Serious Bacterial Infections Require Antibiotics
But if you or a loved one gets a tooth abscess, comes down with a respiratory bacterial infection, or ends up with an infected wound, what will you do? Serious bacterial infections require antibiotics and without them, you or your loved one could die. For many people, this fear leads to stockpiling antibiotics, just in case.
You can ask your regular physician to prescribe an extra ten or 14 days worth of penicillin perhaps. But one extra dose of antibiotics isnt much. And one type of antibiotic isnt a cure all for the many different infections you could get. In todays world, physicians increasingly fear resistance to antibiotics and therefore are limiting the times and frequency with which they will prescribe antibiotics.
There arent any physicians who will prescribe you large amounts of several different types of antibiotics so you can keep them in your stockpile. This has made it difficult for preppers to stockpile antibiotics and store them for a SHTF scenario.
So what can you do? How can you get antibiotics without a prescription so you can stockpile them for the future? More and more people are considering fish antibiotics as a potential solution.
Keep reading for more information on the benefits of fish antibiotics. Well explain some of the mystery in fish antibiotics, how to choose the right fish antibiotics, and give you some suggestions on where to buy fish antibiotics for your stockpile.
Strategies For Getting Other Prescription Medications
For medications that treat non-infectious illness, such as cholesterol or blood pressure drugs, you will also need a prescription. These medications are not available in aquarium supply houses, so how can you work to stockpile them?
You may consider asking your physician to prescribe a higher dose than the amount you usually take. Many drugs come in different dosages. If your medicine is a 20 milligram dosage, for example, you might ask your doctor to prescribe the 40 mg dosage. You would then cut the medication in half take your normal dosage and store the other half of the pill. Its very important to assure your physician that you will continue to follow their medical advice and not take more medicine than is appropriate for your condition. Your success in having your request granted will depend on the doctor.
Others have managed to obtain needed prescriptions by indicating that they are traveling for long periods of time out of the country or telling their physician some other falsehood. I cant recommend this method, because I believe that dishonesty breaks the bond of trust between doctor and patient. Consider having a serious discussion with your healthcare provider. Describe your concerns about not having needed medications in a disaster situation. You dont have to describe the disaster as a complete societal collapse any catastrophe could leave you without access to your doctor for an extended period.
Americans Take Fish Antibiotics Because It’s Cheaper Than A Visit To The Doctor
A study of antibiotics marketed for fish online found user comments about human use garner nine times as much attention
New research has found that some Americans are probably taking fish antibiotics as a substitute for going to the doctor, which can be prohibitively expensive for many in the US.
Unlike other antibiotics, fish antibiotics are readily available without a prescription online and are relatively inexpensive as anti-bacterial drugs for pet fish.
Researchers analyzed reviews for fish antibiotics available online, and found a small but significant percentage of consumers reviewed the antibiotics for human use.
In addition, at least five of the antibiotics marketed for fish that researchers looked at had the exact imprints, colors and shapes of antibiotics for humans, which could encourage people to use them.
While human consumption of fish antibiotics is likely low, any consumption by humans of antibiotics intended for animals is alarming, said Brandon Bookstaver, a pharmacist and director of residency and training at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.
Bookstaver co-authored the research, which was presented at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists semi-annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December.
Additionally, at least one online seller responded to an online question, saying fish antibiotics were suitable for human use.
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Are Fish Antibiotics The Same As Human Antibiotics
When you start shopping for fish antibiotics, youll be surprised to see that most dont come in powder or pellet form. Rather, they are pills or tablets.
How the hell is a fish supposed to take a pill???
Obviously, these fish antibiotics arent actually meant for fish.
The sellers know that people like preppers want to get antibiotics without a prescription. Hence, they exploit a loophole in the law that allows them to market antibiotics for fish even though they are the same pills for humans.
Right now, the FDA does not require a prescription for fish antibiotics.
Where To Buy Fish Antibiotics
You can buy fish antibiotics at just about any place that carry pet supplies such as Thomas Labs, WalMart, and Gotta go retailers. Dont look for Fish Mox on Amazon, though. Amazon tends to shy away from carrying anything controversial and has since discontinued carrying them.
A search for it yields results for Ampitrexyl, which sounds like an antibiotic, but its probably disappointingly not for people looking for fish antibiotics. Amazon appoarently dropped products such as Moxifish right after careless tweets debuted from certain verified buyers.
The one below for instance, extolled the virtues of how perfectly the Moxifish cleared their fishs infection after their wisdom teeth were removed probably raised a few eyebrows.
With increased attention shining a light on this certain self-diagnosis and medication movement over the past few years has led pet stores to review their sales tactics, too.
One social media user tweeted that a pet store employee told them that they caught onto us and took them out when he into a store to buy some.
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Where Can I Buy Fish Antibiotics For Humans
Because this is typically administered to fish, there are currently no prescription requirements that this author is aware of .
Without this constraint you will find that fish antibiotics can easily be purchased both from Amazon. Refer to the chart above and click the product name to see it on Amazon.
