Packing medications

[dreamyear]

We are cruising on 10/20 and my inlaws are wondering if they can pack their medication in baggies or should they leave it in the bottles. They don't want any problems when boarding the ship. Thanks for all answers.

 

[DisneyDreamer2504]

Always leave in the bottles. I'm not sure if you're flying, but TSA will throw pills away, and might question you as well. If not flying, dcl security might not be as thorough, but its always better to have proof of the prescription.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are cruising on 10/20 and my inlaws are wondering if they can pack their medication in baggies or should they leave it in the bottles. They don't want any problems when boarding the ship. Thanks for all answers.

Quick note, this could be a hot button topic.

It isn't really boarding the ship that's the problem, it's when you get back and are clearing customs re-entering the US.

For us, any medicines (especially the prescribed ones) travel in their original bottles, in our carry on bags. We tend to do the longer cruises, so we need to bring more than just a few days worth of them. We portion out to our daily pill minder once we are onboard.

Many people will post that they travel with their daily pill box and nothing else. I just don't want to take the chance. While it's not happened to me, or anyone traveling with me, I've read reports of unidentified pills being thrown away (or "voluntarily" given up) by customs screeners.

 

[Beermam42]

Pill box in back pack. No one looked or asked comming or going. Have talked to many pill box only. Customs can id all pills by numbers on them. Just because you have bottle with your name on it means nothing to customs. You can put anything in bottle. The dog knows all.

If you using any type of pain medication that requires a Rx better have Rx with you.

 

[SuperDry]

Pill box in back pack. No one looked or asked comming or going.

They usually don't. But sometimes they do. I had a "random" thorough secondary inspection last year, and they would have found any pills that I had with me. It seemed that they were specifically searching for them in fact. They also checked all the possible hiding places, such as vitamin bottles, and any other toiletry container that could be used to hide pills.

Customs can id all pills by numbers on them. Just because you have bottle with your name on it means nothing to customs. You can put anything in bottle. The dog knows all.

You contradict yourself a bit. A pill bottle from a pharmacy is evidence that the drug was prescribed to you by a doctor. They can use the numbers to confirm what's in the bottle matches the label. If you have them in unlabeled containers, they can determine what they are, but not that you have a prescription.

In practice, it depends on what you have. Having a 6-day supply of Lipitor in an unlabeled container is going to be different than a 60-day supply of Oxycontin.

 

[barbarasc]

IMHO - it depends on the medication. example - hubby take blood pressure medication - not controlled he uses a pill box. My daughter has a long list of medical issues and takes several controlled drugs - ALL of her medications are taken in their original prescription bottles.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Pill box in back pack. No one looked or asked comming or going. Have talked to many pill box only. Customs can id all pills by numbers on them. Just because you have bottle with your name on it means nothing to customs. You can put anything in bottle. The dog knows all.

If you using any type of pain medication that requires a Rx better have Rx with you.

If they are in a pharmacy issued bottle with a pharmacy issued label with the medication name and YOUR name you do not need a copy of the script too! Where are you getting that information from???

 

[dreamyear]

This was not meant to start an argument, I apologize and I thank everybody for their responses they helped a lot.