Sniffle Season Prepping

[JohnyMac]

🩺 Winter Sickness Prep: Taking Stock Before the Season Hits

With the winter "sniffle season" quickly approaching, I just took an inventory of our cold, flu, and bronchitis preps left over from last year. I also checked our preventative supplies to make sure we're topped off. Here's what we've got and what we do.


🧼 Preventative Measures

Every time we return from a trip outside the wire of the redoubt, we remind ourselves to wash our hands. This remains the #1 defense against catching whatever nastiness is floating around.

MrsMac and I mix our own liquid foaming hand soap for the kitchen and bathroom sinks. We prefer foam-style dispensers we bought years ago and just keep refilling.

Our recipe:

• 1/3 container 90% isopropyl alcohol
• 1/3 water
• 1/3 liquid dishwashing soap

To reduce the chance of picking up germs before we get home, I also keep hand sanitizer in the truck. We use it after tasks like handling store keypads or pumping fuel.

We didn't use masks during Covid-19 and we do not today while in public. The reason being, I have asthma and it affected my breathing. Because it affected my breathing I kept adjusting the mask so I could breath. Germs on my hands were then being transferred to my face which is a no-no. A January 2022 CDC study found that, except for well-fitted N95/KN95 masks, many masks (e.g., cloth or loose surgical) offered limited protection against airborne illnesses due to fit and material issues.

Last, we focus on daily immune supplements too. Specifically, Zinc, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D3, Quercetin, and Vitamin C. I will leave amount to you and I suggest you run any supplements you take with your GP before you start.


💊 OTC (Over-the-Counter) Supplies

Here's what we keep on our health prepping shelf year-round:

1. Fever & Pain Relief

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Gentle on the stomach; ideal for fever and mild pain.
      Dose: 500-1,000 mg every 4-6 hours (max 3,000?4,000 mg/day).
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin): Adds anti-inflammatory action for sore muscles or sinus pain.
      Dose: 200-400 mg every 4-6 hours (max 1,200 mg/day for OTC).
      Avoid if you have stomach ulcers, kidney issues, or take blood thinners.

2. Cough Suppressants & Expectorants

• Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM, Delsym): Suppresses dry, hacking coughs (great at night).
• Guaifenesin (Mucinex): Loosens mucus in productive coughs; drink plenty of water.

3. Decongestants & Nasal Aids

• Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed): Strong oral decongestant (behind the pharmacy counter, ID required).
      Avoid if you have high blood pressure.
• Saline nasal spray or irrigation kit (NeilMed Sinus Rinse): Moisturizes and flushes sinuses.
      Use 2?3? daily; pair with a nasal steroid spray like Flonase if needed.

4. Antihistamines

• Loratadine (Claritin) or Cetirizine (Zyrtec): Non-drowsy relief from runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes.
      Take once daily and start before peak symptom days for prevention.

5. Sore Throat & Multi-Symptom Soothers

• Throat lozenges (Halls, Fisherman?s Friend): Menthol or honey-based; limit 6-8/day.
• Multi-symptom combos (DayQuil/NyQuil): Convenient all-in-one relief for cough, congestion, and fever.

Keep in mind quantities recommended for children under 12 years old. Also, liquids for 5 years old and younger are far better than pills.

I use the old prepper adage of "one is none and two is one" when planning quantities of the above items - two per family member. 


📋 Quick Reference: OTC Use Table

Category	Key Products	Primary Use	Pro Tip
Fever / Pain	Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen	Aches, fever >100.4 F	Alternate types to stay under daily limits; avoid NSAIDs if elderly or on blood thinners.
Cough	Dextromethorphan, Guaifenesin	Dry vs. wet coughs	Honey (for ages 1+) can outperform some OTC suppressants in kids.
Congestion	Pseudoephedrine, Saline spray	Stuffy nose, sinus pressure	Don't use nasal sprays >3 days to avoid rebound congestion.
Allergy-like	Loratadine, Cetirizine	Runny nose, sneezing	Non-sedating formulas are great for daytime use.
Throat	Lozenges, Day/NyQuil	Irritation, flu-like symptoms	Lozenges aren't for infants - offer cool liquids instead.

🧰 Bonus Non-Medication Essentials

Because meds aren't everything, we also keep these tools handy:

• Digital thermometer: Track fevers. (one is none two is one)
• Vicks VapoRub: Soothes chest congestion.
• Electrolyte packets or broth mixes: Prevent dehydration from fever or diarrhea.
• Blood pressure monitor: For ongoing health tracking.
• Oxygen meter / finger pulse oximeter: Helps spot early respiratory issues.
• At-home COVID/flu test kits: Identify the illness to tailor treatment (e.g., use Tamiflu for confirmed flu). Store 2-4 tests per household member.

