[pct-l] Antibiotics

[Matt Impey]

The answer to this question can only be answered by you and your
doctor. First make certain you have everything that you need for any known
and suspected medical conditions. Then add anything that will make you feel
confident in your preparation for the unexpected.

Personally in the backcountry my 1st aid kit is tape, ace bandages and
ibuprofen, and I rely on finding help/evac if things get serious. On the
other hand I know people who carry a fully stocked 1st aid kit so they can
be prepared for most anything comes their way. Both strategies, and ones in
the middle, work. Find the one that is best for you, which will be the med
kit that you are confident in without feeling overstocked.

The thing with antibiotics is that you don't need them suddenly and
unexpectedly; wounds don't instantly become infected in a moment, and
giardia doesn't set in the second you drink it in. You will have time to
anticipate what is happening to your body hours to days before it will
happen, and will have time to go to help. If you cut your leg you know
right away that there is a chance of infection, so keep an eye out for it.
If you notice infection start preparing a contingency plan to get out. If
you really really need antibiotics, the last place you want to be is on
some trail, you want a doctor giving you your steady dose of prescription
meds in a cushy bed. By not carrying antibiotics it forces me to evac,
whereas if I had them I might wait too long to see if they will save me
from scrapping my trip, and then end up in a worse situation. Basically if
your body NEEDS antibiotics then the ones you have with you will not do all
that much good. And if you don't need it, you don't need it.

Again though, talk to your doctor and decide for yourself what is best for
you, but keep in mind that you can't plan for every "what if." At some
point you are going to have to play the odds that certain things won't
happen, but that uncertainty is what makes an it adventure.
-Matt