# Wound care supplies



## Household6 (Nov 24, 2013)

Does anyone know where I can get a two week supply of Coban and Xeroform for cheap or free samples? A friend got his arm mangled in corn picker a couple weeks ago, he's home now but insurance won't cover the dressings. They also need sterile saline. 

You know it goes, no income for them right now, and the need expensive stuff.


----------



## mycrofft (Nov 25, 2013)

Do it yourself normal saline. Do not use plastic bottle with hot liquids.
https://patienteducation.osumc.edu/documents/makenor.pdf

There are United Nations publications for emerging nations but I can't find them.

Hit up local church groups and the pt's doctor's office.


----------



## Av8or007 (Feb 12, 2014)

Saline:

Get a couple 1000 mL IV bags of NS from the pharmacy (they are normally around ~3.50). 
Get a few syringes (~30 mL)/needles and alcohol preps (also very inexpensive) and draw off aliquots of saline into the syringe for wound care. The bag should stay sterile if done w/ aseptic technique.

Both of these items should be OTC.
---------
Coban is the exact same thing as vet-wrap. This should be available at farm co-op stores and be clean. Coban wrap (AFAIK) does not come sterile.

----
Xeroform is a petroleum gauze dressing, so any dressing of that type should be fine. If ALL ELSE fails, check eBay - you can find pretty much ANYTHING on there. They have xeroform.


----------



## rwik123 (Feb 12, 2014)

Av8or007 said:


> Saline:
> 
> Get a couple 1000 mL IV bags of NS from the pharmacy (they are normally around ~3.50).
> Get a few syringes (~30 mL)/needles and alcohol preps (also very inexpensive) and draw off aliquots of saline into the syringe for wound care. The bag should stay sterile if done w/ aseptic technique.
> ...



Are saline bags OTC in Canada?


----------



## Av8or007 (Feb 12, 2014)

Yes, along with most other stuff. Devices up here are easy to get.

No regs on needles or syringes and they are cheap. Many pharmacies will sell bucket loads of wound care supplies, trays, as well as a variety of syringe sizes and needle gauges.

Iv fluids (crystalloid), drop sets, catheters and saline locks/flushes are otc.

Are saline and syringes not otc in the states?
-------
As for otc behind the counter meds, look up napra schedule 2. Everything in pharmacy schedule 2 and 3 is otc.

E.g. epi pens, glucagon, nitro spray, parentral gravol and benadryl, acetaminophen with codeine (8 mg max), all local anaesthetics (both jelly and parentral w/ and w/o epi) polymixin b eye/ear drops, insulin, some vaccines .etc

Other interesting thing is that those meds are usually CHEAP. 

Nitro spray is 24.99 from any pharmacy, glucagon is ~$110. The insulin is also relatively cheap (don't know exactly).


----------



## exodus (Feb 12, 2014)

Household6 said:


> Does anyone know where I can get a two week supply of Coban and Xeroform for cheap or free samples? A friend got his arm mangled in corn picker a couple weeks ago, he's home now but insurance won't cover the dressings. They also need sterile saline.
> 
> You know it goes, no income for them right now, and the need expensive stuff.



Talk to your sup, they may let you take a few things home or order some for you for a kickback under the table.


----------



## mycrofft (Feb 12, 2014)

It's been almost four months. How'd it do?


----------



## Household6 (Feb 13, 2014)

mycrofft said:


> It's been almost four months. How'd it do?



I ended up calling in a favor to a PA at a neighboring hospital.. She let me put some things on her personal account.. Sometimes it's nice to have friends..


----------



## mycrofft (Feb 13, 2014)

Household6 said:


> I ended up calling in a favor to a PA at a neighboring hospital.. She let me put some things on her personal account.. Sometimes it's nice to have friends..



As long as they are NICE friends.
Good luck!


----------



## mycrofft (Feb 14, 2014)

Household, you ought to share this case. Farm machinery (and farming in general) is dangerous and out there EMS can be thin. 

And the bigger lesson is safety is 24/7 whether it's a corn auger, am ambulance, or whatever. And the cell phone isn't working if you leave it behind.

Best of luck and I hope the VA sticks up for him!!


----------

