Quick facts
- How to get them
- Online medical form
- physician review
- filled by a licensed pharmacy
- shipped to your door
- Jase Case10 medications, 5 of them antibiotics; U.S. and Canada
- Storage
- 59 to 86°F
- dry
- dark
- original bottles
- checked every 6 months
- Daily prescriptionsNever under 7 to 14 days on hand; work toward 90; Jase Daily for a 12 month backup
- Kids
- Kid's Case
- ages 2 to 11
- with its own dosing guides
- Order it earlyPhysician review and shipping take days; buy it on a quiet week
Antibiotics, steroids, and the other prescription medications that turn a bad week into a manageable one are the hardest part of a medical kit to stock, because you cannot buy them off a shelf. This page is how I do it: a physician-reviewed emergency kit ordered online and shipped to the door, what is in it, which medication fits which problem, how to store it so it lasts, and where it sits in the rest of the medical plan.
Pneumonic plague · why these two antibiotics
Pneumonic plague can kill in one to three days. Two medications in this kit are the answer, and timing is everything.
Pneumonic plague is the lung form: breathed in, a day or two of incubation, then fever, cough and bloody sputum, and it is the form that kills fastest. Antibiotics start the moment plague is suspected, not when a test comes back. The bacterium (Yersinia pestis) hides inside the immune cells of the lung, so the drug has to reach lung tissue and get inside those cells. Both of these do, by two different routes.
Ciprofloxacin
Blocks the enzymes DNA copying needs
Bacteria copy their DNA to multiply
Cipro jams the two enzymes that unwind and rejoin the strands (DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV)
The copy stalls, the DNA breaks, and the cell dies. Cipro kills
Controversial for a reason: tendon rupture, nerve damage, and effects on mood and thinking that can be permanent, plus a flag for aortic damage. It earns its place in the kit because plague, anthrax and a few other infections have almost no alternatives you can hold at home. The full warning list is in the antibiotic-by-antibiotic section below.
Doxycycline
Stops bacteria building protein
Ribosomes build the proteins the bacteria need to grow
Doxy binds the ribosome, and protein production stops
The bacteria stall instead of dying outright; your immune cells finish them. Doxy holds
The gentler of the two: the usual choice after an exposure with no symptoms yet, and an accepted alternative once sick, with cipro the first-line pick of the two you can hold at home. It needs a working immune system to finish the job, which is why it holds rather than kills. Taken with a full glass of water, sitting up, and not with dairy, antacids or iron, which stop it absorbing.
These are the published treatment courses; research before dosing yourself, and the MedDeck in the case gives the course for each medication. Plague is also a hospital illness and a reportable one: the kit buys the hours until care, it does not replace it. In the United States the first-line treatments are gentamicin and the fluoroquinolones (cipro, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin); doxycycline is the accepted alternative. Only cipro and doxycycline can be held at home.
Both are in the Jase CasePrescribed for you, filled by a licensed pharmacy, shipped to your door.
Pneumonic plague is the lung form: breathed in, a day or two of incubation, and the form that kills fastest. Antibiotics start the moment plague is suspected. The bacterium hides inside the immune cells of the lung, so the drug has to reach lung tissue and get inside those cells; ciprofloxacin and doxycycline both do.
- Ciprofloxacin blocks the two enzymes the bacterium needs to copy its DNA (DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV); the DNA breaks and the cell dies. It kills. Its warnings (tendon rupture, nerve damage, effects on mood and thinking) are real; it stays in the kit because plague and anthrax have few alternatives you can hold at home.
- Doxycycline binds the ribosome and stops protein production; the bacteria stall and your immune cells finish them. It holds. The usual choice after an exposure and an accepted alternative once sick (cipro is the first-line pick of the two); take it with a full glass of water, sitting up, not with dairy, antacids or iron.
- After an exposure, no symptoms yet: doxycycline 100 mg or ciprofloxacin 500 mg, twice a day, 7 days.
