{"id":10932,"date":"2021-08-30T09:56:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-30T15:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/?p=10932"},"modified":"2021-11-17T11:44:54","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T17:44:54","slug":"when-disaster-strikes-what-to-put-in-your-medication-go-bag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/when-disaster-strikes-what-to-put-in-your-medication-go-bag\/","title":{"rendered":"When Disaster Strikes: What to Put in Your Medication Go Bag"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Atlantic hurricane season is a good reminder that everyone should prepare this potentially lifesaving kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drugs\/must-haves-for-your-medication-go-bag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drugs\/must-haves-for-your-medication-go-bag\/\">Consumer Reports<\/a> Last updated: July 05, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A well-stocked <strong>Medication Go Bag<\/strong> can be used to soothe a cut or burn\u2014or to save your life during a&nbsp;hurricane, flood, fire, or other emergencies. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it\u2019s important not to wait until you\u2019re faced with the need to leave your home in a hurry to assemble your medication go bag, says Geoffrey C. Wall, Pharm.D., a professor of pharmacy practice at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you buy a kit from a drugstore or build it yourself, Wall recommends that all households keep a medication go bag on hand. It should contain the essentials, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>At least seven days\u2019 worth of over-the-counter and prescription medications you take on a regular basis. Label the containers clearly, and include a printed-out&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/prescription-drugs\/from-pill-organizers-to-apps-how-to-manage-your-meds\/\">list of everything you take<\/a>&nbsp;and the regimen for each medication, plus a copy of your health insurance card (in case you need medical care while you\u2019re away from your home).<\/li><li>An&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/cro\/2013\/07\/treating-allergies-with-antihistamines\/index.htm\">antihistamine<\/a>&nbsp;for allergic reactions, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy and generic) or loratadine (Claritin and generic).<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/pain\/best-and-safest-ways-to-ease-pain\/\">Pain relievers<\/a>, including acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and generic), or naproxen (Aleve and generic).<\/li><li>Stomach and antidiarrheal remedies, including loperamide (Imodium and generic) and bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol, and generic).<\/li><li>An antacid for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drugs\/when-to-consider-ppi-drugs-for-heartburn\/\">heartburn<\/a>, such as Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, Tums, or generic.<\/li><li>Antiseptic wipes; an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin, Bacitracin Plus, Curad, or generic (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/cro\/health\/using-expired-neosporin\">use only for infected wounds<\/a>); and bandages, gauze, and tape, for treating burns, cuts, and wounds.<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/insect-repellents\/take-the-sting-out-of-mosquito-bites\/\">Mosquito repellent<\/a>&nbsp;to prevent bites, and aloe gel, hydrocortisone cream, or calamine lotion to soothe bites and skin irritation.<\/li><li>An eyewash solution for flushing out eye irritants.<\/li><li>Water-purification tablets.<\/li><li>Scissors.<\/li><li>Thermometer.<\/li><li>Tweezers.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you and your family have special medical needs, you can build a more sophisticated medication go bag\u2014for example, one that contains&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/cro\/hearing-aids.htm\">hearing aids<\/a>&nbsp;with extra batteries, an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drug-prices\/get-the-best-deal-on-epipen-and-the-alternatives\/\">epinephrine auto-injector<\/a>, glasses, contact lenses, or syringes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fill Prescriptions in Advance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For prescriptions, you and your family members take, consider asking your doctor for 60- or 90-day refills rather than a month\u2019s worth. That way, you\u2019re more likely to have extras on hand for your medication go bag. (This can also&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drug-prices\/5-hacks-for-lowering-your-prescription-drug-costs\/\">save you money<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always fill prescriptions on the first day you become eligible for a refill, rather than waiting until the day you run out. If you are able to obtain an emergency supply, establish a plan for rotating your go-bag supply so that it remains up to date. And remember to check medications periodically to ensure that they have not expired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDuring an emergency, some states allow pharmacists to dispense&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/emergency-preparedness\/how-to-get-your-prescriptions-during-an-emergency\/\">an emergency supply of medications<\/a>&nbsp;without doctor authorization,\u201d Wall says. But, he adds, \u201ccertainly if a known potential disaster, such as a hurricane, is predicted, make sure you have prescription meds and supplies before it hits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might also ask your health insurance company to assist you in obtaining enough medication and supplies to have on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Storing and Maintaining Your Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drugs\/must-haves-for-your-medication-go-bag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/drugs\/must-haves-for-your-medication-go-bag\/\">Click here for the rest of the story&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More great articles!<\/h2>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list wp-block-latest-posts\"><li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/how-life-insurance-can-support-long-term-care-planning-without-replacing-it\/\">How Life Insurance Can Support Long-Term Care Planning Without Replacing It<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/what-happens-if-your-vehicle-is-totaled-understanding-the-auto-insurance-claims-process\/\">What Happens If Your Vehicle Is Totaled, Understanding the Auto Insurance Claims Process<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/why-now-is-a-smart-time-for-michigan-businesses-to-review-liability-coverage-before-spring-foot-traffic-increases\/\">Why Now Is a Smart Time for Michigan Businesses to Review Liability Coverage Before Spring Foot Traffic Increases<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/snowstorms-and-roof-damage-is-your-michigan-home-covered\/\">Snowstorms and Roof Damage: Is Your Michigan Home Covered?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/do-you-need-recreational-insurance-for-your-snowmobile-in-michigan\/\">Do You Need Recreational Insurance for Your Snowmobile in Michigan?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Atlantic hurricane season is a good reminder that everyone should prepare this potentially lifesaving kit By Consumer Reports Last updated: July 05, 2021 A well-stocked Medication Go Bag can be used to soothe a cut or burn\u2014or to save your life during a&nbsp;hurricane, flood, fire, or other emergencies. &nbsp; But it\u2019s important not to wait [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[341,346,16,344,148,342,1,343,349,348,347,2,139,345],"tags":[1692,9,15,31,1695,12,25,4,77,1693,1694,1691,71,62],"class_list":["post-10932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-auto-insurance","category-boat-watercraft-insurance","category-business-blog","category-flood-insurance","category-health-ins-blog","category-home-insurance","category-insurance","category-life-insurance","category-recreational-insurance","category-renters-insurance","category-rv-insurance","category-shield-blog","category-things-to-do-at-home","category-umbrella-insurance","tag-atlantic-hurricane","tag-auto-insurance","tag-business","tag-commercial-insurance","tag-fill-rx-in-advance","tag-health-insurance","tag-healthcare","tag-home-insurance","tag-insurance","tag-lifesaving-kit","tag-lift-of-everything-you-take","tag-medication-go-bag","tag-michigan","tag-shield-insurance-agency"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10932"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11604,"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10932\/revisions\/11604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shieldagency.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}