travelling with concerta(adhd)meds

[eyeore]

hi hoping someone can help me. my ds was diagnosed with adhd 1yr ago. we are going to florida in 5weeks and i am starting to worry about bringing his meds through the airport in orlando. i am planning on only bringing enough for the time we are there and also bringing a doctors letter with me. do you think i will have any problems? is there anything else i need to do?please help im starting to worry i,m gonna get pulled by a sniffer dog

 

[mechurchlady]

As long as the medicine is in its prescription container you are fine. They are not going to have the dogs sniffing after your medicines. The FAQs have info on airline travel with medicines. They probably will do nothing at all if you do not have a prescription. I have gone through airports with unidentified vitamins, antiacids, and aspirin with no questions. They are not looking for the average person with an average amount of medications. they are not going to demand to know if those pills are aspirin or a banned substance. The dogs are trained to scent out major banned drugs, contraband food, and bombs not prescription drugs.

As for the medicines take more than you need. Accidents happen and pills can get dropped so take more than you will need and do not be afraid about bringing the medicine into America.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713
That is the board's FAQs and has lots of airline related info in post 15.

 

[Schmeck]

Since you are travelling out of the country, please bring the prescription in the prescription container. Although all pills have an identifying code on them, having the prescription (and making sure it is in the name of one of the people that is actually going through customs!) makes it easier to get through customs.

If you want a smaller container, ask your prescribing doctor for one, with the proper labels, of course.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with the other posters.
It's always better to have more documentation than you might need and the dogs/security are looking for illegal drugs, not legal drugs with a prescription.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

i am planning on only bringing enough for the time we are there and also bringing a doctors letter with me.

I agree with the others that a doctor's note and having the meds in their original prescription package should be enough. Also, make sure to carry them in your carry-on bags. I, admittedly, travel between the US and Europe all the time (mostly UK) and never bring a doctor's note and haven't had problems, but it is better to have it and not need it.

I would not however only bring enough for the time you're there. It's find if you don't want to bring a whole prescription, however, do bring some extra. You never know what might delay your return home (weather, missed connection, etc.) and it's better to have some extra in case something happens. (2-3 days extra should be enough)

One thing to know about the dogs is that they are specifically trained to illegal drugs or explosives. You can't train a dog to smell for more than one thing so if there's only one dog, it's not even going to be able to sniff for all illegal drugs (and these days I would expect it to be going for explosives rather than drugs anyway).

 

[robynchic]

Do not bring only enough for the trip. I always pack a little extra, because what if I drop one and can't find it? I always pack my full bottle (or enough for my trip plus a few days extra, in case we're delayed for some reason or another).

 

[TillyMarigold]

One thing to know about the dogs is that they are specifically trained to illegal drugs or explosives. You can't train a dog to smell for more than one thing so if there's only one dog, it's not even going to be able to sniff for all illegal drugs (and these days I would expect it to be going for explosives rather than drugs anyway).

Not exactly true. You can only train a dog to do one thing at a time, but you can train it separately, over time, to react to several different things. I was recently at a trial where a Customs & Border Patrol dog handler explained his dog (one dog) could sniff out marijuana, heroin, cocaine, crack, meth, US currency (wads of it, obviously, not just a few bills), and people who were hiding. It was not trained for explosives (of which there are many kinds) or less common drugs like ecstasy or LSD.

I believe the record number of things a single dog has been trained to do (not all of them involving sniffing things out) is in the 50-100 range, although dogs can also be taught the names of objects and the record for discerning objects is 250 (each object has a specific name; if you say "find ball" and the "ball" you trained the dog with isn't there, he won't find it even if another similar ball is there).

 

[eyeore]

thanks to all who replied you have helped put my mind at ease. i will make sure i take extra too!