- Once sick: doxycycline 100 mg twice a day (200 mg first) or ciprofloxacin 750 mg twice a day, 10 to 14 days.
- Two classes: a strain resistant to one is usually not resistant to the other.
Research before dosing yourself. Plague is a hospital illness and a reportable one; the kit buys the hours until care. Both antibiotics are in the Jase Case.
See the Jase CasePhysician-prescribed, filled by a licensed pharmacy, shipped to your door in the U.S. and Canada
Not ready to order? Start with the free MedDeck PDF on the same site, the plain-language card set that explains what each medication is for and how it is taken.
Six numbers to know
How to get them, step by step
From the form to the door
- Choose the kit.The Jase Case is the base for an adult. Add a Kid's Case for children 2 to 11, and a Parasite Kit if sanitation is a risk where you are.
- Fill out the medical form.A short online intake: allergies, conditions, current medications. It takes a few minutes.
- Physician review.A licensed physician reviews the form and writes the prescriptions. Some states require a live call, in which case the physician phones you.
- Filled and shipped.A licensed pharmacy fills the order and ships it to your door, with the starter MedDeck cards inside.
- Message the physician when you need to.Physician follow-up is included. Before you open a bottle, describe the symptoms and confirm the choice.
- One upfront price. No office visit, no pharmacy line, no surprise billing.
- United States and Canada. A few medications are U.S. only; the tables below say which.
- Substitutions on request, and you can add extra medications to the case.
- Order before you need it. The review and shipping take days, not hours.
What is in the Jase Case
| Medication | Quantity | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Amoxicillin-Clavulanate 875-125mg | 28 tablets | Skin, sinus, throat, and dental infections. Also UTIs, pneumonia, bite wounds, and abdominal infections. |
| Azithromycin 250mg | 6 tablets | Common alternative to penicillin. Respiratory infections, ear and throat problems, travel-related diarrhea, typhoid, and some STDs. |
| Ciprofloxacin 500mg | 28 tablets | Broad-spectrum antibiotic for UTIs, kidney and bone infections, traveler's diarrhea, typhoid, and bioterror threats such as anthrax and plague. |
| Doxycycline 100mg | 120 capsules | Lyme disease, malaria, pneumonia, MRSA, and many skin and soft tissue infections. Also effective against anthrax and plague. |
| Metronidazole 500mg | 30 tablets | C. diff, abdominal infections, amoebas, skin infections, and certain STDs. Also useful in tetanus treatment. |
| Celecoxib 100mg | 30 capsules | Acute pain and inflammation: dental pain, back pain, gout, migraines, arthritis, menstrual cramps. |
| Methylprednisolone 4mg | 1 dose pack (21 tablets, U.S. only) | Anti-inflammatory steroid for gout flares, lower back pain, allergic reactions, and hives. |
| Ondansetron 4mg | 21 tablets | Controls nausea and vomiting from illness, food poisoning, or medication side effects. |
| Triamcinolone 0.1% | 15g tube | Medium-strength corticosteroid cream for rashes, dermatitis, and itchy skin. |
| Loperamide 2mg | 12 tablets | Anti-diarrheal for traveler's diarrhea or viral gastroenteritis when clean water is limited. |
How long these keep is on shelf life of medications. What I would stock first, and why, is further down this page.
Which medication for which problem
The MedDeck cards in the case give the dose and the course for each medication, and the physician is a message away. This table is the quick index: the problem in front of you, the medication in the case that fits, and what to reach for alongside it.