For further analysis of the topic of fish antibiotics for humans, check out this video by Dr Joseph Alton, author of the excellent book The Doom And Bloom Survival Medicine Handbook and owner of the Doom and Bloom Blog.
Where Can I Buy Fish Antibiotics
One of the most common questions people ask me about fish antibiotics for survival, is where can I buy fish antibiotics? One of the key things is that you do you research on your own and buy from a reputable manufacturer. I recommend purchasing online and that you do not buy from Craigs List, EBay, etc.
One of the most trusted brands for fish antibiotics in the prepping community is ThomasLabs. This is where my own research led me and this is the only source I will buy from. There are tons of companies that offer ThomasLabs brand fish antibiotics. But you still must do your own research, then check the pills you receive using the pill identifier once they arrive. There are no regulations on fish antibiotics so USP and Pharmaceutical grade labels can be misleading.
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Is Fish Mox Effective On Other Animals
Aquarium fish are dosed with many of the same antibiotics as we are, including clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, penicillin and more. Is Fish Mox effective in treating other animals though? Yes bacterial skin wounds and pneumonia in birds, dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, rabbits, and other small animals can all be successfully treated with fish antibiotics.
Fish Mox works so well because it contains Amoxicillin which is an effective, all-purpose antibiotic. However, it doesnt clear up Staph infections. Cold Spot for Healthy Pets recommends dosing the animals with 9-18 mg of antibiotic per one pound of animal every 8-12 hours.
Be sure that the particular fish antibiotic that you use on your animals only has antibiotics in it, though. When inspecting the label, it should indicate that the only ingredient contained is antibiotics, just the same as those you pick up with a prescription at your nearby pharmacy. For instance, an antibiotic with fish scale brightener added to your aquarium helps the ornamental fish within get shiny. On the other hand, it might make your animal or someone in your household very sick if ingested.
Fish Flox And Fish Flox Forte
Fish Flox and Fish Flox Forte are manufactured by Thomas Laboratories and are both Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Antibiotics. They come in ciprofloxacin 250 mg and ciprofloxacin 500 mg. They are sold in 30 and 100 count bottles. Each bottle of Fish Flox and Fish Flox Forte is safety sealed and has directions for aquarium and fish tank use and also clearly displays the expiration date of the medicine.
At FishMoxFishFlex we get 1-2 new shipments of medicine in every week to guarantee that we have the latest expiration dates possible on our fish antibiotics, and as always, place your order before 2 and we’ll ship it that day.
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People In The Us Are Buying Fish Antibiotics Online And Taking Them Themselves
People in the U.S. are buying fish antibiotics online for personal use, according to researchers.
The scientists searched for websites selling fish antibiotics in the U.S., and looked for sites that included product information, consumer reviews and publicly available comments.
They focused on nine fish antibiotics that could be misused by humans: amoxicillin, cephalexin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, metronidazole, penicillin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The team noted the cost and availability of the drugs, and compared the number of likes and dislikes for 2,288 reviews related to human and non-human use. In an attempt to avoid falsely inflating the number, the researchers didn’t include generic quotes like “good product” in their data.
The team found 24 websites selling over-the-counter fish antibiotics, ranging from $8.99 to $119.99 in price.
Of all the reviews, 2.4 percent were related to human consumption. Reviews mentioning humans taking the drugs made up 30.2 percent of all “likes” received, and 37.5 percent of all “dislikes.” Comments related to humans received nearly nine times more likes than those to animals.
The authors concluded: “Although infrequent, antibiotics intended for fish use are being purchased online without a prescription for self-medication to circumvent professional medical care. Reviews related to human use generate significant online traffic compared to reviews unrelated to human use.”
Fish Mox And Fish Mox Forte
Fish Mox and Fish Mox Forte are made by Thomas Labs and is a Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Antibiotic. It comes in amoxicillin 250 mg and amoxicillin 500 mg. It can be purchased in 30, 60, and 100 count bottles. Each bottle of Fish Mox is sealed for safety and has instructions for fish use and the expiration date of the medicine.
At FishMoxFishFlex we get 1-2 new shipments of medicine in every week to guarantee that we have the latest expiration dates possible on our fish antibiotics, and as always, place your order before 2 and we’ll ship it that day.
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Are Fish Antibiotics Safe For Humans
As most of us already know, healthcare in the United States is really costly. Sick people and preppers alike have been known to stock up on fish antibiotics because they are a fraction of the cost that they would spend on getting a conventional prescription.
Its important to remember that if you have a Penicillin allergy, you should not take Fish Penicillin, Mox, or Fish Ampicillin. Cephalexin is in a different drug family than Penicillin, but is quoted as having a 10% cross-reactivity rate with Penicillin.
Warnings About Using Fish Antibiotics For Prepping
Dosages
Taking the wrong dosage or the wrong type of antibiotic can be dangerous. In addition, taking medication that isnt what you believe it is or which has other ingredients or fillers, can cause allergic reactions or other problems.
