Medications in Europe

That's pretty much it. I have a not too serious condition that requires a small pharmacy. I got tired of carrying all the bulky bottles so I put them a little soft case but carry all the prescriptions. Not a recommended method, but "legal" and I have never had a problem. With the original bottle you should be clear to go. You might want to carry the prescription and a note from the doctor in the event you loose your meds as that will make it easier to explain to a doctor on the road what you need and why so you can get a prescription written and filled over there. Also if you really, really want to be careful you can check if the medication is available in Europe and if not if there is a substitute; just in case. I have one med, the important one, that I can not get in Europe so I guard that one when traveling.

Adderall is a class B schedule 2 controlled drug in the UK. You absolutely must have it in the original bottle and have a prescription to document authorised use.

It is not routinely prescribed in the UK and would be very difficult to replace should you for example misplace it.

You will need to check the rules of each country to confirm that they do not require a licence for the amount of time you intend to stay, For example at one time the Netherlands did not allow any import of controlled drugs for personal use; you needed to take a prescription and visit a Dutch doctor to have them prescribed locally.

Thank you!

How do I go about getting a license for it?

I planned on bringing a photocopy of the prescription with the original bottle and a note from my doctor saying it is prescribed to me and my diagnosis.

You would need to check with the health departments of the countries you are visiting. The UK is here. If you need the prescription made up it will also be private rather than under the health system.

I would bring along a few more pills than you need. If you drop a couple down the sink drain, you'd risk running out. The agents will not actually count the pills you have in the bottle. Just don't bring a 3-month supply or anything.

Can you not just explain to and ask your pharmacist to give you 10 or so extra pills to safely get you through your 5 weeks? Mine has often done this for me when I explain the situation.

I will have enough for the trip. My concern is with countries taking the medication from me.

I have always been confused by the instruction to "take your prescription with you".

I have only had prescriptions filled in the US and how it works here is you get the slip of paper from your doctor and you take that to a pharmacy where they hand you a labeled bottle in exchange for the slip of paper. The label does contain all of the information from the prescription (your name, the drug name, doctor name, how many pills, dosage, etc.). Many doctors have moved to an electronic process where the prescription info is sent directly to your pharmacy and there never is the slip of paper. So you do not possess the actual prescription any more. Therefore, it is impossible to have the prescription with you. For many of the drugs that a person would have difficulty taking with them to foreign countries they are ones that a doctor would not be willing to write a second prescription for just so you can have it to show to a border agent who would probably have zero idea what was written on the paper.

So far I have never had to take any prescription drugs with me into countries where those drugs would pose an issue. I don't worry about losing them because, while the drugs I take now do help me function I will not die without them. Also, I have never had my bag searched where my medications were questioned anyway when going to Europe (I know it can happen, it just has not for me yet).

I get a piece of paper from the pharmacy that lists all the details of the prescriptions. Because my condition could be life threatening if left un treated I also bring a piece of paper from the doctor that describes the condition and treatment and medication prescribed. My most critical of the 6 that I take is not available in the EU so I travel with a week extra packed independently of the rest. Except for the extra meds I got the advise to do it this way from the State Department. Google, about 15 years ago I found a State Department document on the issue.

You only face customs when entering the EU and when entering non EU countries and upon return to the US. There are no custom checks between EU countries.

If you are very concerned in advance you might locate some good private clinics in the places you are visiting.