| Situation | In the case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Urinary tract infection | Ciprofloxacin, or amoxicillin-clavulanate | Kidney infection: ciprofloxacin. The UTI Kit adds test strips and pain relief. |
| Tooth abscess, sinus, ear, throat | Amoxicillin-clavulanate | Penicillin allergy: azithromycin. Celecoxib for the pain while it works. |
| Cut that is red, hot, and spreading | Doxycycline | Doxycycline covers MRSA. Amoxicillin-clavulanate for a bite wound. Metronidazole is added when the wound smells or the gut is involved. |
| Tick bite with a rash or fever | Doxycycline | Lyme and the other tick-borne infections. Start early. |
| Pneumonia, bad chest infection | Azithromycin, or doxycycline | Amoxicillin-clavulanate is the third choice. A rescue inhaler is an add-on if anyone has asthma. |
| Diarrhea after questionable water or food | Ciprofloxacin, or azithromycin | Loperamide to slow it, ondansetron if vomiting stops fluids, and rehydrate. |
| Abdominal infection, diverticulitis | Ciprofloxacin plus metronidazole | The pair covers the gut organisms. C. diff after antibiotics: metronidazole. |
| Gout flare, back seized up, hives | Methylprednisolone dose pack | Celecoxib for the pain. Diphenhydramine (add-on) for hives and allergic reactions. |
| Vomiting you cannot stop | Ondansetron | Dissolves under the tongue if pills will not stay down. |
| Rash, poison ivy, dermatitis | Triamcinolone cream | Hydroxyzine (add-on) for the itch at night. |
Two rules that matter more than the table
Antibiotics do nothing for a cold, the flu, or most sore throats; those are viral, and a course spent on them is a course you will not have for the infection that needs it. And once a course is started, finish it. Stopping when you feel better is how a resistant infection comes back.
The ten to stock first
If the whole page is more than you want to think about, this is the list. Five prescription antibiotics that between them cover most of what turns dangerous when care is far away, three cheap over-the-counter basics bought in bulk, and two add-ons that save a life in one specific situation. The five antibiotics come standard in the Jase Case; naloxone and ivermectin are add-ons to it.
Antibiotic by antibiotic
The same five antibiotics, one at a time, with everything each one treats. When two of them cover the same infection, the notes say which to reach for first.
Ciprofloxacin 500mg
Fluoroquinolone. 28 tablets in the case.
- Treats
- Urinary tract and kidney infections, prostatitis, bone and joint infections, infectious and traveler's diarrhea, intra-abdominal infections (with metronidazole), typhoid, anthrax, plague, and a single dose to protect close contacts of someone with meningococcal meningitis (it does not treat meningitis itself)
- Reach for it when
- Nothing else fits, or the infection is in the kidney, bone, or abdomen
- Watch out for
- The boxed warning: tendon rupture, nerve damage, and central nervous system and psychiatric effects (confusion, hallucinations, anxiety, depression, seizures), any of which can be permanent, and it can worsen muscle weakness in myasthenia gravis. Also flagged: aortic aneurysm or dissection, and severe blood sugar swings in anyone on diabetes medication. Not first choice for a simple UTI, sinus infection, or bronchitis
- Penicillin allergy
- Fine
Doxycycline 100mg
Tetracycline. 120 capsules in the case.
- Treats
- Skin and soft tissue infections, MRSA, ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, malaria, tularemia, anthrax, plague
- Reach for it when
- A wound is infected, a tick bite turns into a rash or fever, or a skin infection could be MRSA
- Watch out for
- Sun sensitivity; take it with a full glass of water and stay upright. Avoid in pregnancy; short courses are fine in children
- Penicillin allergy
- Fine
Amoxicillin-clavulanate 875-125mg
Penicillin plus clavulanate (Augmentin). 28 tablets.
- Treats
- Skin, sinus, throat, ear, and dental infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, animal and human bite wounds, intra-abdominal infections
- Reach for it when
- It is the ordinary infection: an abscessed tooth, a sinus infection that will not clear, a bite
- Watch out for
- Diarrhea is common; take it with food. Skip it entirely with a penicillin allergy
- Penicillin allergy
- No. Use azithromycin or doxycycline
Metronidazole 500mg
Nitroimidazole (Flagyl). 30 tablets.
