Over the counter EpiPen

[buckbrush]

Going over the camping first aid kit and having a discussion with my wife. Following a run in with a wasp nest she had a lot of swelling, doctor said it's nothing to worry about. This got me thinking though. I like to keep a pretty well stocked kit and think having an EpiPen would be good to have on hand. I had talked to my doctor about it a few years ago and he said it wouldn't be an issue to give me a prescription but mentioned that it could make my life insurance cost go up if I was prescribed one and also said the shelf life is pretty low.

Is there any way to get one over the counter?
It might seem like a pointless thing to keep if no one is known to be allergic in the party but would be nice to have if needed.

[Jays toyz]

You can get one from your pharmacist. A few hundred and a year or 2 shelf life.

[expedition]

Storage can be a pain . Cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. Cannot be stored below 10c i think and cannot be stored above 30c. If i remember correctly.

[Bigrib]

A friends teen son got bit twice on the face and neck last week by run of the mill paper wasps , he started going into full blown anaphalactic shock and would have died 100% if the hospital wasn't 15 mins away . Airway closing up and irregulary heartbeat . Now he has to carry a bigger epipen until the frost season comes .

[Father of five]

I always have an epipen close by
They are about $100 each
They rarely have a shelf life longer than 18 months
And unless you’re married to the pharmacist you will need a prescription

Oh and if you think $100 is a bit high you can always go to the USA to buy one where they cost $250 each

[expedition]

Originally Posted by Father of five

I always have an epipen close by
They are about $100 each
They rarely have a shelf life longer than 18 months
And unless you’re married to the pharmacist you will need a prescription

Oh and if you think $100 is a bit high you can always go to the USA to buy one where they cost $250 each

You know that 250 us should be criminal! The cost of production is 10 us

[Black Feather]

On top of what others have said about storage, keep in mind that an adult Epi-Pen only lasts 10 - 20 minutes before symptoms can return. If the Epi-Pen is for the woods, consider picking up 2 - 3 of them if you're a ways from a hospital.

[Skoaltender]

Originally Posted by expedition

You know that 250 us should be criminal! The cost of production is 10 us

There was a special on tv about the epipen bs. From my understanding the company Mylan who produced the pen increased the price over 500% in a 9 year span. Pushing the two pack price from $94usd to upwards of $600 while descreasing shelf life as well.

[graybeard]

Often it is the cumulative effect. Like the straw that broke the camels back. You just don't know when that will happen....Being stung 15 times and nothing but the 16th time a reaction....a head scratcher for sure.

My brother-in-law used aspirin all his life and one night he needed one and poof an anaphylactic reaction on his front lawn. He lived when EMS have him a shot of Epinephrine.

Other adult friends having death allergies to eggs, wasp, bees (both can be different), kiwi fruit.......long list.

My son has a death allergy to a couple of foods, peanuts included. He carries an epi-pen all the time. It was only luck that we discovered it; he was very young and had licked peanut butter on his finger, I witnessed the whole thing.

The expired pens are still better than no epi-pen at all; the dose may not be as strong as a fresh one, but it still has some quality to it.

The other thing is the people around you knowing about your allergy and how to use the pen. There are plenty of video's and information to help.

Some of the real old pens we had, we used them to show his friends and family how to administer them....using an epi-pen and an orange...

Equip yourself; no taking chances here.

An epi-pen is $110 and fuel is $1.38L.....you need both to survive.....