💊 Prescription Supplies

If your GP is cooperative, some will pre-write prescription meds for emergency use (though insurance rarely covers them). 
If not, there are reputable companies such as Jase Medical and others.

We've used Jase ourselves; our 5-item emergency kit cost about $250 and included:

   > Azithromycin - Pneumonia
   > Ciprofloxacin - UTI, traveler's diarrhea
   > Doxycycline - Pneumonia, infections
   > Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) - Influenza
   > Fluticasone/Salmeterol (Advair) - Inhalation Powder
   > Ivermectin - Flu, Covid-19

🧭 Final Thoughts

Stocking up now = peace of mind later. OTC items are inexpensive (usually under $10-15 each), and generics work just as well as name brands. Check expiration dates yearly (I do mine in fall) and rotate out expired meds. Store in a cool, dry, out of direct light, place away from humidity to maximize shelf life.

As always, this is simply what MrsMac and I do - not medical advice. Pregnant women, children, or anyone with chronic health conditions should always consult a doctor or pharmacist first.

Stay warm, wash those hands, and here's to a sniffle-free season!

What do you do? Share with the group.
 

[Nemo]

Wash hands, stay home mostly, get sniffily or sneezy, Gin. 

Nemo

[DMCakhunter]

Thanks JM.
Would recommend you add amoxicillin (antibiotic) and metronidazole/flagyl (crypto and giardia).
Supposedly doxy does not have a long shelf life and can react badly with other meds.

[Nemo]

I would be concerned about the Doxy also.  I have hear reports it has a less than about a 2 year shelf life. 

But some sources indicate a useful life of about 66 months posts expiration date.

Nemo

https://farmaciacanfora.com/how-long-is-doxycycline-good-for-after-expiration-date/

somewhat contradictory

https://www.askaprepper.com/the-real-expiration-date-of-common-drugs-in-your-cabinet/

[JohnyMac]

Great comments gents 

[Hope]

Great items to collect if you are going the conventional route. I haven't taken medications in about 12 years, choosing to use alternative methods. I'll share the items that I like to have on hand during this season:

Vinegar instead of isopropyl alcohol

I take the following on a daily basis:
Fire Cider, homemade
Fire Honey, homemade
Elderberry syrup, homemade
Turmeric
Vitamin D & K2

If sick, I select from the following items as needed:
The supplements mentioned by JM plus Nettle, Lysine, Selenium, and Lugol's iodine
GSE (grapefruit seed extract)
Oregano oil - olive oil that has been infused w/ oregano
Oregano essential oil - a couple of drops diluted in a capsule
Thieves essential oil - topical and diffused
Echinacea tincture, homemade
Garlic
Homemade cough syrup

If serious illness occurs, I keep the following on hand:
Items to make colloidal silver
Chlorine Dioxide Solution, homemade
Nebulizer
Assorted antibiotics

Note: Our dog was attacked by 2 dogs in August and we've struggled to help him recover as he has had to fight infection after infection. He went through 3 different kinds of antibiotics and then an extra powerful antibx for horses which was a daily injection. The culture results at one point showed 2 different MRSA organisms, resistant to antibxs. The vet basically said, I don't have anything that will treat him. So, we ramped up alternative treatments - using everything - colloidal silver, chlorine dioxide, MMS, DMSO, oregano oil, and echinacea tincture. The infection cleared with the alternative treatments. As of last week, 2 months after the event, he is finally healthy. Very thankful!! He had 3 surgeries and we spent $3,500 in vet bills, but the vet was extremely generous and didn't charge us for his time or for many of the cultures that were done, a culture costs $400. The bill could easily have been over $5,000. Our dog is only 5 years old, hopefully, he has many more years ahead. The point being, you may want to consider getting some alternative treatments for those times when antibiotics won't work because the bacteria is resistant.

[JohnyMac]

GREAT COMMENTS HOPE! Thank you for sharing them.

I wish I had the education to grow and or make home remedy's for health issues. You rock Hope.

Same drive but different gear...I have a friend that has pancreatic cancer. His life expediency was low. He agreed to the 12 bouts of chemotherapy. Well, he agreed to the chemo if the Oncologist would also subscribe Ivermectin protocol. After some research, she agreed.

After his chemo treatments began - it has been over a year now - his doctor is now prescribing the same protocol to all her patients who take chemo. She is very impressed with the results. She has elevated his survival from 10-15% over 5-years to 40-50% over the same time frame.

My point with this story is, there is a lot of alternatives out there. Explore them all.