Question Regarding bringing Meds on board

[tazgirl1981]

Well we leave for our cruise in 2 weeks and my daughter (13 months old) got her very first ear infection so the Pediatrician prescribed her antibiotics (which we will finish with before we go on our cruise) but she also wanted me to continue to give her pro-biotics for a month total (during and after the antibiotics are gone) which is no problem normally but when traveling on the cruise ship, would I have to document these to bring them? I mean I know they have to be kept cold once opened so I can very easily just buy a small container to bring with me and not open till we get on the ship and then discard them once we are returning home (we live here near the port) but do I need anything special to bring them on board? A note from her pediatrician or will it be a no questions asked (like Tylenol type thing) since they are over the counter? Just new to the whole cruising with medications type thing,

 

[justmestace]

If they're prescription, you should always travel with the original bottle with the label....any meds for anyone.
As for taking them with you, you don't have to tell anyone or do anything special at all. Keep them in your carry-on, definitely, in case she needs them before your luggage arrives in your room. I hope she's feeling better soon!

 

[chris31997]

Because it is OTC, I would have the dr write a note and keep it in the orginal container. But like the PP said not a big deal.

You should see the pharmacy that is laid out in our room and no has said anything. But all meds are in orginal bottles with labels.

 

[lilpooh108]

Has she had probiotics before? I'm not sure if you know, but, probiotics can give kids the "runs" for about a week before their system gets used to it, so I would suggest making sure your baby is completely used to the probiotic before going on your cruise.

Also--our nurse told us to adjust the dose according to what your child can tolerate and not what it says on the bottle (obviously ask your pediatrician about this. We decreased both dosage and frequency until it "worked" to solve their irregularity issues.)

For both my kids, the usual infant probiotics were too strong and we had to adjust accordingly, and give them about 2 weeks time to get used it to it.

The last thing you want are GI issues during your cruise.

Good luck.

 

[WaltD4Me]

If they're prescription, you should always travel with the original bottle with the label....any meds for anyone.
As for taking them with you, you don't have to tell anyone or do anything special at all. Keep them in your carry-on, definitely, in case she needs them before your luggage arrives in your room. I hope she's feeling better soon!

My dad takes quite a few pills daily and he has a divided plastic case he keeps them in....can he bring that or does he has to bring all his pill bottles? He uses the case to keep track or which ones he took (he has his own little system going) and I'm not even sure if he has all the pills bottles.

 

[bumbershoot]

All I know is that the security for the cruise ship didn't care one little tiny bit about Dh's pills, DH's ibuprofen, DH's syringes or vials for the drug he takes, or the homeopathics that I brought. Nor did they care about the wine we carried on (nor about the "wine diapers" they were encased in), or anything else.

I wouldn't worry about probiotics (nice that the doctor mentioned those, though odd for him/her to go straight to antibiotics for ear infections, since that isn't the protocol anymore after they finally figured out they are generally not needed or useful), I wouldn't worry about pills in weekly containers, etc.

 

[lanejudy]

My dad takes quite a few pills daily and he has a divided plastic case he keeps them in....can he bring that or does he has to bring all his pill bottles? He uses the case to keep track or which ones he took (he has his own little system going) and I'm not even sure if he has all the pills bottles.

Many people travel with their daily or weekly (or monthly) pill cases. It is recommended that he have a copy of the label information showing what exactly he has (name, strength, etc.) and that it's Rx - he can request this from his pharmacy if he tossed the bottles already. However, nobody is really going to check and they do not have to be declared. Carrying documentation is just back-up in case an issue arises. TSA (if flying) does NOT require original containers; I have heard that FL law does require original containers, but again nobody is going to check specifically for his meds. My DH traveled with a weekly case and had no problem.

Enjoy the cruise!

 

[Mom323]

My dad takes quite a few pills daily and he has a divided plastic case he keeps them in....can he bring that or does he has to bring all his pill bottles? He uses the case to keep track or which ones he took (he has his own little system going) and I'm not even sure if he has all the pills bottles.

All I know is that the security for the cruise ship didn't care one little tiny bit about Dh's pills, DH's ibuprofen, DH's syringes or vials for the drug he takes, or the homeopathics that I brought. Nor did they care about the wine we carried on (nor about the "wine diapers" they were encased in), or anything else.

I wouldn't worry about probiotics (nice that the doctor mentioned those, though odd for him/her to go straight to antibiotics for ear infections, since that isn't the protocol anymore after they finally figured out they are generally not needed or useful), I wouldn't worry about pills in weekly containers, etc.

The cruise ship may not care, but US Customs or the TSA will. If they decide to search your bags, any meds not in a marked container will be scrutinized. If you are traveling with any narcotics I would make sure they are in their Rx container. It doesn't happen often, but why take the risk.

Also if you have a medical emergency, it makes things easier for the medical center to know what meds you are taking. I work on a surgical floor and we see patients all the time with a baggy full of their loose meds. While you may know exactly what you take and how much, when you are ill or under stress you may make a mistake when relaying the info to the medical staff.

We use the weekly reminder as well, but bring the bottles with us.

 

[wendyoconnor]

My dad takes quite a few pills daily and he has a divided plastic case he keeps them in....can he bring that or does he has to bring all his pill bottles? He uses the case to keep track or which ones he took (he has his own little system going) and I'm not even sure if he has all the pills bottles.

The TSA doesn't require medications to be in their original bottles but every state has different rules regarding medications

When traveling it's always a good idea to have all medications in their original bottles to prevent security issues, every state has different rules. Also if there is a medical issue, you will be able to quickly share with medical personnel what your father is taking.

Have him talk to his pharmacist to see if he can get smaller bottles with labels for travel. It's a hassle but he can bring the pill case and divide out the pills after he boards.

 

[Mom323]

Here is what the U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends.

Can I travel with medications and medical devices, such as needles or oxygen tanks?

Prescription medications should be in their original containers with the doctor's prescription printed on the container. It is advised that you travel with no more than personal use quantities, a rule of thumb is no more than a 90 day supply. If your medications or devices are not in their original containers, you must have a copy of your prescription with you or a letter from your doctor. A valid prescription or doctors note is required on all medication entering the U.S.

The FDA is responsible for pharmaceutical admissibility determinations. If you have any questions as to whether a specific pharmaceutical may be imported into the United States, please contact the FDA, Division of Import Operations and Policy, at (301) 796-0356.

If you are traveling with medical devices such as needles or oxygen tanks that could pose a security or safety concern to others, be sure to have a copy of the prescription for those items from your doctor. You should also contact the Transportation Security Administration about any additional requirements they may have.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...ical-devices,-such-as-needles-or-oxygen-tanks

 

[tazgirl1981]

Thank you all very kindly for the information. Yes thankfully we have a couple weeks before we cruise so she will hopefully be used to the probiotics by then and thanks for the heads up about it possibly irritating her bowels (the pediatrician didn't say anything about adjusting it if I needed to so I thank you for that recommendation) I will keep it in its original container when we sail so hopefully no issues there and when we sail it will probably be during the last week that she will have to take them, so that will be good too. Just figured I better ask here to be safe rather than sorry

 

[sayhello]

My dad takes quite a few pills daily and he has a divided plastic case he keeps them in....can he bring that or does he has to bring all his pill bottles? He uses the case to keep track or which ones he took (he has his own little system going) and I'm not even sure if he has all the pills bottles.

It's the label with the prescription information on it that they want. I usually carry one week's worth in a daily divided case, and whatever more I need (at least an extra week's worth) in small plastic baggies with extra pharmacy Rx labels on them. I've never been questioned about them either flying or cruising, but I'd rather have the info all with me just in case.

Sayhello