flying with medications

[firemanx]

Have a couple pills that I feel better carrying in my carry on so they don't get lost seizure& BP. Now my question is I put my pills in a daily pill divider do I need to carry the bottles also or screeners recognize medicines? suggestion?

 

[lanejudy]

In my experience, TSA is not interested in passengers' medications. We regularly travel with daily pill-minder containers and have never encountered any issues. I believe technically the state of Florida does require medications to be carried in the properly labeled contained as dispensed. But I honestly only do that for controlled substances. An we always carry meds in carry-ons.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[redberyl]

I would keep them in their original bottles. They always swab all of our stuff (we travel with a lot of formula, meds and medical equipment so we always get extra screening) and one of the medication bottles always test positive for a chemical that apparently is similar to some sort of bomb making residue. every time this happens they question me on what the med is and what it is used for, and usually a supervisor gets called back to check it out. the supevisor always reads the label very carefully. So I would definitely have them in the original bottles

 

[Shanti]

Have a couple pills that I feel better carrying in my carry on so they don't get lost seizure& BP. Now my question is I put my pills in a daily pill divider do I need to carry the bottles also or screeners recognize medicines? suggestion?

I've flown to and from Florida many times, always with assorted prescription medications in pill sorters in carryon luggage. No original bottles & no prescriptions with me. Never had an issue.

 

[Allison Joy]

What has been said here is also what I have experienced. I honestly thought TSA required original bottles and it was just never enforces, but TSA does NOT require the original bottles. It does state that individual states have requirements about labeling prescription drugs. So TSA isn't going to worry about it. I think the previous poster's experience is a unique one. I've also never had issues with pills in pill cases.

 

[Lilsia]

ALWAYS carry all of your medications in your carry on bag. Do not ever check any kind of medication. Not only would that be a hassle if they lost your bags, but theft is an issue too. You will not have any problems with TSA and your medication.

 

[RaySharpton]

Have a couple pills that I feel better carrying in my carry on so they don't get lost seizure& BP. Now my question is I put my pills in a daily pill divider do I need to carry the bottles also or screeners recognize medicines? suggestion?

Hi, firemanz. I always used to wonder the same thing. When traveling to Florida I started putting all of my prescription and non-prescription medications in a ziplock bag and in their original bottles and always in my carry-on backpack. I have too many items missing in my checked luggage when flying. So I put everything of value in my backpack and carry it onboard the airline.

Later, I ditched the prescription bottles and bought a daily pill box that could hold all of my all of my daily prescription medication in a daily box. It had actually 31-little boxes labeled days 1-31 and had a pop-in case for each little box. It took up a lot less room. As previous posters have mentioned I have not had a problem with TSA and traveling on Delta. But I would never put any prescription narcotics in anything except for the pharmacy bottle that it came in for many reasons.

I don't travel out of the USA, but if I did, I think that I would probably keep them in the original pharmacy bottle because I don't know what a foreign country or TSA might do. I have no experience with this, but it is just my opinion.

 

[EveDallas]

In my experience, TSA is not interested in passengers' medications. We regularly travel with daily pill-minder containers and have never encountered any issues. I believe technically the state of Florida does require medications to be carried in the properly labeled contained as dispensed. But I honestly only do that for controlled substances. An we always carry meds in carry-ons.

Enjoy your vacation!

This hasn't been my experience. They swab my son's insulin every single time. I would take the bottles and not risk it.

ETA: Maybe insulin is different because it's liquid?

 

[Chickenlady]

This hasn't been my experience. They swab my son's insulin every single time. I would take the bottles and not risk it.

ETA: Maybe insulin is different because it's liquid?

I travel several times a year and have for a long time and no one has ever swabbed my insulin!

