Date: 2014-03-19
To: Prescription Meds and Female Stuff
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Edit: I had another picture of me dressed as a nurse for an Charity fundraiser but it was causing a ruckus so I replaced it with this *less* controversial one. I went to see my family physician today.My arm was squeezed six times with an automated blood pressure machine. I¢m happy to report that my blood pressure is in good shape. The nurse told me right before the final reading that I was due for a tetanus booster. She thought that my last reading would go up with anxiety but it actually dropped! I have no issues with needles. They don¢t seem painful to me. I feel like I am getting stronger with super-strength serum when I get an injection. Sadly, I did not develop Captain America muscles after my tetanus shot.I chatted with my physician about my three main concerns: Norovirus, Giardia and Lyme disease. There is no treatment for Norovirus other than getting rest and making sure electrolyte levels are stable. I¢m really hoping that an outbreak does not occur on the trail this year!I¢ve had Giardia in the past and it is not fun. One main symptom are burps that smell like sulfur (eggs). It can be treated with antibiotics but the infection typically resolves on it¢s own. I took a supply of antibiotics on my round-the-world trip and never touched it. I won¢t take an antibiotic unless the illness fails to resolve in a day or two.I hate ticks! There is a high chance I¢m going to pull them off me during the hike. If I show Lyme disease symptoms (bull¢s-eye skin rash, joint pain, swollen lymph glands etc.) I need to take antibiotics immediately. My physician gave me a prescription for Doxycycline that would need to be taken twice daily for 21 days. I took Doxy for eight months straight for Malaria prevention and I can tolerate the medication well.I hate having to lug around 42 Doxy pills (that I may not need) but I am afraid of Lyme. Doxy treats Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which is another terrible disease transmitted by ticks.   The Doxy can also be used for other illnesses like urinary track infections, sinusitis and e-coli. WARNING ¢ FEMININE HYGIENE STUFF BELOW **read on at your own risk**Some ladies ask me what I¢m going to do about my menstrual period. There are a couple different options: tampons/pads, diva cup or birth control.Tampons and pads would need to be packed out after use. That can be a bit gross to keep in the garbage ziplock in a food bag. It may be difficult to predict when the period will start so some ladies carry them at all times.The Diva Cup is a reusable silicone cup wore internally to collect menstrual flow. It is inserted like a tampon and the blood is dumped out when it is removed. It is cheaper than tampons and more environmentally friendly. It can be messy and the cup needs to be cleaned well prior to re-insertion.My method of choice is to take birth control continuously for five months. By skipping the sugar pills my body won¢t go into ¢menstruation mode¢. A big plus is no cramps or PMS! Suppressing my period is definitely the most convenient option. My family physician is aware and she prescribed enough medication for my hike.Speaking of lady stuff, I love my P-style. The P-style is a standup urination device that allows me to go without taking off my pack or removing my pants. The biggest benefits are no toilet paper, not having to remove my pants and no ¢splash back¢. After use, I dry the device by shaking the droplets off and wiping it with a small piece of packtowel. It is kept it in a hipbelt pocket of my backpack for easy access.