Medications in original bottles

[jonka1]

Hi!

I'm going on the four-night Bahamas cruise with my extended family, including my grandmother, who takes a number of medications. My question is-- does she need to bring all of her medications in their original bottles, or can she bring them in a pill organizer?

I know that one shouldn't check medicines in a suitcase, so all of the bottles could be very cumbersome.

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi!

I'm going on the four-night Bahamas cruise with my extended family, including my grandmother, who takes a number of medications. My question is-- does she need to bring all of her medications in their original bottles, or can she bring them in a pill organizer?

I know that one shouldn't check medicines in a suitcase, so all of the bottles could be very cumbersome.

Thanks!

We've only done the longer cruises, so we had to bring along our meds to refill our pill caddy. I know some people have reported only bringing their little organizer with no problems. I would think, as long as you have a copy of the prescription in case there are any questions, the organizer will work.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We've only done the longer cruises, so we had to bring along our meds to refill our pill caddy. I know some people have reported only bringing their little organizer with no problems. I would think, as long as you have a copy of the prescription in case there are any questions, the organizer will work.

If she has a health emergency, the doctor will need a list of all the meds she's taking. Other than that, we've never had an issue with the little organizer.

 

[Fºoºz]

On our last cruise in Dec, DW brought along three pill organizers (3 weeks worth of meds) in her carry-on - no problems whatsoever. As noted by PrincessShmoo, we brought along the Rx receipts just in case though.

 

[Patrickprincess]

On our last cruise in Dec, DW brought along three pill organizers (3 weeks worth of meds) in her carry-on - no problems whatsoever. As noted by PrincessShmoo, we brought along the Rx receipts just in case though.

You didn't say in your post if any of those meds are insulin. if they are then you will need to have a refrige. Many of the staterooms have these. They only probmelm you might have is the TSA. What a bunch of airheads. When i was comming home from Disneyland a few years ago they seached my carryon bag they found my epi pen. I'm allegic to bee stings i tryed to tell him what this was for and he thought i was some kind of idoit So having a coppy of the perscription is a great ideal have a great cruise. beening perpared is half the fun

 

[Anal Annie]

I typically only travel with a pill organizer (unless we'll be gone for longer than the 2 weeks worth that it holds). I have never had anybody question my meds. As already noted though, it would be a good idea to also bring the little RX receipt they give you in the bag when you pick them up. It will list the full drug name, dosage & if there are refills should anything go wrong while you're traveling.

 

[disneybeachprincess]

We take pill organizers as well. I would definitely put any meds, advil, etc in your carry on bag, not luggage to be checked, in case you need anything before it is brought to your stateroom. Happy cruising!

 

[disneyjunebug]

I take a pill organizer with my regular meds, but if I am bringing Pain meds or anything else that might be a controlled substance, I bring it in its original bottle. I also bring a list of all meds from so the TSA can look if they want to see what is in the little pill organizer.

Dont' forget to bring a couple of extra days worth of meds. You never know when you are going to be delayed due to a hurricane, fog, a coffee pot that won't work on the airplane (yes, that really happened to me once -- the coffee pot wouldn't work on the plane and we were grounded all night), drop something down the drain, etc. Better safe than sorry!

 

[kcashner]

Florida law requires that all controlled substances (typically narcotics) be carried in their original containers. Other than that, she will be fine with a daily dose container AND a list of all medications including the dose as well as the name. It would be helpful to note the prescribing doctor and what the medication is for! You have to work in health care to appreciate the number of people who come in with NO idea of what their meds are...or they tell you they take "My heart pill and my stomach pill" as if we can figure out what that is!

 

[sayhello]

Personally, I do the organizer if I'm going to be gone less than a week. If I am going to need more than a week's worth, I put the extra into plastic baggies and peel the label off the bottle and put it on the baggie. I take several prescriptions and the original bottles were just too cumbersome. I actually just recently found pill baggies labelled as pill baggies at CVS.

One note, if you are bringing medication, make sure they are in your *purse* or other carryon that can fit under the seat in front of you. If your regular carryon should have to be gate-checked for any reason, the area your bag is in can get *very* cold, which can effect your medications.

Sayhello

 

[Ariel224]

Florida law requires that all controlled substances (typically narcotics) be carried in their original containers. Other than that, she will be fine with a daily dose container AND a list of all medications including the dose as well as the name. It would be helpful to note the prescribing doctor and what the medication is for! You have to work in health care to appreciate the number of people who come in with NO idea of what their meds are...or they tell you they take "My heart pill and my stomach pill" as if we can figure out what that is!

...and then they tell you the COLOR of the pill, which is supposed to immediately clarify everything.

