My IFAK (or rather, lack thereof)

[Diseased88]

Hey everybody! I have decided on making a very crude IFAK (meaning, I'm not preparing for open heart surgery with this thing) So far I have;

1 Ice pack

12 Immodium AD caps

12 exlax caps

2 rolls of Tums chewables (antacid)

cloth tape

neosporin

kendall bandage wrap

assorted band aids (band aids fix EVERYTHING, right?!)

What else would a basic kit need? please nothing that costs $70, I am on a budget. (yes, I realize it could save my life, but that's no consolation now!)

thank you for your input

[Haji]

How 'bout some aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as an Ace bandage and some dressings to handle a larger wounds?

[Diseased88]

How 'bout some aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as an Ace bandage and some dressings to handle a larger wounds?

cool, whats the difference between aspirin and ibuprofen? Furthermore, whats the difference between Tylenol and Advil? (One says Acetemone or something, and the other says something different)

[The Highwayman]

Tylenol has acetominophine(sp?) and Advil has Ibuprofen. I have heard that Acet. can cause bleeding ulcers, especially if you drink alcohol daily (even says so on the package-don't use if you drink 3+ alcoholic drinks daily)
Aspirin is just another pain reliever, but also has some heart-beneficial effects. However, some people, I believe, are allergic to aspirin....

[GanaEMT]

Aspirin is an anticoagulant, not a pain reliever. It may relieve pain from headaches, but it's function and mechanism is to interrupt the clotting process, which is why we give it for chest pain with suspected cardiac origin.

Ibuprofen is an anti inflammatory, to decrease muscular swelling and pain associated with it.

Acetominophen (tylenol) is primarily an antipyretic, to decrease fevers.

[ironraven]

Where to start....

No, bandaids don't fix much, but keep them anyway. Including a couple of the fingertip and knuckle ones.

Pads and rollers are good. Add a couple of the cheapest, unscented maxipads you can find, as bulk dressings.

A good pair of shears. Good tweezers.

Ex-lax... yeah, not that much. You'll need it less than you need the immodium in most cases.

Benydril, sudafed (the real stuff).

Gana mentioned the non-analgesic properties of the three major OTC pain killers. Aspirin is an acid and too much will burn a hole in the lining of your stomach eventually. Too much acetaminophen can do damage to your liver. Too much ibuprofen I don't know about- probably does something like turn you purple or triggers spontaneous gender reassignment. Long story short, don't abuse the stuff, and the three all have their own advantages. Learn them, carry all three.

Nitrile (not latex) gloves.

If you are CPR certified and this going to be carried, add a pocket mask; if not certified, fix that problem. If you are looking at this as part of BOB, don't worry about the mask.

A LITTLE duct tape, no more than ten feet rolled on a coffee stirrer or bamboo skewer.

A couple of gallon-sized freezer bags (multipurpose item, but mainly as a litter bag for potentially contaminated stuff) and a Sharpie (I put some notes on people's foreheads, and not just T-and-time- if you lose that, you're pretty well fucked). A small note pad, and a pencil. This is a good place for a small flashlight, and maybe a spare SAK, multitool or pocket knife.

A container. I like rigid ones, but waterproof.