Prescription meds

[MOMMY2ANTHONY&SOFIA]

When putting prescription meds in my carryon, do they have to be in the original bottles or can they be in a daily pill sorter?

 

[goofy4tink]

I always carry mine in the original bottle. Yes, even the 3 month supply!!! That way there is never any question.

 

[rwdavis2]

Daily pill sorter. TSA does not care. It's not their job to police drugs. The only thing I ever carried in the original bottle were pain killers (Percs). I've made over 20 trips to California in the last 3 years using a pill wallet and no bottles except for the 1.

 

[Unas]

Daily pill sorter. TSA does not care. It's not their job to police drugs. The only thing I ever carried in the original bottle were pain killers (Percs). I've made over 20 trips to California in the last 3 years using a pill wallet and no bottles except for the 1.

This.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It's the TSA not the DEA.

Now for international travels different rules may apply.

 

[rwdavis2]

It's the TSA not the DEA.

Now for international travels different rules may apply.

Most definitely.

 

[DebbieB]

The only time I ever brought the bottles was when I went to India. I've traveled all over the US the past 10 years with a pill sorter, never a problem.

 

[Carriemel]

Domestic travel, carry your pills as you wish. International travel, PLEASE keep your meds in the original bottles.

I work for TSA.

 

[sam_gordon]

International travel, PLEASE keep your meds in the original bottles.

Is that because of customs or is it still TSA related?

 

[Carriemel]

According to the US State dept:

RECOMMENDATIONS ON FLIGHTS OVERSEAS PER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
(http://travel.state.gov):

• Carry a letter from your physician describing your medical conditions plus prescriptions for any drugs (including their generic names).

• Leave drugs in their original containers. Make sure they are clearly labeled.

• Check with the foreign country’s embassy in the U.S. regarding what medications are considered legal and illegal and in what quantities.

• The site’s webpage “Customs and Import Restrictions” mentions, “Many countries have restrictions on what may be brought into the country, including food, pets. . . and medications. Even over-the-counter medications may be prohibited in some countries.”


**
In addition, certain types of medications, like narcotics and stimulants, are regulated and must remain in original containers.

 

[bumbershoot]

The only time I ever brought the bottles was when I went to India. I've traveled all over the US the past 10 years with a pill sorter, never a problem.

DH has had the same experience. The only country that has cared even a little bit is Australia, and that was a drug-specific thing where you can ONLY have it if you have a prescription. Since he's a guy it's not usual for prescription use and is mainly used for body building by men, so he did have to make sure he had all labels etc.

If he had ever gone to Singapore or Thailand he would have been more careful with everything as well.

Is that because of customs or is it still TSA related?

LOL.

I think that's just her usual disclaimer. The people looking at the stuff in the bins don't now what ticket we're traveling with (all those cute marks they make on tickets aside), after all. And don't know where we're going after any first flight.

 

[Carriemel]

Exactly.

 

[DebbieB]

DH has had the same experience. The only country that has cared even a little bit is Australia, and that was a drug-specific thing where you can ONLY have it if you have a prescription. Since he's a guy it's not usual for prescription use and is mainly used for body building by men, so he did have to make sure he had all labels etc.

If he had ever gone to Singapore or Thailand he would have been more careful with everything as well.

When I went to India, they never looked at them in my carryon either way.

 

[Lori74]

Domestic travel, carry your pills as you wish. International travel, PLEASE keep your meds in the original bottles.

I work for TSA.

thank you, i've always lugged around the pill bottles in case if i were questioned!

 

[BeerMe]

I just take all my meds at once before boarding that way I don't have to worry

 

[Carriemel]

That's all well and good for the day of travel, but what about the duration of your stay? You put meds in checked bags, and you run the risk of having the airline "misplace" your bag, and not have the meds you need...

 

[jec6613]

Domestically, anything except scheduled narcotics can go into whatever you like - and the narcotics are only an issue if you run into one of the sniffer puppies - but even then, so long as you have the original bottle you can have them in a sorter as well.

 

[1Grumpy9]

In February when I travel to Daytona it will be my first time traveling with a q-click pen for my parathyroid hormone injection. The needles aren't attached to the pen, but they will have to be with me for the trip. Is there anything special I have to carry along with me to go through TSA?

 

[Unas]

Domestically, anything except scheduled narcotics can go into whatever you like - and the narcotics are only an issue if you run into one of the sniffer puppies - but even then, so long as you have the original bottle you can have them in a sorter as well.

IIRC The security at the airport is charged with looking for weapons, explosives and incendiaries. Very few, if any, sniffer dogs are trained to detect those things as well as drugs.

 

[Starwind]

TSA page about medications: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures

Also elsewhere on the TSA website they state "We recommend, but do not require, that your medications be labeled to facilitate the security process."

Note that some US states require properly labeled prescription medications. This is a state requirement and you may travel lots and lots and never have a problem, but the potential to run into issues does exist depending on what states one is traveling from/through/to.

For international travel medications should be in their original containers, properly labeled.

My solution is to bring an empty multi-day sorter and carry the meds in their original containers -- when necessary I have asked the pharmacy to give me the smallest size container they can (labelled) in addition to the normal size container for a med -- they have always been happy to do this for no extra charge. Most of my non-Rx meds and prescribed supplements also go in their original containers, but some of the containers are glass so the supplement but not its glass container goes into a double ziploc baggie with a printout of the item's information from the manufacturer's website. All of it goes in my carry-on (I have enough medical items that I have a separate extra carry-on of JUST medications and medical items -- this does NOT count towards the carry-on limits but has to be the proper size). When I get to my destination, I sort out my meds into the sorter for the duration of the trip. If I have to take meds DURING actual traveling (eg early morning or late evening flight), I have a one day AM/PM sorter that I use to put the needed set of meds into.

SW