Question about traveling with meds

[Muffy]

Does anyone know if you absolutly have to keep all meds in their original containers while traveling? I would love to put everything into a case that i have. It is a case of little compartments and labels just for meds/vitamns. I would hate to fill this thing up and then have it confiscated at the airport! I take all kinds of vitamns, some herbs and a couple of meds daily. To many bottles! Any info would be appreciated!

 

[jel0511]

Well, you probably could do that, but at the risk of having them confiscated. You are generally told to travel with all meds, especially prescriptions, in their original containers with the prescription attached. I can understand what you mean, my DS has asthma, and the boxes which contain the meds are rather large, and I still travel with them that way for a couple of reasons, because I probably should, and in the off chance that they get lost, or I'm detained for some reason. That way, a refill wouldn't be too hard to obtain.

 

[zulaya]

What about checking your meds that you don't need for that day? My MIL uses a weekly pill organizer and I told her that carry-on on the plane she would have to use original containers - she's had cancer treatments so she takes a pharmacy of pills everyday. But if you check the rest of your pills in your checked luggage, couldn't you put pills in whatever organizer works for you?

 

[Sheree]

Never check meds! what if your luggage is lost or delayed? who knows what the new xrays can do to them.

I have a separate carryon for the meds and the what if meds.


I nevery take the chance

 

[zulaya]

First off, we are on a non-stop flight. I know that doesn't guarantee anything, but there you go. Second, what do you think they use to screen carry-ons? That's a type of x-ray too. So your worry about what x-rays do to meds is the same for carry on as it is for checked baggage,

Looking forward to someone actually answering my question about meds in labelled containers in checked luggage or if a pill organizer will work.

 

[Muffy]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I think I will put all vitamns/herbs in the little dispenser case on my checked luggage and take scrip meds in original bottle in carry on. If luggage is lost I can easily replace vitamins/herbs and will not have to worry about carry on meds.

 

[CarolA]

I second the never check vital meds. If your luggage is lost this can cost you a LOT of money and you probably won't get it all back. You would have to call your MD and get him to call a Pharamacy to refill. If it was prior to your refill time allowed by your prescription plan you have to pay!!!!


On international flights the xrays used for the baggage in the hold are suppose to have stronger doses of radition than the one's at the gate. In all cases the airlines have the right to open your checked luggage for security inspections. I do not check valuable items just because of this.

Now as to carrying your pills out of the marked container. I don't think you would have a problem on a domestic flight. In theroy I suppose the TSA might ask some questions, but I doubt it. NEVER do this on an international flight. I would also carry a listing of what you are taking and the doses. This would be useful if you should be in an accident or something and someone needed to know since the bottles would not be in a hotel room.

 

[Gillian]

Another option for prescriptions in large bottles - if you buy at a local pharmacy, ask them to make you a duplicate container. They can print an extra label and put it on a small vial. You'll still have 1 for each drug, but it could save some space.

Expect this to take a while. Be prepared to wait or come back at another time. Don't go the day before your trip when you're all rushed & stress out

zulaya, as for unlabelled meds in a checked bag, well, you're taking a chance. I'm sure it would go through the x-ray just fine, but if they decide to search your bag for another reason, they might question the drugs. Since you would take labelled containers in a carry on for the day anyway, why bother taking a separate set of pills in an organizer in the checked luggage? Take the organizer, but not with meds in it. Fill it when you get there.

And I know you didn't appreciate the warning against checking meds, but if your MIL is taking that many different pills, it would indeed be expensive to replace them. Things do happen to luggage, even on non-stop flights, and it just doesn't seem worth it (to me).

 

[anniet]

Non-stop flight from Boston to Orlando....they lost my luggage for
FOUR VERY LONG days....they finally found it in Alabama, although I have no idea how it got there. I don't take meds, but DBF does, and was thanking his lucky stars they didn't lose his luggage.

He carries them on from now on.

Also, I don't KNOW for sure, but I would imagine that even in checked luggage, meds should probably be in their proper containers, when you consider the fact that you can be pulled out of line and have your luggage that you are checking searched just as they search your carry on.

 

[Kermit]

Another good reason to have the bottles with the labels with you is in case you get detained for some reason. (It probably won't happen, but many of the people who were out of town on 9/11 expected to return home several days before they did.) It's much easier to get refills of the pills you run out of if you have the bottles there. Ideally, you should try to time your refills so that you have a full month's supply with you when you travel, but that's not always possible since your health insurance has a say in how often you get refills.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

That's a type of x-ray too. So your worry about what x-rays do to meds is the same for carry on as it is for checked baggage,

The carryons are xrayed, yes, but the dose is very low, if it weren't the people manning the scanners would have BIG heavy lead aprons on. The dose for scanning stuff that is checked is much much higher (that is why we worry about checked film).