- Treats
- Amoebas and giardia, intra-abdominal infections, C. diff diarrhea (only when vancomycin or fidaxomicin cannot be had), tetanus, bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis, some skin infections
- Reach for it when
- The infection is in the gut or the abdomen, or a wound smells foul. Paired with cipro for the abdomen
- Watch out for
- No alcohol during the course and for three days after; the reaction is violent. It strengthens warfarin and other blood thinners. Metallic taste is normal
- Penicillin allergy
- Fine
Azithromycin 250mg
Macrolide (Z-Pak). 6 tablets, one course.
- Treats
- Respiratory infections and pneumonia, ear and throat infections, infectious and traveler's diarrhea, typhoid, chlamydia and some other STDs
- Reach for it when
- Penicillin is a problem, or the infection is in the chest
- Watch out for
- Can disturb heart rhythm in people with a long QT interval or on certain heart drugs. One course only in the case; stock a second if you rely on it
- Penicillin allergy
- Yes, this is the one
Every one of these has a MedDeck card in the case with the dose and the length of the course, and the physician is a message away. Finish the course you start.
Condition index
Every condition named on this page, A to Z by the problem, with the medication that fits. The five antibiotics and the five symptom medications are in the Jase Case as standard; the rest are over the counter or add-ons.
- Allergic reaction, hives: diphenhydramine, methylprednisolone
- Amoebas: metronidazole
- Anthrax, plague: ciprofloxacin, doxycycline
- Bite wound: amoxicillin-clavulanate
- Bone and joint infection: ciprofloxacin
- C. diff diarrhea: metronidazole, when nothing better can be had
- Dental infection: amoxicillin-clavulanate
- Diarrhea: loperamide, plus fluids
- Ear and sinus infection: doxycycline, azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate
- Fever: ibuprofen, acetaminophen
- Infectious diarrhea: ciprofloxacin, azithromycin
- Inflammation, gout flare, back spasm: methylprednisolone dose pack, celecoxib
- Insomnia: diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine
- Intra-abdominal infection: ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, metronidazole
- Kidney infection: ciprofloxacin
- Lyme disease: doxycycline
- MRSA: doxycycline
- Malaria: doxycycline
- Meningitis: ciprofloxacin
- Motion sickness: diphenhydramine, scopolamine patch
- Nausea and vomiting: ondansetron
- Opioid overdose: naloxone
- Pain: ibuprofen, acetaminophen, celecoxib
- Pneumonia: doxycycline, azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate
- Prostatitis: ciprofloxacin
- Rash, dermatitis, itching: triamcinolone cream
- Respiratory infection: azithromycin
- Scabies, lice, worms: ivermectin, mebendazole
- Severe allergic reaction: epinephrine auto-injector
- Sexually transmitted infections: metronidazole, azithromycin
- Skin and soft tissue infection: doxycycline, amoxicillin-clavulanate, metronidazole
- Tetanus: metronidazole
- Throat infection: azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate
- Tularemia: doxycycline
- Typhoid fever: ciprofloxacin, azithromycin
- Urinary tract infection: ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate
How to store them so they last
Solid medications are tough. What kills them is heat, moisture, and light, and the bathroom cabinet delivers all three. Here is the storage that earns the extended dates in the tile above.
Twice a year, open the case: read the dates, look for tablets that have changed color or crumble, capsules that stick together, or cream that has separated. Re-order what is within six months of its date so the replacement arrives before the old one is gone.
The other kits
My write-up on the parasite kit is the parasite kit guide. Jase also makes a travel-sized JaseGo, a larger MissionCase for remote or long deployments, and single-purpose UTI, gout, allergy, and cruise kits; all are on the same site as the Jase Case.
