you can't get what you need from the stores? That's been happening here already. I would say to anyone and everyone....learn how to use medicinal plants. They're free. You can grow most of what you need. And foraging is an option too. Many of my students have replaced ALL over the counter and even prescription drugs with plant medicine done right.

[Vro-]

I always keep 1 or 2 cans of fruit in heavy syrup after having had food poisoning years ago. Taking a teaspoon of the syrup as tolerated will help calm nausea and help with the diarreah, eventually working up to eating the fruit, it's definitely a preppers "two fer" if you will. Other times I only keep fruit in natural juices.

[laurab]

I have several shoe boxes in my hallway bathroom cabinet, each one is labeled and holds a category of first aide items. In addition to the ones Pam showed here, I also have a box called “skin care” that has bug bite remedies, excema topicals, sunscreen, and first aide salves, plus a “first aide” box that has band aides, bandages, cotton dressing squares, keflex wraps and things like neosporin for cuts and scrapes. I have ones for eye care, ear care and dental that hold things like eye wash, different types of eye drops, eye glasses repair kit and cheap reading glasses of differing strengths. I have wax removal kits for the ears and emergency dental care kits. I also have medical care boxes for our dogs, our cats and even our chickens!

[emilefrederics]

Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Quercetin, Zinc, Olive Leaf Extract

[ChieftuckabuckawaysWife]

So cute, ingrown toe nails.... 😍. Great reminders Jim and Pam!!

[danniemcdonald]

Great list. One thing that I would advise is to read the labels of any OTC med that you buy. Especially multi-symptom meds (for example, Nyquil). It contains acetaminophen (Tylenol), so you wouldn't want to take a couple of Tylenol tablets with it. The Tylenol PM contains Benadryl, so you would need to watch your dosages of Benadryl. These are just 2 examples. Just because it's OTC doesn't mean it is always harmless. ALWAYS follow the dosing instructions unless told otherwise by your doctor. Thank you for sharing. I saw a couple of items that I need to add to my kit.

[JRCHomesteadTexas]

We keep equate mucinex. It knocks down mucus drainage before it settles in your chest. A friend recommended I try Magnesium instead of laxatives which can dehydrate you. It really works! I don't need it daily and take at night. Heavy duty fabric bandaids are getting hard to find. I'm stocking those too.

[kathyhale]

FYI.... Sam's Club sells generic Zyrtec called Aller-Zyr for much less, less than $20. For 400 tablets.
It's cetirizine hydrochloride.

[DutchAlaskagirl]

My parents grew up around WWII in Germany. Meds were pretty much non-existent. So we all grew up with natural treatment. Her go-to for toenail fungus? Urin! She’d say to pee on it (easier for guys). But I always look for cream with urea in it. And it works, too. Not as quickly, but no worries about side effects. Tea tree oil is my other go to for many things. Female yeast infection? 1, maybe 2 applications of tea tree oil and it’s gone.

[astewart]

Great advice.! I store those categories plus hydrocortisone cream, antibiotic cream and poison ivy cream and of course alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

[megbirney]

Great overview! Iwould add a triple antibiotic cream like neosporin or it’s generic version. Great to help keep all those nicks and scrapes from getting more seriously infected. I also keep lots of betadine around for the same reason. Since we have horses I have to keep it on hand for them as well. FYI betadine come in a solution and a scrub version. The solution is used to flush wounds, like abscesses in my horses whereas betadine scrub has soap in it and can be used as an antiseptic to cleanse skin. As it does have both antibacterial and anti fungal properties it can be helpful to have around as a general skin antiseptic but be warned if you are allergic to iodine AVOID betadine since it is iodine based! As was stated, make your list and run it past your GP to make sure you can tolerate all the ingredients. If you have animals make sure you are also stocking up on their stuff as well. Another FYI is that bandage material like vetrap and various bandage tapes will degrade with heat. I periodically have to replace the bandage material is my first aid kit for the horses since I keep it in the barn.

[lindagreenwell]

Love. Love, Love you hair. Looks so natural!!

[TheZippermom]

I had a Dr. recommend Quercetin for allergies and it works so well I've been able to stop taking allergy meds.