Medication Question

[wdwlovin'family]

My mil read somewhere that all prescription medications need to be in their original bottles. She is concerned about this because they do mail order meds and that would require her to pack several large bottles. This is a problem for a couple of reasons. 1) It takes up precious luggage space since we were hoping not to check any luggage and 2) She really doesn't want to risk taking ALL of her meds with her in in case the get lost. What should she do in this regard? Can she just pack a 10-day travel pill organizer? Help/advice appreciated -- we leave in 3 days!

[over50visits]

Here is the US government website information:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...xml#Medication

[wdwlovin'family]

Originally Posted by over50visits

Here is the US government website information:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...xml#Medication

Thank you for the link. If I am reading that properly, the meds that require the original bottles are those that are narcotics and/or potentially addictive drugs. All others like blood pressure meds and such don't need this?

[PrincessShmoo]

Originally Posted by wdwlovin'family

My mil read somewhere that all prescription medications need to be in their original bottles. She is concerned about this because they do mail order meds and that would require her to pack several large bottles. This is a problem for a couple of reasons. 1) It takes up precious luggage space since we were hoping not to check any luggage and 2) She really doesn't want to risk taking ALL of her meds with her in in case the get lost. What should she do in this regard? Can she just pack a 10-day travel pill organizer? Help/advice appreciated -- we leave in 3 days!

What she needs to have is the label that is on the original container. That has the prescription information (what it is, dosage, date, and usually a description of the medication, doctors name, etc). I believe if she has a printout from the pharmacy with this information she'll be fine. I take my original bottle.

[sayhello]

I went to CVS, and they sell tiny (2.5 x 3") ziploc bags that are perfect for 2-3 weeks each of *most* meds. They also provided me with extra sticky labels that show the prescription number, name, dosage, etc. That label is what they want, not the bottle. They work wonderfully, and I've never had a problem. I take 8 different medications, so there is NO WAY I can carry all the original bottles (I tried once. It was sad).

Anyways, again, it's the original *label*, not the original *bottle* that the TSA really wants. As long as you have those labels, you should be good to go.

If you don't have a CVS, or can't find the bags, Ziploc makes a snack-size ziploc bag that is not a whole lot bigger.

Call the mail-in pharmacy, they can probably send you extra labels if they don't come with her prescriptions.

Sayhello

[com_op_2000]

DW splits up her meds into different carry on bags in case one gets lost.
The main bag she is resposible for has the original med information and I or someone in our group will have the extras in baggies.

[tvguy]

My mail order pharmacy includes a sheet that can be taken with you.

However, I always get my first dose of any new medication at the local pharmacy....30 day supply....and keep that bottle for travel.

[penel3]

Originally Posted by wdwlovin'family

Thank you for the link. If I am reading that properly, the meds that require the original bottles are those that are narcotics and/or potentially addictive drugs. All others like blood pressure meds and such don't need this?

Two main reasons for the valid labeling is 1: to validate it is YOUR prescription, and 2: it identifies the actual medication by color/size (white, round). There are thousands of pills out there, the customs agent won't necessarily know a generic non-narcotic migraine medicine from a Vicodin, or a blood pressure medicine from a Valium. Without the label, you risk confiscation, or at least significant delay if they decide they need to "identify" the drug. Hopefully, your pharmacy will be able to assist you. I have the same issues with my prescriptions, too, ugh!

[dragonfly08]

Originally Posted by tvguy

and keep that bottle for travel.

I have a spare bottle from my meds stashed in a drawer for travel. I can portion out what I need into it and leave the rest safely at home.

[bumbershoot]

DH travels all over the world with his pills in a travel container and hasn't had one problem with them. The problem he HAS had was with his injectable drug, in Australia, as it is illegal to have there without a prescription. He had the label on the box, so it was fine. Just a blip.

A friend of mine had a liver transplant, and has many, MANY drugs she travels with. She has now been to and from Mexico, to and from Europe (two different airports), and is currently in Belize, traveling with her (enormous) pill box.

This is not something we worry about.

[chris31997]

Unlike the PP, I always travel with meds in bottles with labels. I don't want to risk having meds taken because someone "thinks" my generic allergy med might be something else. Not too mention, the pharmecy that I pull out of our carry-ons for 4 people I want proof it is not all mine

Meds and Documents are 2 things I don't mess around with when traveling. Clothes, make-up... can be replaced. But documents and meds are going to be real hard/difficult to replace and will ruin the trip for me.