Add-on medications
Any of these can be added to the case to fit your household. My own first picks are in bold: the rescue medications for anyone with a severe allergy or asthma, naloxone if opioids are in the house, and the cheap OTC basics in bulk.
| Medication | Used for | Supplied as |
|---|---|---|
| Acetaminophen 500mg (OTC) | Fever reducer and pain reliever | 60 to 100 tablets, depending on country |
| Acetazolamide 250mg | Acute altitude sickness, acute angle-closure glaucoma | 10 tablets |
| Albuterol HFA 90mcg, 18gm | Bronchospasm, COPD exacerbation | One inhaler (U.S. only) |
| Atovaquone-Proguanil 250/100mg | Antimalarial | 40 tablets |
| Celecoxib 100mg | Acute pain, including general, menstrual, and gout pain | 28 capsules |
| CiproDex Otic 0.3%/0.1% | Otitis externa (swimmer's ear) | One solution |
| Dexamethasone 4mg | Inflammation, acute altitude or mountain sickness, high-altitude cerebral edema, asthma | 10 tablets |
| Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25mg (OTC) | Allergic reactions, hives, insomnia, motion sickness, nausea and vomiting | 60 to 100 tablets, depending on country |
| EpiPen Auto Injector 0.3mg | Severe allergic reactions | 1 to 2 injectors, depending on country |
| Famotidine (Pepcid) 20mg (OTC) | Histamine H2 blocker | 60 to 100 tablets, depending on country |
| Fluconazole 150mg | Vaginal candidiasis | 4 tablets (females only) |
| Hydroxyzine 25mg | Insomnia, itching, hives | 30 tablets |
| Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream | Low-potency topical steroid for dermatitis and itching | 30g tube (U.S. only) |
| Ibuprofen 200mg (OTC) | Fever and pain relief | 100 tablets (U.S. only) |
| Ivermectin 3mg | Antiparasitic, enough to treat infections such as scabies | 20 or 40 tablets (U.S.) |
| Loperamide 2mg (OTC) | Acute and chronic diarrhea | 12 tablets |
| Methylprednisolone 4mg | Corticosteroid | 21 tablets (U.S. only) |
| Naloxone HCL 4mg nasal spray | Opioid overdose | 2-pack (U.S. only) |
| Ofloxacin ophthalmic 0.3% | Bacterial conjunctivitis | One suspension |
| Ondansetron 4mg | Nausea and vomiting | 21 tablets |
| Oseltamivir 75mg (Tamiflu) | Influenza | 10 tablets |
| Permethrin 5% | Topical antiparasitic | 60g tube (U.S. only) |
| Scopolamine 1mg patch | Motion sickness | 4 patches (U.S. only) |
| Silver Sulfadiazine cream 1% | Topical antibiotic for burns | 20g tube |
| Triamcinolone 0.1% | Dermatitis (atopic, contact, seborrheic, vulvar) and psoriasis | 15g tube (U.S. only) |
| Valacyclovir 500mg | Herpes simplex (oral or genital) and shingles | 60 tablets |
Order the Jase CaseTen medications, the MedDeck cards, and physician follow-up in one order
Where it fits in the medical plan
Prescription medications are one layer of a medical plan, and not the first one. Bleeding control and the skills to use it come before any pill. Here is the order, and where each piece lives on this site.
Stop the bleed and keep them breathing
Tourniquet, hemostatic gauze, chest seals, CPR, the rescue drugs your household needs
- A major bleed can kill in under five minutes. This kit and a class come first.
The medications on this page
Antibiotics and symptom relief for the week no doctor is reachable
- Order once, store well, check twice a year, and read the MedDeck before you need it.
Your own daily prescriptions
Never under 7 to 14 days on hand; work toward 90; a year through Jase Daily
- Ask your prescriber for a 90 day fill, refill on the first day the insurance allows, and keep the overlap as the reserve.
Sanitation, parasites, and the long haul
Clean water, a working toilet, and the antiparasitics for when both fail
- Most illness in a long emergency comes from water and waste, not injury.
Parasite kitHygiene and sanitationWater: storage and purification
What goes wrong
Questions this answers
Tap a question for the short answer.