Muffy,
Check with your specific airline regarding medications. I would opt to carry it on in the original containers. The points made about lost luggage are valid and I have seen the consequences first hand, no, not me but someone I went to class with in Arkansas.

 

[Gillian]

your pharmacy can sometimes do an override with the insurance company to get your refills a little early for vacations. It depends on your plan. And I would think not everyone would know how to put something like that through, even if your insurance company allows it. Another one of those don't wait until you're stressed issues!

 

[lightsaber]

My $0.02 on this...

1. Yes, the x-rays in the check-in section are more potent than in the carry-on. But, how does/will that affect a solid object, such as pills (and yes, I know that it has a greater possibility of affecting a liquigel type caplet of medicine)? I know its enough to affect electronic equipment such as camera and computers, but solids?

2. If there are (and I speak from experience with a cancer patient here) 50 some odd pills to take a day, with each vial about 1" to 3" in diameter and 3" to 5" in height, how would one propose to get this volume of luggage past the carry-on restrictions?

3. Assuming the people know the risk(s) of checking in the medications and are willing to accept them, what is the answer to the question zulaya posted: can pills be packed in checked in luggage, not in their original packaging? Seems to me that people are just hypothesizing/giving worst case scenarios, not answering the question.

4. Again, speaking from experience, I have a "note from my doctor" and another prescription for all my medications that I take on my person at all times when I'm traveling. The insurance companies grouse about it, but when you explain what has happened (ie. your luggage has been lost, you dropped it when you were getting on the plane and it shattered spilling its liquid contents all over the tarmac(why, yes, this did happen to me, thanks for asking ) , and why you need the prescription refilled before it is due, they do pay it..

Whew. That was kind of long for a lurker. Thanks for listening.

 

[Muffy]

I appreciate all this great info on traveling with meds! Thanks you everyone!

Muffy

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

1. Yes, the x-rays in the check-in section are more potent than in the carry-on. But, how does/will that affect a solid object, such as pills (and yes, I know that it has a greater possibility of affecting a liquigel type caplet of medicine)? I know its enough to affect electronic equipment such as camera and computers, but solids?

You know that is an excellent point and perhaps checking with your pharmacist is a good idea.
As to guessing what would be allowed etc. I still say, call the airline.

 

[Poohbearmom]

Having had a very bad experience with food poisoning in Mexico, which required emergency medical care and an emergency EVAC back to the States, I would NEVER travel with my meds out of the original containers. If you should become unconscious (which I did), medical personnel (or family members who are frantic) will have a much more difficult time making sure they locate all of your meds if they are not in prescription containers. In a medical emergency, knowing what meds you are on (even certain herbs), can mean the difference between life and death. Since my nightmare experience in Mexico, I always travel with any meds/vitamins in original containers and make sure my DH knows where they are in case of emergency. And I NEVER NEVER check my meds with my luggage. Wherever I go, my meds go. I know this sounds dramatic, but as someone who truly thought I would not live to get back home (and I was only 29!) I realize that the worst can happen at anytime, anywhere.

 

[Gillian]

Thank you for sharing that story, Poohbearmom. How very scary that must have been!

Well, personally, I don't think x-rays will hurt most drugs, but I don't remember it being covered in pharmacy school. However, many drugs are made outside the US these days, and I would think they could be x-rayed when coming into the country. Some of the newer drugs might be sensitive, but these would require special handling anyway (refrigeration, no light, etc.)

I checked with the USAirways website about medication & it says to carry them on in their original containers.

That's good enough for me! If your containers are too big, get smaller duplicates. If you need to, put the containers into 2 smaller bags that can both be easily stowed so that you'll have less of a problem carrying them on board. A giant carry on will be a problem, no matter what's in it, but they can always find a place for an extra smaller bag (or they should be able to!).

 

[Simba's Mom]

Wow, Poohbearmom, I'm going to rethink my policy. I've always carried all my meds, both prescription and non-prescription, in one bottle. I just remember-"pink for pepto pills, blue are Tylenol PM, brown is ibuprofin, the ones marked E are Excedrin", etc. But I'm definitely going to start carrying my prescriptions seperately in well-marked containers.

 

[safetymom]

I travel weekly for my job. I put meds in my rolling computer case and in my suitcase. Neither of them are in the original containers. I use the pill organizers and have never been stopped. I pack it in both in case something happens I am covered both ways.

I have been through more different airports than I care to count.

 

[CdnMom2]

thanks poohbearmom for posting your story. Another example of something I've found on this board that I would never have thought of. You have swayed me -- I will always have my meds in their original container & we're not even flying. Definitely good to know for the future.

I had also never thought about the x-rays or the possibility that the pharmacy could make smaller bottles for me...

Thanks all for sharing your knowledge. And thanks OP for starting this thread!