Medical gear

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
if the airway is closing, good luck getting it down.
Epi is fast acting, and also only lasts about 20 mind, depending on the severity.
Benadryl takes about 20 mins to kick in , and lasts a few hours.
https://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(13)00094-X/fulltext

What about snorting some already crushed benadryl? Would that be effective?
Or drinking Novahistine elixir (again assuming swallowing ability)? Perhaps this bring a liquid, it might when tricled down the throat more immediately impact the affected area?
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Snorting would work probably, but that would be very uncomfortable, and cause crazy sneezing.

What also works is an enema. Dissolve the pills in water, and administer rectally. Very fast, make sure not to overdose.
 

Pacific Northwest yetti

Expedition Medic
The upper airway closes as well- not just the lower.

Better off with a Enema.


well, better off to have the right thing the first time. Benadryl is not fast acting, and that route is quick but still takes absorption through the mucus membrane.

Honestly though at this point, if the patient is bad enough that they need epi, and the airway is closing up. They will be DOA before you can get it mixed, and in. With their airway still closed.
 

shade

Well-known member
My vote would be "no". In the ER, we use epi first followed by benadryl and a PPI. Airway involvement in an allergic rxn scenario is no joke.

I don't think there's any substitute for IV meds if you're about to lose the airway. I think people may be asking about alternatives in the event there aren't any IV meds about, since you can't use what you don't have. At least, that's how I'm reading it.

I would recommend the saw blade on a leatherman for that, and not the stab and hope method.

That, or nibbling with some wire cutters.
 
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luthj

Engineer In Residence
A bit off topic, but what kind of medical gear would one need to carry along with this abomination?

1568767958610.png
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
I don't think there's any substitute for IV meds if you're about to lose the airway. I think people may be asking about alternatives in the event there aren't any IV meds about, since you can't use what you don't have. At least, that's how I'm reading it.

That’s pretty much my question right there.

One may not have an epipen on them while out in the field....can’t get a script for it, too expensive to afford one, they expire too darn quickly (see “too expensive”), etc. So in the unexpected worst case scenario, what might one reasonably do as an alternative to try to lessen the severity of this emergency? Nothing?

This is a serious issue as we can’t all afford to buy epipens.
 

shade

Well-known member
A bit off topic, but what kind of medical gear would one need to carry along with this abomination?

View attachment 539584
At the plant I worked at not long ago enough, OSHA was a dirtier word than any of the ones blocked on this site. I routinely saw all kinds of similar Mad Max contraptions on the floor, one being a pneumatic version of that. I'd occasionally take cover behind my mill.
 

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