[Burp]

This might be of interest to preppers or those who stock up on medications in first aid kits / their own use. I notice several common medications , eg. supermarket painkillers are labelled as cannot be stored at over 25 degrees C, yet we experience much higher temperatures than this in summer. Medication in a pouch or backpack worn close to the body (37 degrees C) might also get warm, or inside a car on a hot day, even with the windows down. I am also concerned about the condition of medications stored in an indoor, wall-mounted first aid kit at my workplace in a building without airconditioning as the indoor temperature can still be above 30 degrees.

Just wondering what some members do to keep medicines or other substances cool when in the field, or if high temperatures were unavoidable, whether or not any damage or deterioration was observed to them. I'm thinking something like an insulated picnic bag would be enough, would it?

[Chelpdogg]

I USE THIS


ok I don't. sorry I can't be of any actual assistance.

[youngun]

Good point. I was taking steroids and anti-biotics at one stage prescribed by doctor which had to be kept below about 20 C. I was going on a hunting trip while taking them in the middle of summer so to keep them cool I kept them in a freezer bag and would throw in a instant ice pack every few hours.

[danandria]

BURP?! does this mean your back??

[danandria]

BURP?! does this mean your back??

[Burp]

danandria, on 07 Sep 2012 - 01:33 PM, said:

BURP?! does this mean your back??

??? I am not gone, just sticking to technical sections.

I put some Ibuprofen in my survival tin, which is supposed to be carried in the pocket, only to find the original packaging says it can't be stored above 25 degrees. Maybe I should take it out as the metal box poorly insulates against heat. For the same reason, while overseas survival kits often contain candles, that would become a melted mess in Australia in summer unless kept cool.

[zhuk]

Not above 25*? So no one takes Ibruprofen in NT then lol


Seems pretty ridiculous. If you're worried about low temp storage think you should be right with the insulated picnic bag you're thinking of Burp, with blue freezer bags. Have a whole freezer full of them from when I used to do self defence and worked well when I took cold stuff up to Mudgee.

[Willy]

My girlfriend is a pharmacy student and long time pharmacy assistant. She sorted out my medical needs for my bags/kits, I am sure she will know, or she has all the text books the pharmacists keep in the shop so that she can find out.

Will get an answer for you asap as to if it is really a major issue or not. She has given me strips of certain meds for my kit and didn't mention anything about temperature.

[Mychael]

Best to check with a qualified pharmacist but my understanding is that most medications wont actually "go off" in the literal sense as food would but will over time loose their potency.
Dry medications as in tablets and capsules will last better then liquids or solutions.

[Shelldrake (TC)]

300 ml vacume flask, the type that camping stores and some hunting shooting stores sells. Slide the medicine slides into the flask, seal, rrrrrrrrest.

The temp inside will be way lower then ambient due to the vacume that created an invisable barrier to the inside of the flask.

The only part that will allow thermal conductive transfer is the lid.

[Willy]

Here ya go mate. Had a chat to my missus about it.

The heat over 25 degrees does exactly the same thing as the expiry date. Once past date, or over temp, the molecules begin to break down and the medication begins to be less effective, or eventually non-effective at all.

She said there are medications like the ones for angina that are so tempermental that they cannot even be kept on your person, as the heat from your body can render them useless so if you are having a heart attack and pop half a dozen they will do absolutely nothing.

Seems appropriate to take precautions and keep them in some sort of semi-cooled section of your pack, or container of some sorts.

Hope this has been helpful.

Willy