[at-l] 1st Aid Kit

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

1) My preference for Aspirin is based on the numerous uses including
pain, fever, inflammation and cardiac benefits. Many have bought the
marketing that non-aspirin NSAIDs vendors use against aspirin regarding
perceived dangers and inconvenience. All NSAIDs are capable of GI side
effects. Aspirin has a bit more risk of allergies, especially for those
with asthma. You also must limit aspirin and PeptoBismol. There are
some relative merits and demerits among the NSAID's including frequency
of dosage, costs, and packaging. Ibuprofen simply got generic and OTC
prior to other NSAIDs, with better marketing than naproxen. Make your
own choice on what NSAID to carry in your first aid kit. Mine has
aspirin.

2)Sedatives on the trail. Ambien makes some sense for initial nights on
the trail. It is quickly metabolized and is not (currently) associated
with memory loss and addiction as with other choices. There may still
be increased risks of falls. Typically, it only gets you to sleep, but
will not keep you knocked out. There is a newer similar drug (Sonoma?)
which does not seem as effective in my experience, but seems to have
less rebound insomnia in studies of efficacy and side effects. Older
drugs (Dalmane, Restoril, Halcion, Doral, etc.) all have increased
risks of tolerance, falls, memory loss, and other problems - but they
are cheap.

In my experience, snorers get going later in the night, usually after
Ambien has worn out. If you sleep in a shelter with those who snore,
there are 2 cures: homicide and ear plugs. Homicide has obvious adverse
consequences as you would need to become a serial killer to complete a
thru hike. Most people have trouble getting back to sleep after
snuffing the life out of a snorer. Yet this could allow your pillow to
have more than one use. Ear plugs have some weight disadvantage and few
multiple uses, but can be used repetitively until lost. I prefer ear
plugs, and carry extras for the likelihood that I will be the one
snoring. I only carry Ambien on weekend hikes.

Bill...

--- Victor Hoyt <vhoyt@mediaone.net> wrote:
> Forgive me if this has been discussed ad nauseum on the list. Why is
> it that
> there seems to be such a bias towards Ibu? ...
> 
> Just to add my own little oft carried item: I am a very light sleeper
> so my
> doc (who is a hiker and mountaineer) gave me a scrip for Ambien...

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