Packing vitamins and other OTC medications??

[sayhello]

Just got off the Dream last week...first ever cruise so I wanted to be sure I followed the "rules"! I had three large zip-lock bags in our carry-on. One had my husband's meds, one held mine and the other was for the OTC stuff. (We've just turned 70 so we do have a few meds we take!! LOL) To my knowledge and as far as I could see, the carry-on wasn't ever opened to check. Of course, with my luck, if I had not followed the "rules"...they would've opened the bag and questioned everything!!
Regardless...have a magical time...we did!!

Exactly the point. If they don't check, no big deal. But if they *do* check, you want to have all the right documentation. I don't want to be detained or have my medications confiscated.

If you can't get a pharmacy label, just take a picture of the label with your phone. You can do this with OTC meds, too. Put all of these pictures in one folder on your phone. This will come in handy if you are ever away from home and need access to your medication history. To help you keep track of which pill is which, take a picture of the pill next to the label. Take a picture of both sides of the pill (most prescription pills have numbers imprinted on them--Customs and pharmacies can use these to verify the identity of the pills). That will eliminate the "Which pill is this little white one?" if the contents of the bags spill.

This is a really fabulous idea! Thanks!

One would think--and hope--they have better things to do than to check if your medication, vitamins, etc are in the original container----if not, the war on drugs must be over.

Why take a chance? I had a friend who was being questioned for something else that looked "suspicious", but the fact that he had a baggie full of un-identifiable pills pushed customs over the edge, and they detained him for several hours. And they were all OTC.

Sayhello

 

[Gigi22]

It is also a good idea to take a list of the prescription meds. and dosages you are on with you. If you get sick, a list will help your family members and doctors out.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Sayhello:

Assume they "questioned" everything? How in the world would they really know what pills were what just because they were in a marked container? I could put my Vitamin C in my Tramadol container and vice versa. Just because the container label said Tramadol, ANYTHING could be in the container. Some things I take are in capsules with NO identifying marks of any sort--so which is it? My Fiber pills, my omega 3 capsules, my melatonin?? Do I need my CVS pharmacy receipt showing I bought melatonin????



I have to laugh a bit about all this--

Here they are shaking down cruise folks on the Fantasy about Vitamin C being in the wrong container, or "unknown" pills being in a persons own pillbox.

Meantime, each week thousands of pounds of illegal cocaine and heroin arrive from Mexico.

You have to love it

 

[RHSTigerMom]

When y'all say customs, are you talking about the bored-looking people at the port that just give your customs form a cursory glance when you leave or the security as you enter the terminal? I've never seen them even look at anyone's bags. I can see customs at the airports being more diligent because you have international flights coming and going.

 

[sayhello]

Sayhello:

Assume they "questioned" everything? How in the world would they really know what pills were what just because they were in a marked container? I could put my Vitamin C in my Tramadol container and vice versa. Just because the container label said Tramadol, ANYTHING could be in the container. Some things I take are in capsules with NO identifying marks of any sort--so which is it? My Fiber pills, my omega 3 capsules, my melatonin?? Do I need my CVS pharmacy receipt showing I bought melatonin????



I have to laugh a bit about all this--

Here they are shaking down cruise folks on the Fantasy about Vitamin C being in the wrong container, or "unknown" pills being in a persons own pillbox.

Meantime, each week thousands of pounds of illegal cocaine and heroin arrive from Mexico.

You have to love it

I agree with you, but there's only so much they can do. Medications don't come in sealed packages, so I guess they are going to assume that if you have a prescription for something, that's what it is. They are *mostly* interested in controlled substances, not every little med you take.

Sayhello

 

[BCV23]

I agree with you, but there's only so much they can do. Medications don't come in sealed packages, so I guess they are going to assume that if you have a prescription for something, that's what it is. They are *mostly* interested in controlled substances, not every little med you take.

Sayhello

Was your friend detained at an airport like Heathrow or at customs for DCL?

 

[sayhello]

Was your friend detained at an airport like Heathrow or at customs for DCL?

Coming back into the US from Vancouver.

Sayhello

 

[BCV23]

Coming back into the US from Vancouver.

Sayhello

Thanks. What a hassle. So at an airport?

 

[tajz90]

Some people have bad luck. We've never had issue with med. We've had every single item taken out of our hand held luggage and never once did anyone ask to look in the pill bottles.

I should say bottle. We throw everything in one.

 

[Uncleromulus]

My impression of all this is that every now and then, some low-level Customs functionary decides--with no real evidence--that something or other is "suspicious".

And then putting somebody through a # of hoops and then it all turns out it was some perfectly legal Vitamin, medicine, or other.