Things often overlooked by preppers

Prudence Not Paranoia ^ | 6/1/12 | rknecht

[Kartographer]

More Americans are joining the ranks of “preppers” every day.

My last two columns discussed the growing trend of people taking steps to ensure they can be as self-sufficient as possible over the short term in; the event of a natural or manmade catastrophe.

Preppers aren’t necessarily members of groups with a political agenda.

They’re just concerned citizens and sometimes include groups of families, neighborhoods, churches, civic organizations and even entire states.

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

“That’s hardly true and certainly not good advice if the acetaminophen is taken according to proper dosing instructions.”

I stand by what I posted. Dosing with acetaminophen mixed with alcohol even in moderate amounts has ‘killed’ livers. Normal dosing without the alcohol in the mix has also severly damaged livers. And yes, many have used acetaminophen for many years without incident. I choose not to chance it.

Aspirin causes Reyes Syndrome (liver damage) in some children...but not as frequently as acetaminophen does. Acetaminophen causes liver damage in children 5 times more frequently than aspirin does.

I rarely use pain relievers. If I do, it might be aspirin, and if I needed more than what a couple aspirin might provide I would use ibuprofen, but never acetaminophen. If you want something more natural, consider white willow bark.

There is a reason hospitals push acetaminophen...if any surgery is required they do not want the blood-thinning ‘benefit’ of aspirin.

[chrisser]

But you’ll be a dork who can see! :)

My wife would probably tell you that I've already accomplished that mission.

[PA Engineer]

Trying to drug yourself into some kind of anesthesia instead of coping as best you can is not a good idea.

I will disagree with one situation where medication is important and that is sleep, especially for the elderly. Zanax is valuable as a sleeping aid.

[steve86]

You took my statement out of context — it was referring to antidepressants not sedatives or anxiety-reducing drugs. Personally, I use Kava Kava (Piper Methysticum) for anxiety relief (thereby allowing sleep) although one has to be certain it is the root and not the stem or leafy part you are ingesting (possibility of liver damage). If that doesn’t work to allow sleep I go for the Benedryl (diphenhydramine), although the dosing in the elderly is tricky, but no worse than the benzodiazapines!

[steve86]

Every one of your scenarios of liver damage involves misuse on some manner -- mixing with alcohol, infant doses (tricky), and extended periods of dosing (problematic with most anything). Don't misuse acetaminophen or anything else -- take according to label instructions. And with any drug you'll have a few cases where a patient is unusually sensitive or can not tolerate even from the first dose. Not a strike against acetaminophen in particular.

Naproxen sodium seems to be the only NSAID I can tolerate anymore and I admit, it works very well and for a long time (10-12 hours).

[steve86]

But that is a reminder on the meds subject: if someone IS on antidepressants, and they run out cold turkey, be ready for an onslaught of extreme behavior (severe anxiety, depression, verbal or physical abusiveness, OCD, irrationality, obscenity, etc.) for a week or so, followed by a return to whatever state of mind which was bad enough to prompt prescription of antidepressants in the first place.

Been there, done that. Someone in the extended family, anyway.

Practical Tips for Tapering Off Antidepressants

[oh8eleven]

as a fellow veteran
I (we) know all about survival, and not just the military kind.
Unfortunately, the prepper "loons" give everyone a bad rap.
Thanks for your service.

[JRandomFreeper]

Got a list of the Freeper 'prepper loons' that you want to share?

/johnny

[Ellendra]

What preppers overlook is that they wasted away their lives in totally unnecessary fear

Interesting projection. Would I be right in guessing that the majority of what you know about preppers comes from watching TV?

Personally, fear is not what I feel. What I feel is satisfaction. There is something unbelievably satisfying about looking at a pile of seeds drying, and knowing that I grew each and every one of them myself. And that next year, the plants from those seeds will be providing the meals that grace my table. There is something satisfying about wearing a shirt I made myself, that fits just perfectly because I designed it to. There is something satisfying about listening to the wind rustle through the leaves in the orchard I planted, while eating the cobbler made from the fruits I grew.

This isn't about fear. Even if the economy was perfect and the government honestly had our best interests at heart, and if science progressed to the point where there was no such thing as an earthquake, wildfire, tornado, or hurricane anymore, this is still the way I would live. Because I choose to.

[appalachian_dweller]

>> What preppers overlook is that they wasted away their lives in totally unnecessary fear, while making their families suffer from their mental illness. <<

Yep. That’s me. Wasted life.

The reason these threads have become hostile are comments like yours. Why do folks like you just have to express their unwelcome opinions on these threads?

Your comment reminds me of the folks up the street that scoff at our preps. Those idiots will be the first ones begging for food and the first ones I have to kill.

The only reason they know of our preps is because they are kin to some of our group and were invited. They have been warned to stay away should anything go sideways.

[appalachian_dweller]

>> Personally, fear is not what I feel. What I feel is satisfaction. <<

My preps bring me peace of mind. I know that know matter how bad things get, I have shelter, security, food, and folks to talk to.

[oh8eleven]

Your comment reminds me of the folks up the street that scoff at our preps. Those idiots will be the first ones begging for food and the first ones I have to kill.
Yet ANOTHER ignorant response that confirms the stereotype.
I pity you ...

[JRandomFreeper]

I haven't had a television for over a decade because most of that time was spent working 14-17 hour days with start-up companies.

I don't worry about black helicopters. I worry about the estate properties not selling (they aren't), and the stock market crash of 2008 (it did). And not being a burden on my family if I was short of cash flow (I'm not/wasn't).

Take it elsewhere.

/johnny

[duckbutt]

Bump for later and add me to the prepper’s list, Kart....
Pat

[JRandomFreeper]

Then go elsewhere to pity.

But that's not what you are doing. You are really close to personal abuse.

/johnny

[appalachian_dweller]

As far as I can remember, this is our first (and most likely last) conversation and you’ve already sterotyped me. Tells me all I need to know about you.

Save your pity.

[Drill Thrawl]

My biggest worry is being able to shoot if I can't see distance well

Use a shotgun. Bigger spread. Or even grenades, then you only have to be close.

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

“Every one of your scenarios of liver damage involves misuse on some manner...”

Normal dosing without the alcohol in the mix has also severly damaged livers - one of my scenarios. This is not ‘misuse’.

You also mentioned infants...Johnson & Johnson pushed this hard in the beginning for use with infants and children. They attacked aspirin as being a cause of Reyes Syndrome, and claimed that Tylenol was safer than aspirin. In the early beginnings it was known that Tylenol damaged liver in young children. Today we know it is 5 times the incidence of damaged livers from aspirin in infants and young children.

In this context, Tylenol was considered and promoted as being safe for infants and children, properly dosed, of course.

[JRandomFreeper]

Learning to meditate, suck it up, and pray also works well for pain. Lotz of folks don't like that solution.

/johnny