Perscriptions "just in case"-FYI

[barkley]

i've noticed in some threads (for the most part regarding children) that when kids are not feeling well just prior to leaving home, some parents will get a perscription written by their pediatrician to take "just in case". i wanted to post some information i've learned regarding this:

1. while your doctor may be lic. to dispense in your home state it is unlikely that they are lic. to dispense in florida as well-so the perscription may not be valid. (to get around this, have the doctor call the perscription into your local branch of a nationwide pharmacy chain like walgreens which allows for transfering of perscriptions state to state),

2. while your standard health insurance may pay for meds issued in your home state they may no out of state (again the nationwide pharmacy concept will usualy enable you to retain coverage),

3. travel insurance will usualy not cover a perscription that was written or called in prior to your departure,

4. travel insurance (if you have type with "no preexisting condition") may deny any claim they can link to a visit to the pediatrician prior to your cruise (example-your child complains of stuffy nose and ear congestion a few days before you leave so you go to the pediatrician who says "no problem". you land in orlando with a child who now has a full blown ear infection and end up at a medical clinic for treatment. the travel insurance often denies based on the pediatrician's exam for related problem prior to start of trip.).

i'm no expert, just a california mom with an hmo and 2 kids whose ears start cultivating infections the minute i plan any out of state travel
i don't want anyone else to get stuck with uncovered med bills.

 

[lbgraves]

I think that if anyone is getting Rxs for a child going on a cruise they are going to actually get those filled prior to leaving home. I did this for DS's allergies that can go into a full blown infection. The medication is usually mixed at the pharmacy and has a 10 day shelf life so when I told the pharmacists what I was doing, they just put the powder in the container & told me how much water to add to it if I needed it.

 

[marylou]

I did the same thing with ear drops , dh and dd both get swimmers ear and it can be very painful so i always bring them along as well as any other medicine (in original containers of course) that i think we MAY have a use for. I think its one of the hazards of being a nurse. I don't leave home with out my medicine kit

 

[aprilgail2]

I think that if anyone is getting Rxs for a child going on a cruise they are going to actually get those filled prior to leaving home. I did this for DS's allergies that can go into a full blown infection. The medication is usually mixed at the pharmacy and has a 10 day shelf life so when I told the pharmacists what I was doing, they just put the powder in the container & told me how much water to add to it if I needed it.

I do the same with antibiotics before every trip. If my Dr doesn't have those little one time use bottles to give me she writes the Rx for unmixed antibiotics and then I just mix however much water I need if/when I need them. This year I actually made it through 3 trips away before I had to mix them (when they are unmixed they are good for a year!). On the cruise she came down with an ear infection and I had to start them. Two years before she was bit by a mosquito and I didn't have any antibiotics and we were in Disney so I had to pay for a Dr to come and give her a Rx antibiotics. Now we travel with plenty off Off with DEET and antibiotics!

 

[lbgraves]

WOW! She had that bad of a reaction from a mosquito bite? Here in NC we can't get away from them.

 

[aprilgail2]

WOW! She had that bad of a reaction from a mosquito bite? Here in NC we can't get away from them.

She gets Cellulitis (sp?) when she gets bit and ends up on antibiotics. So far this year we have made it through the summer with no bites! But I have remember to use off every time we go outside in the evenings.

 

[staceymerrill]

my father, who is a licensed physician in NY, could write a script in FL and have it filled no problem in a FL pharmacy.....

 

[nuke]

I get infections from bug bites also. But only in my hands and feet. I guess there is enough fat in the other parts of my body to distribute the poison.

I could never get my doctor to write a preemptive RX.

 

[aprilgail2]

I get infections from bug bites also. But only in my hands and feet. I guess there is enough fat in the other parts of my body to distribute the poison.

I could never get my doctor to write a preemptive RX.

After having to see Dr's in other states while on vacation my Dr is the one that suggested that I take them with me each trip to save me the trouble. My daughter had at least 8 episodes of strep from Dec-May so it was bpretty much a given that she would have it on one of our trips someplace and it was eaiser to take them with us than go to the ships Dr or another Dr someplace else who would just give us the antibiotics anyway.