Medical

[Felipe Sanchez]

Reference:  My March 23 posting:  Antes de Partir

PG, a fellow Pilgrim I admire and respect greatly, suggests that trekkers
taking prescription medicines do the following:
    1..Before boarding the aircraft, do not check your medicines with your
bags.  Keep them with you and available at all times.  The statistics on
this are alarming.

    2.  If you will be gone for a while, request an extra month's supply of
medicinals by informing the pharmacist that you will be on vacation.  Most
pharmacies have provisions for fulfilling your request.

    3.  If possible, take print-outs describing all medicines currently
being taken for reference by you or by an out-of-country health
professional.

For those who would like a Doctor who speaks English, has been trained in
Europe or North America, who meets standards of competency, and who has
fixed rates, the IAMAT (International Association for Medical Assistance to
Travelers) offers free a Worldwide Guide of physicians that qualify.  I know
nothing about IAMAT but I do take their list with me when I travel.....Just
in case.  Here is their website:
                    http://www.sentex.net/~iamat/

Also, just in case, I do not travel anywhere without two medicinals that
have served me well over the years while living and moving about Latin
America where I eat everything and everywhere occasionally with drastic
results..  I have had to use them only once in Spain.

    1.  Lonox:  Tablets--Diphenoxylate w/atropine--symptomatic relief for
"intestinal distress." Effects are fast and seem lasting--but only treats
symptoms.

    2.  SMZ/TMP DS TAB:  Tablets--Sulfamethoxazole with Trimethoprim--Oral--
         This is a broad spectrum sulfa drug that I have found most
effective in dealing with "internal pathogens."

In case your are wondering, no, I am not a hypochondriac.  Quite healthy in
fact.  But a neighbor who was a pilot for a major airline infused me with a
principal he lived and survived by:  "Hope for the best while preparing for
the worst."  Felipe Sanchez
felipsanaolypen.com