Liveaboard Medicine

[Lorenzoid]

I travel with drugs
antibiotic (I usually ask for Septra -- Cipro doesn't work for a lot of things)
extra-strength antihistamine cream and hydrocortisone cream (I have scripts for antihistamine cream, and several strengths of steroid cream)
Benedryl
an elastic bandage
Lomotil
Swimmer's Ear
anti-fungal spray or cream (get script for Loprox)
Afrin
probiotic (in case I need the antibiotic)
eye drops
saline spray
dental kit for temp filling (drugstores have them)
tea tree oil
waterproof bandages in different sizes
antiseptic cream or spray
eye glass repair kit
Painkillers -- Tylenol, Motrin

Yes, I'm a mom. "I have a terrible itch. Do you have anything that will make it stop?" "There's something growing between my toes. What do I do?"

Wow, that's a great list. I backpacked around the world with far less. But I'd rather be prepared. Anti-fungal?! Dental kit? (didn't know existed!). I'm totally going to steal this list.

 

[Basheirt]

Great list, Donna! And frankly, I'M usually the one who packs up all the extra meds for our family outings. It's the "previous life" medic in me, I guess.

 

[vladimir]

I travel with drugs
antibiotic (I usually ask for Septra -- Cipro doesn't work for a lot of things)
extra-strength antihistamine cream and hydrocortisone cream (I have scripts for antihistamine cream, and several strengths of steroid cream)
Benedryl
an elastic bandage
Lomotil
Swimmer's Ear
anti-fungal spray or cream (get script for Loprox)
Afrin
probiotic (in case I need the antibiotic)
eye drops
saline spray
dental kit for temp filling (drugstores have them)
tea tree oil
waterproof bandages in different sizes
antiseptic cream or spray
eye glass repair kit
Painkillers -- Tylenol, Motrin

Yes, I'm a mom. "I have a terrible itch. Do you have anything that will make it stop?" "There's something growing between my toes. What do I do?"

This list is similar to mine, except in lieu of the dental kit I floss every day and see my dentist every six months, and in lieu of tea tree oil I use nothing, which is equally effective and smells better.

I like a clean pair of boxers for every night of the trip. Underwear is light. I like a second wetsuit if weight is not an issue, and an extra dive computer.

 

[Basheirt]

Thanks Wookie!

In the "BTW" column... I've heard many wonderful things about YOU and the Spree. I wish we could have managed to get onto your boat. Timing and $$ were a bit prohibitive... perhaps next summer.

Jeff

 

[sphyrnidus]

In 2011 I was on a liveaboard in Egypt. There were only four of us on the boat. The gentleman of the other buddy pair scraped his leg on a wreck and it was a rather bloody mess. As I'm a doctor the crew asked me to look at it and do something. The first aid kit was handed to me and I inspected the contents. Almost everything in it was seriously old. I ended up, instead of stichting it together, to make do with some band aids pulling the walls together. It worked... The next trip, different ship and company, it was just as bad. So is sterile stuff is needed don't count on the liveaboards, at least not in Egypt.
By the way over the years I treated quite a lot of divers, from suspected heart attacks to diabetics with hypoglycaemia etc.

 

[Tigerman]

How many make sure their car first aid kit, if they even have one, is not expired?
I would definetly rather risk it with an expired compress from the FA kit in a car than none though...

 

[jbark]

some good suggestions so far. I will simply mention a few things that I have stopped to buy while on family camping trips over the past several years:

Pepto-bismol tablets
anti-heartburn pills (i like loratadine)
Zyrtec, or similar
triple antibiotic ointment
sunburn cure (aloe or similar)
sunscreen
hand sanitizer
"feminine supplies" though it seems you may not need those. . .
bic lighter
adhesive tape

I particularly like the suggestion for duct tape and super glue, both very handy items. I also put the last 1/3 of a roll of toilet paper into a bag and use my food saver to vacuum seal it. I keep several of these stashed in my boat, camper and trail pack. I could have made good money on some of those if you know what I mean.

have a good trip,
Jerry

 

[Darnold9999]

Multiple bathing suits to always change out of a wet one after a dive into a dry one. Are my shorts for the week. 1 t-shirt a day, nice shirt for a special occasion, sweatshirt for cold nights and one pair of real shorts.

If you own multiple wet suits and weight is not an issue take them. I normally take 3 (1-2 shortie/ 2-3 shortie and a 3 mil full suit) and am always using a dry suit for each dive. Keeps me MUCH warmer for the week.

I take a roll of waterproof tape instead of bandaids/duct tape. Stays on for several dives and can be used for just about anything. Particularly useful for taping feet that are developing blisters and covering any minor cut or skin break. More flexible than duct tape when taped to your body.

Sleeping pills for long plane rides, rough crossings and as an aid to time zone adjustments. For me does not take much to knock me out so the ones I travel with are pretty benign.

As someone already said, a decongestant that you know works and does not make you drowsey.

Spare glasses/contacts

 

[vladimir]

some good suggestions so far. I will simply mention a few things that I have stopped to buy while on family camping trips over the past several years:

Pepto-bismol tablets
anti-heartburn pills (i like loratadine)
Zyrtec, or similar
triple antibiotic ointment
sunburn cure (aloe or similar)
sunscreen
hand sanitizer
"feminine supplies" though it seems you may not need those. . .
bic lighter
adhesive tape

I particularly like the suggestion for duct tape and super glue, both very handy items. I also put the last 1/3 of a roll of toilet paper into a bag and use my food saver to vacuum seal it. I keep several of these stashed in my boat, camper and trail pack. I could have made good money on some of those if you know what I mean.

have a good trip,
Jerry

This is a good idea, even if you don't normally get heartburn. If, like most of us, you are doing three or four dives a day, you may find yourself upside-down in the water column too soon after a meal and regretting it later.

 

[Tigerman]

I forgot to mention, other than your 2 sets of shorts and t-shirts and the candy you also need a pack condoms.. These 6 items should be all you need in a warm location (Of course Im talking except the scuba gear here).

And no, the condoms are NOT for screwing, they have many other uses (well if you absolutely HAVE to screw someone...)