 

[ttintagel]

I've never had any of my medications swabbed, but the agent generally does look closely through the ziplock bags at the labels. So, I do and will continue to bring things in the original packaging with prescription labels. It's not that hard to fill the daily pill reminder when I get to the hotel . I do it this way for the same reason I keep all my medical supplies in my carry-on Intead of my checked bag: even if the chance is one in a million that something will go wrong, the results would be disastrous if I had the bad luck of being than millionth person. In my own risk/benefit analysis, since it's easy to be safe there's no reason to take even a small risk of being sorry.

 

[Lilsia]

I've never had any of my medications swabbed, but the agent generally does look closely through the ziplock bags at the labels. So, I do and will continue to bring things in the original packaging with prescription labels. It's not that hard to fill the daily pill reminder when I get to the hotel . I do it this way for the same reason I keep all my medical supplies in my carry-on Intead of my checked bag: even if the chance is one in a million that something will go wrong, the results would be disastrous if I had the bad luck of being than millionth person. In my own risk/benefit analysis, since it's easy to be safe there's no reason to take even a small risk of being sorry.

This is so true. And a person does not need to take a full bottle. I would bring what I needed plus maybe a couple extra in the original bottle and leave the rest at home.

 

[Tempty]

I traveled with my UC (ulcerative colitis) medications in a daily pillbox thing, as well as extra Xanax (in its prescription bottle) in my carry-on and was not stopped, asked anything, etc.
Just treated me as a person with absolutely nothing concerning lol
I would have thought the Xanax would have tripped something, but I guess not
Although sometimes people aren't asked to take their liquids bag out either so who knows anymore

 

[Simba's Mom]

In my experience, TSA is not interested in passengers' medications.

So true from my experience. For years, I've had several prescriptions I take daily, so I bring my daily plastic pill box, with my meds in it. I also bring a small bottle with a few of each med (in case I drop one), as well as some ibuprofin, upset tummy meds, etc. It all looks random, but I know the different colors/shapes so I know what's what. TSA's never questioned me. But maybe if I'd brought a liquid they would!

 

[SueM in MN]

You want to always carry your medications with you on the plane so there is no chance of them getting lost if your checked bag is lost or delayed. And, as someone already posted, possibly stolen.
We always carry the day’s doses of medication in a pill holder, but we carry the remainder of our daughter’s medication in the prescription bottles.
This is not because TSA cares, but in case of any medical issues, the prescription bottles have the medication name, the dosage, the pharmacy phone number and the prescription number. Those pieces of information would be very helpful if she has a medical issue or problem.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have traveled all over the world with prescription meds in a weekly pill holder (no liquids), and not once has a security screener anywhere given them a second glance. You just need to be careful when traveling to countries which do not allow you to bring in certain medications.

 

[darthvaderusa]

Hello. Has anyone had an issue flying with Diabetes medicines in an prefilled Injection? My wife needs to take her injection every Friday and I need to take one with me. Does TSA object? Thanks

 

[gap2368]

Hello. Has anyone had an issue flying with Diabetes medicines in an prefilled Injection? My wife needs to take her injection every Friday and I need to take one with me. Does TSA object? Thanks

You will be fine with injectable medication I would have it in its original container

 

[darthvaderusa]

You will be fine with injectable medication I would have it in its original container

Thanks!

 

[Lauren in NC]

Similar to SueM, while I keep the travel day meds in a small pill box, I bring the rest of my meds in their original pill bottles - not necessarily the full bottle but at least enough for the trip plus extra - and bring them in my carryon. I've had too many experiences where we've had to stay somewhere longer or lost meds and needed an emergency prescription called in. While now I usually have all that information on my phone, it's nice to have the bottle so I can just call the pharmacy and have them start the round of approvals needed from the doctor and insurance.

 

[disneylove69]

Have a couple pills that I feel better carrying in my carry on so they don't get lost seizure& BP. Now my question is I put my pills in a daily pill divider do I need to carry the bottles also or screeners recognize medicines? suggestion?

I travel weekly and put my pills in a daily pill holder with no issues.