 |
| |
Generic Anti Diarrheal Tablet Travel Packet |
|
|
Generic Anti Diarrheal Tablet - 1 Pill (single dose) in a single use package that is good for travel first aid kits. Effective within one hour of use. Relief From Diarrhea and Upset Stomach. Important component of a survival kit to avoid dehydration associated with diarrhea.
Active incredient is 2mg Loperamide HCI which is also found in brand name products such as Imodium ®.
Use for treatment of acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea.
Each packet is imprinted with instructions and precautions for use. You may need reading glasses to read the instructions (sold in sidebar).
Loperamide is the active ingredient. Loperamide reduces gastrointestinal motility - the ability of the digestive tract to propel its contents. It is commonly used for the short-term management of mild to moderate diarrhea. It should be used in combination with oral rehydration solutions to ensure adequate fluid and electrolyte intake.
If used to treat acute diarrhea, loperamide treatment should be continued for 24-36 hours before it can be deemed ineffective. If this is the case and diarrhea persists or worsens, the medication should be stopped and a doctor should be consulted.
How does loperamide work?
This medication increases the transit time of intestinal contents. This prolonged transit time leads to an increased absorption of fluid throughout the intestinal tract, thereby relieving diarrhea.
We check all packages to make sure you have at least 6 months before printed expiration date. Most have 1 year to 2 year periods, but it varies with each shipment.
This presents a hurdle for those of us creating long term disaster survival kits. The food we place in the kits can last 10-25 years when properly packaged. We want the medicines to have similar durability.
It is important to differentiate between the printed expiration date AND true shelf life. Many medicines can have longer shelf life than that printed on the package.
The printed expiriation date is the date beyond which the manufacturer cannot guarantee the strength and potency of their product. In most cases this is a worst case scenario. The manufacturer cannot control the storage of the item after production. Factors are highly variable, how much light, moisture or temperature changes their product might be exposed to vary greatly. Manufacturers are generally very conservative, posting short expiration dates. Plus - manufacturers have a financial incentive to sell more - the early expiration dates "build in" repeat business.
If a medication undergoes prolonged and varied exposure to light, air and moisture, the active ingredients in the product react, rendering a change in the drug's potency. For example when aspirin is stored in a typical bathroom medicine cabinet, it is exposed to frequent cycles of high humidity and slow drying periods. The prolonged exposure to moisture in the air makes the active ingredient in aspirin convert to acetic acid, which is why old aspirin smells like vinegar.
When building a disaster survival kit - consider these factors and properly store your kit, in a cool, dark, dry place. Keep and reuse packs of Silica Gel that come with new products - use them in your kit to control moisture. If possible vacumm seal products in your survival kit (see sidebar).
If properly stored, most off the shelf medicines can have extended life. In a true disaster, it is better to have access to a properly stored , yet expired medication rather than nothing at all.
|
|
|
|