How can I get antibiotics for an emergency kit
Through a telehealth kit such as the Jase Case: you fill out a short online medical form, a licensed physician reviews it and writes the prescriptions, a licensed pharmacy fills them, and the kit ships to your door with instruction cards and physician follow-up included.
What is in the jase case
Ten medications: amoxicillin-clavulanate, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and metronidazole (the five antibiotics), plus celecoxib, a methylprednisolone dose pack, ondansetron, triamcinolone cream, and loperamide, with the starter MedDeck cards.
Which antibiotic do I use for what
Amoxicillin-clavulanate for dental, sinus, ear, and throat infections and bite wounds; azithromycin when penicillin is a problem or for chest infections; ciprofloxacin for urinary and kidney infections and traveler's diarrhea; doxycycline for tick bites, MRSA, and skin infections; metronidazole for gut and abdominal infections. The MedDeck cards give the dose and course.
How should I store emergency medications
Cool (59 to 86°F), dry, and dark, in the original bottles with the caps tight, with a desiccant in the case. A closet shelf or dresser drawer, never the bathroom or a vehicle. Check the case every six months. For long storage, vacuum-seal the bottles.
How long do emergency medications last past the expiration date
Solid tablets and capsules stored well usually stay potent for years past the printed date; in the military's Shelf Life Extension Program, 88% of 122 drugs were extended by an average of 66 months. Nitroglycerin, insulin, liquid antibiotics, and epinephrine injectors are the exceptions and should be rotated on schedule.
Can I get a year supply of my prescription medication
Yes. Jase Daily is a 12 month backup supply of the daily prescriptions you already take, for conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, diabetes, asthma, and mental health. A board-certified physician reviews the order and the supply ships to your home.
Does jase medical ship to canada
Yes, the kits are available in the United States and Canada. A few add-on medications are U.S. only; the add-on table on this page marks them.
What medications should I stock for emergencies
My top ten are five antibiotics, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, amoxicillin-clavulanate, metronidazole, and azithromycin, plus ibuprofen 200mg, acetaminophen 500mg, and diphenhydramine 25mg over the counter. Naloxone 4mg nasal spray and ivermectin 3mg round out the list as add-ons.
What antibiotics should a prepper have
Five cover a broad range: ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, amoxicillin-clavulanate, metronidazole, and azithromycin. Between them they handle urinary, skin, sinus, respiratory, dental, and abdominal infections, infectious diarrhea, tick-borne disease, and anthrax and plague. All five come standard in the Jase Case.
What antibiotic can I take if I'm allergic to penicillin
Azithromycin is the one on the list for a penicillin allergy, and doxycycline and ciprofloxacin are also safe. Skip amoxicillin-clavulanate entirely; it is a penicillin.
What is doxycycline used for
Skin and soft tissue infections including MRSA, ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, malaria, tularemia, anthrax, and plague. It is the most versatile antibiotic in the case, and the case holds 120 capsules of it.
Which antibiotic treats a urinary tract infection
Ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin-clavulanate are the two on the list for a urinary tract infection. Try amoxicillin-clavulanate first for a simple UTI and save cipro for a kidney infection or when nothing else fits, because of its tendon and nerve side effects.
Keep going
Related to this
Membership · $49.95 per year
There is a lot more behind the lock
Every recipe and resource from the Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, all six field guides to read here and download, the full audit and logbook, all twelve reference charts, and no ads.
My Manual · included
Build your own field manual
The most useful thing a membership gives you. Save any page on this site, recipes, charts, and whole field guides included. Arrange them in the order you want, name it, and print one manual with a cover and contents, or keep it as a PDF that opens with no signal.
- It works when this site does not
- Only your pages
- Anyone in the house can use it
- One current copy, not a pile of printouts
- The house binder
- A copy for the bug-out bag or truck
- A copy for family
- An offline PDF
Stay Ready
New entries, updates, and useful instruction.
Stay one step ahead on your preparedness journey.