 

[Anal Annie]

Personally, I do the organizer if I'm going to be gone less than a week. If I am going to need more than a week's worth, I put the extra into plastic baggies and peel the label off the bottle and put it on the baggie. I take several prescriptions and the original bottles were just too cumbersome. I actually just recently found pill baggies labelled as pill baggies at CVS.

One note, if you are bringing medication, make sure they are in your *purse* or other carryon that can fit under the seat in front of you. If your regular carryon should have to be gate-checked for any reason, the area your bag is in can get *very* cold, which can effect your medications.
Sayhello

Not only THAT but there is no guarantee that you'll get your checked luggage back in a timely manner. Our flight home from Europe last summer was cancelled at the gate & we were stranded in Paris for an extra night. The airline did not give us our checked luggage back and I couldn't believe how many people were upset because they didn't have a spare pair of undies, a change of clothes or even their toothbrushes with them. I am sure some meds were also missed by those same people that night.

 

[Fºoºz]

You didn't say in your post if any of those meds are insulin. if they are then you will need to have a refrige. Many of the staterooms have these. They only probmelm you might have is the TSA. What a bunch of airheads. When i was comming home from Disneyland a few years ago they seached my carryon bag they found my epi pen. I'm allegic to bee stings i tryed to tell him what this was for and he thought i was some kind of idoit So having a coppy of the perscription is a great ideal have a great cruise. beening perpared is half the fun

How true that is ... there will always be someone somewhere that will go the "extra mile" in being a total j_rk, despite you as a person having done nothing wrong.

I take a pill organizer with my regular meds, but if I am bringing Pain meds or anything else that might be a controlled substance, I bring it in its original bottle. I also bring a list of all meds from so the TSA can look if they want to see what is in the little pill organizer.

Dont' forget to bring a couple of extra days worth of meds. You never know when you are going to be delayed due to a hurricane, fog, a coffee pot that won't work on the airplane (yes, that really happened to me once -- the coffee pot wouldn't work on the plane and we were grounded all night), drop something down the drain, etc. Better safe than sorry!

YES, as disneyjunebug has stated, always bring a few extra days worth (we tend to bring an extra week if we are leaving the country) as you never know what will happen during your travels!

In re: to controlled Rx pain medication, as disneyjunebug & kcashner have noted, we leave that in it's original Rx bottle and bring it along with us.

In all our travels, never had one problem with medication. It was more of an effort though to manage all the electronics we brought with us - on our last trip we had the Kindle, iPad for me, iPhone, Macbook Air, Samsung Galaxy Tab for DW, digital camera, earbuds/headphones - plus all the cables etc - and we pack that all in our carry-on. As we were gone for three weeks and with my DW requiring more rest in our stateroom, all those "electronics" came in handy.

 

[kcashner]

Another thought--most pharmacies are happy to provide a smaller labeled container for your travel supply of meds. For example, at my last refill I requested a small bottle for travel in addition to my 90 day supply (which comes in a larger container). I joked with the tech that I didn't want to take 90 pills on a 2 week trip--he said no problem, they do it all the time.

 

[Lainey321]

I was wondering this as well. I take a packet of vitamin supplements daily that come in a large container. I refuse to lug the container with me when I just need 5 packets.

Think I can just pack the packets??

( I might be able to find a printout of what they contain.)

 

[sayhello]

I was wondering this as well. I take a packet of vitamin supplements daily that come in a large container. I refuse to lug the container with me when I just need 5 packets.

Think I can just pack the packets??

( I might be able to find a printout of what they contain.)

Are the packets well labeled? If so, you should be fine. I had a co-worker who traveled to Canada (by car) with a bunch of misc. vitamin supplements in a baggy (they looked a lot like controlled substances) and he got pulled aside until they could verify that they weren't drugs. I'm not quite sure how they did that!

Sayhello

 

[Lainey321]

No, they're just in a see through blue packet??? I may just buy a bottle of Centrum or something to use for the cruise then

 

[Mom323]

I was wondering this as well. I take a packet of vitamin supplements daily that come in a large container. I refuse to lug the container with me when I just need 5 packets.

Think I can just pack the packets??

( I might be able to find a printout of what they contain.)

If you are flying TSA may ask you about them. You shouldn't have a problem boarding the ship with the vitamins or meds. It's the custom agents when you get off that could question what they are. If you are planning on finishing them and not returning with any, I would go ahead and bring what you need for the trip.

 

[Mom323]

Are the packets well labeled? If so, you should be fine. I had a co-worker who traveled to Canada (by car) with a bunch of misc. vitamin supplements in a baggy (they looked a lot like controlled substances) and he got pulled aside until they could verify that they weren't drugs. I'm not quite sure how they did that!

Sayhello

We have patients that come into the hospital with baggies of their meds. My favorite are ones who have them loose in their change purses with their change. Yuck.

We use drugs.com to identify them.