Packing medicine

Idealy, your prescription meds are in original bottles with the prescription labels attached; ask your pharmacist to give you smaller bottles with labels attached. Some people get their meds in the mail, so that's more hoop-jumping for them...ESP. if you are carrying any controlled substances, they MUST be in their original containers, etc..........Now, many people do fly as you're proposing, and just Carry Copies Of Their Prescriptions. IF YOU AREN'T CARRYING HUGE AMOUNTS OF MEDS, THIS IS THE GENERALLY ACCEPTED WAY TO GO. Be sure the name on the prescriptions matches the one on your ID/Passport (closely)......And many others just take baggies of pills, and haven't been hassled...yet (but many have!). That's not the recommended way to go LOL!.......I'm assuming you're talking about prescription meds? And you're going to Europe or flying within the USA? (other parts of the world have different rules)......Whatever you do, bring several days worth of extra meds - you may drop one under the bed, have a flight delayed, etc. And pack them in your carry-on!

The mobile Texan is correct on the rules. However, I make five or six interntational trips a year, most are about a month long so I carry six weeks worth. The go in seven-day carriers. I don't carry prescriptions, but I do have a self-typed list of the stuff that contains only names and dosage...not sure why I do, but I do. I've been all but strip-searched by the TSA crowd and customs folks all over the world. When they come to the sack that holds the pills, they go no further than seeing that pill toters are inside and continue their mad pillage for whatever it is they're checking.

Again, Eileen is correct on the rules. When we travel for our 3-week trips, I combine my meds into fewer bottles. I take a 35-day supply. Although the bottles are genuine prescription bottles with my name and other prescription information but the bottle will contain 2-4 different meds. All of my prescrptions and supplements that I take (including Omega-3 capsules) can be packed into a 1-quart Ziplock bag. I've never been challenged during my travels. My wife does the same and she has never been challenged either.

Carol..... This has been discussed here several times. The rules are the rules but in practice it seems that two factors come into play. One is where you are returning from. If you are returning from a European country your are unlikely to be checked for meds. The other issue is your age. If you are very young you are probably more likely to be checked. Almost all 'older' Americans are expected to have their meds - it would be strange if they didn't. We pack our meds whichever way is easiest. Some with labels, some without them. Domestic and overseas flights. No one has ever paid any attention to them.

I agree with all above...I have traveled internationally a lot and always just use pill carriers (from my younger days to less so). But I have been considering changing. ** The only thing I will add for consideration is that I take two full sets (plus a little), one in the carry-on and one checked...or even one carry-on and one in the purse (wife). Overkill maybe, but life becomes very unpleasant without meds...

Just a note about going to the pharmacy to request smaller bottles. I do refill my meds by phone. When I ordered them they sent me 2 prescriptions, but said it was too early to refill the 3rd. They arrived in the usual larger container. I went to the pharmacy and told them I would be on a long trip. They said fine, refilled it, and put it in a small bottle at my request. They said they could not re-bottle the other two, and by law they could not even give me empty smaller bottles with the proper label. Lesson learned - don't refill by mail before a trip!

TSA does NOT require that medications be in original bottle, or even have a lable (even controlled meds -see their website). That said, it is always advisable to have the correct info with your mediactions in case of illness, emergency, needing refills, etc. Ask your pharmacist to print you an extra lable and put it on a small ziploc bag, then put the medication in the bag. Alternatively, some pharmacies will prepare blister packs with all your meds grouped accoring to when you take them (example, day 1, am in one blister, day 1 lunch in next, day 1 pm in next, then day 2...) and put all the lables on the top of the sheet. You could also use a pill organizer and put the extra labels from the pharmacy on one sheet of paper taped to the bottom of the organizer. Whatever works for you. I also carry an information sheet with all of my medcations listed (both generic and name brand), the dose I take, when I take it and what condition it is for. I also list my Dr's phone #s, pharmacy's #, and emergency contact info as well a list major medical conditions (I have asthma, high blood pressure, PCOS, etc.)and surgeries and dates. This info sheet has come in handy when I had a severe asthma attack at work (the EMTs knew everything they needed even though I had trouble speaking). If you become ill while traveling, or need a refill because you lost meds, etc. this could be very helpful. (copied from my response to a different poster) Feel free to private message me if you have further questions about travleing with medications.

Since we do mail order for 95% of our meds and knowing that we have an upcoming trip, my husband and I save the older bottles when reordering our perscriptions. We will put only what is needed for the trip in the new bottle and put the rest in the old bottle and leave at home.

Carol, all this just shows what a moving target the TSA is - their website has become infamously vague about what you can and can't bring onto an airplane, and the info (when they actually put it into print) changes when it suits them. So, the TSA agents have more leeway in doing their job. Kind of how it should be, except some agents do a better job than others LOL! Like the controlled substances - as of last summer, they HAD to be in an original bottle with the label on it. Apparently not anymore (see Toni's response). BUT, I'm not going to miss my flight while sequestered in some airport's back room while the Italian/French/Norwegian authorities cuss and discuss my situation. With a language barrier. And when that happens, YOU pay for your new plane ticket. OR, I just ask my doctor for a small prescription. Yes, it'll be out-of-pocket. If I can cross Ts and dot Is I will. Yet another reason I'm extrememly thankful I usually don't take anything but the occasional aspirin......Carol, unless you're packing something really extraordinary, you'll probably be absolutely fine. Just bring documentation as Toni suggested - for the other reasons, too.

I took three different kinds of meds and just put them all in a Tylenol bottle. TSA didn't even bat and eye or look in my backpack.

And there you go LOL! I once carried a CAST-IRON lamp base in my carry-on at the same time that eyelash curlers were banned...(shrugs shoulders).......Unless you're carrying vast amounts of drugs, chances are nobody is going to bat an eye.

I've traveled with and without a 7 day pill box & zip lock combo backup stash. Unfortunately once all those were confiscated and I was going to be gone for 7 weeks (supplements only because of course prescriptions where in my carry on in a zip lock bag). Now I take everything prescription in it's own pharmacy labeled bottled and supplements in original sealed bottles and an empty 7 day pill box. Prescription meds in carry on, supplements in checked baggage. Trust me you can make do without fish oil supplements for a couple weeks...say, eat fish!

LOL, Denise! I've learned in life that nothing has ever happened only once - no matter how bizarre...;-) So, we must be the only TWO...! [[apologies to Carol]]

I thought I was the only on, ever, to have packed a cast iron lamp base in my carryon!

I just take my 14 day carrier, and sometimes? have correctly labeled bottles for any additional supplies I may need. I have never had a problem, but the State Dept. has some pretty strong admonitions for carrying meds: "A traveler going abroad with a preexisting medical problem should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic names of prescribed drugs. Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Travelers should check with the foreign embassy of the country they are visiting to make sure any required medications are not considered to be illegal narcotics."

Keep your prescription medications in their original labeled bottles. If you should become ill or have an accident, medical personnel and/or family will need to provide information about the medications you are taking. This can make a big difference in diagnosis and treatment and could mean the difference between life or death. I am a pharmacist and this is my best advice to you.