Storage of Fish Antibiotics
Just like prescription antibiotics and OTC medications, fish antibiotics can be susceptible to improper storage conditions. Make sure that you follow all manufacturer instructions for properly storing your fish antibiotics. Rotate what you have so that your freshest medication is in your stockpile.
Diagnosis
If you have a viral or parasitic issue going on, and not a bacterial infection, antibiotics wont help. Whenever possible, you should be diagnosed by a physician who can advise you as to the proper type of human antibiotic, dosage and course of treatment so you can find the equivalent in fish antibiotics.
Antibiotic Resistance
Using antibiotics when you dont really need them increases resistance, something scientists believe is the reason for the increase in antibiotic-resistant superbugs. If you stop taking the fish antibiotics before the recommended course of treatment is over, you risk that infection lying dormant and coming back even stronger and more resistant. Its just as important to take fish antibiotics for the full course of treatment as it is for prescribed antibiotics.
Risk of Using Fish Antibiotics
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Other Factors To Consider When Researching Fish Antibiotics For Humans
1. Does the fish antibiotic have only 1 ingredient The last thing anyone wants is to buy and take one of these products that also includes a fish health supplement in it that has not been used by humans. Make sure before you buy that the only ingredient in the capsules is the antibiotic that you want such as:
- Amoxicillin
- Penicillin
- Ampicillin
2. Make sure that the dosages are appropriate to what is recommended by a doctor or a well respected resource such as Drugs.com.
3. Store antibiotics properly These medications should be kept in a cool, dark place with the original seal intact until needed. It is also essential to monitor the expiration date if each bottle and discard and replace any that are out of date.
4. Be aware of allergies A small segment of the population is allergic to Penicillin and its derivative medicines. Be aware of all medical allergies for anyone you are making a Bug Out Plan for.
5. The rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria in modern society is a major threat to modern medicine. The frequent use of antibiotics in both humans and animals has accelerated this trend. Best practice is to use these drugs only when necessary.
What Is The Fish Mox Dosage For Humans
Most penicillin and cephalosporin meds are taken at 500mg dosages 3-4 times a day for adults, and will treat many skin and respiratory infections.
Metronidazole and Doxycycline are taken twice a day and will treat many types of diarrheal disease.
Fish Mox comes in a pill dosage of 250mg and Fish Mox Forte comes in 500mg. According to Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy, an Amoxicillin dose is usually administered 3 times a day. Usually, 20-50 mg per kilogram of weight .
A common childs dosage would be 250 mg and a common max dosage for adults would be 500 mg. Works out conveniently that these are the exact amounts that they come in the bottles. The drug is taken orally 3 times a day for 10-14 days.
If it is a child or somebody that cant swallow a pill, it is possible to crush the capsules up and mix into a liquid , but dont do this with any medication that has a time-released marking on them. These are intended to be absorbed over time, and too much at once may not be good.
One of the most important things to do when using an antibiotic is to not stop taking the medicine, even if your condition starts improving. Many times, patients will improve after 3 days, because most of the bacteria are killed, but if you stop taking it, the remaining bacteria can multiply .
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What Does Usp Standard Mean
As I said above, animal medications arent held to the same standards as human meds, so you are taking a risk by taking fish antibiotics.
Some sellers try to install confidence in the buyers by slapping labels on their products. One of the most common is Made According to USP Standards.
The United States Pharmacopeial Convention is a nonprofit organization that sets the standards for medications. These standards are used in over 140 countries. Any human drug sold in the United States must meet USP standards.
Heres the thing: Not a single fish antibiotic has been verified by the USP!
Again, I emphasize that the pill ingredients might be the same as those sold for humans, but it doesnt mean it is the same quality.
For example, the fish antibiotics could have been stored in a way that allowed mold to grow on them. Or maybe moisture levels were too high and destroyed the pills.
You might also see labels like Pharmaceutical Grade on fish antibiotics. However, like with the USP label, this doesnt mean anything.
Fish Flox Forte Ciprofloxacin
Fish Flox Forte is generically known as Ciprofloxacin for fish. Ciprofloxacin for fish is a powerful, broad-spectrum antibiotic that treats fin rot, skin ulcers and Black Patch Necrosis Syndromes. Fish Aid Antibiotics offers an equivalent to Fish Flox Forte , and you can buy a bottle of 30-count, 500 mg tablets for $32.99.
In humans, Cipro should only be taken for infections that dont respond to safer antibiotics. Cipro, also known Fluoroquinolone , can cause a laundry list of serious and irreversible side effects in some people. Were betting that the fishy version does, too.
Keeping that in mind, if its a case of survival after a collapse situation, consider that Cipro is known to treat serious bacterial infections in the body. People who have been exposed to anthrax and certain plagues are treated with it, too. So, weigh the option of stocking this one for a SHTF scenario wisely. More importantly, if its not doomsday, Ciproflaxin for fish shouldnt be considered a part of your preppers arsenal.
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