Gunshot or other trauma preventative antibiotics

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Originally Posted by Omicron

As far as keeping antibiotics in your trauma kit, don't they have a relatively short half life, and become much less effective as they age? As I recall, the full strength life is about 2 years on most antibiotics. This being the case, you'll want to figure out a way to rotate fresh supplies into your kit as they age.

Secondly, is it a good idea to only take 1-2 days course of antibiotics? My understanding is that you need to take 5-7 days worth once you start them, or your partially kill the infection and run the risk of making whatever survives resistant to that particular antibiotic.

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Most will last much more than two years, an besides tetracycline most should be safe pretty much forever the potency just drops some. But when you are talking about preventing an infection the antibiotic often doesn't new to be as potent anyway. I'm not recommending it I'm just saying if you were in a life threatening situation and you had five or ten year old antibiotics they are still a good option.

5-7 day courses, or longer, are when you are treating an infection. That's dangerous because if you don't kill all the bacteria they may develop resistance to that antibiotic. For prevention one to two days or until you can get help is usually plenty. Ever had a dental procedure? They usually give amoxicillin 1000-2000 mg one time. It's a similar idea.

I was given no preventative antibiotics when I cut my neck. Just gave me a tetanus shot. Is that normal?

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Originally Posted by tmckay2

Most will last much more than two years, an besides tetracycline most should be safe pretty much forever the potency just drops some. But when you are talking about preventing an infection the antibiotic often doesn't new to be as potent anyway. I'm not recommending it I'm just saying if you were in a life threatening situation and you had five or ten year old antibiotics they are still a good option.

5-7 day courses, or longer, are when you are treating an infection. That's dangerous because if you don't kill all the bacteria they may develop resistance to that antibiotic. For prevention one to two days or until you can get help is usually plenty. Ever had a dental procedure? They usually give amoxicillin 1000-2000 mg one time. It's a similar idea.

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Very cool, makes perfect sense. Thanks for explaining it.

Also, never underestimate the power of a tampon for use in an emergency situation. Seriously, you get a puncture wound or gun shot and suddenly something that seemed so silly to carry around just became EXTREMELY useful and potentially life saving.


Badger

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Originally Posted by Badger

Also, never underestimate the power of a tampon for use in an emergency situation. Seriously, you get a puncture wound or gun shot and suddenly something that seemed so silly to carry around just became EXTREMELY useful and potentially life saving.


Badger

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I see this all the time and have yet to find someone who has used it. I think it's a myth like racking a shotgun scares burglars but what the hell do I know?

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Originally Posted by Wulf202

I see this all the time and have yet to find someone who has used it. I think it's a myth like racking a shotgun scares burglars but what the hell do I know?

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You think its a myth that if you stick a tampon in a hole it will absorb blood?.... REALLY?....... Damn, now I've heard everything.


I actually have seen one of these used for such purposes, it worked. But don't take my word for it, by all means try it out yourself and debunk that myth..... wow.



Badger

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Originally Posted by 00tec

I was given no preventative antibiotics when I cut my neck. Just gave me a tetanus shot. Is that normal?

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Yes, that's normal. There is no statistically significant benefit to using antibiotics for prophylaxis is a situation such as yours. While your laceration was impressive, and very nearly life-threatening, you were able to get to a hospital quickly and have the wound properly irrigated/cleaned, which is what you really needed. If you sustained this injury in the back-country, and could not get to definitive medical care quickly, then you would have been smart to start antibiotics, as discussed above. There are some injuries that I'll give prophylactic antibiotics to even if they get to my ER immediately (into a joint space, tendon sheath, through fascia, open fracture, bite wounds...), but not an injury like yours. How's it healing?

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Originally Posted by Fentonite

Yes, that's normal. There is no statistically significant benefit to using antibiotics for prophylaxis is a situation such as yours. While your laceration was impressive, and very nearly life-threatening, you were able to get to a hospital quickly and have the wound properly irrigated/cleaned, which is what you really needed. If you sustained this injury in the back-country, and could not get to definitive medical care quickly, then you would have been smart to start antibiotics, as discussed above. There are some injuries that I'll give prophylactic antibiotics to even if they get to my ER immediately (into a joint space, tendon sheath, through fascia, open fracture, bite wounds...), but not an injury like yours. How's it healing?

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Its good. Itches like hell. Tomorrow is day 14 for the sutures, looking like I can finally get em out, then I can finally shave the damn thing instead of looking like I'm trying to start a new fad.

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Originally Posted by Badger

You think its a myth that if you stick a tampon in a hole it will absorb blood?.... REALLY?....... Damn, now I've heard everything.


I actually have seen one of these used for such purposes, it worked. But don't take my word for it, by all means try it out yourself and debunk that myth..... wow.



Badger

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Absorbing will happen but stopping bleeding won't happen without a compression bandage.

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Originally Posted by Wulf202

Absorbing will happen but stopping bleeding won't happen without a compression bandage.

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It absorbs and swells, and when blood can't escape, pressure increases, which can tamponade the bleeding (same idea as the compression bandage you mention). Yes, it's real, and yes, it can work. Won't work for every wound, but it's a reasonable intervention to try.