Prescriptions

Technically they are supposed to be in their original bottle with the label. But customs checks are rare when entering Europe. US customs can be more strict when you are returning to the US. If you get selected for a hand search of your luggage, you could get hassled if you have any medications left-over.....it's happened to me at Newark Airport.

Michael is absolutely correct. Much harder getting back into the US than entering any of the European countries. In nearly a full year of travel in and out of Europe, I have never been checked going in. Cannot say the same coming home. Twice we have really been picked apart. Once for accidentally having an apply in a day bag.

I put all my prescriptions in a quart bag in their original bottles and carry them in my under seat bag. They have never been inspected or questioned. That's one quart bag, the other is the paranoia bag with the liquids and cremes in less than 100mg containers. My nonprescritions go in my toilet kit, and they have never been inspected or quetioned. Some say it doesn't matter if you put your prescriptions in other containers, but I am not taking a chance of running into a overzelous security person who might want to make an individual judgement on what is a legitimate prescription and what isn't.

My name or something close to it is on everybody's butt-head list. I get 'random' searched by security all the time - - one trip it happened on five of six legs. My pills are in those weekly containers and have never generated any interest. Nobody's customs has ever been very interested in me. The responses have gotten confusing. The bag business is TSA or foreign security. Customs would care about drugs, but a month or so's worth of pills is not exactly the French connection.

Except for my centrum multi-vitamins, I don't' bring along any prescription type pills. I have have asthma, and hay-fever issues and have three different prescription inhalers I bring along. On each of the hand searches US Customs has always give me a hassle about the hay-fever nasal inhaler for some reason. Even though it has the factory label on it, they want the pharmacy label and I get a lecture about it. They have never fined me, arrested me, or confiscated it. But they go through every little thing in my bag because of it, and it holds me up for a while. Not a big deal since my final destination is Newark, but if I had a connecting flight the extra hassle could cause one to miss a plane. YMMV.

You can ask your pharmacist to print extra labels for your meds. Put each one in a seperate baggie and put the appropriate lable on the baggie- that 'counts' as an original container. Or ask if your phamacy does the punch out cards. Some phamacies will 'colate' all your meds- putting each 'dose' in cell on a punch card, so all your morning meds are in one 'cell' and the lunch meds in another, etc. Then all the lables for the various medications are put on the top or bottom of the card. You can also use the print-outs the pharmacy gives you that have the side effects- they have duplicate lable info on them, but it is not adhesive- just tape it onto the baggie, bottle, etc. Or use a pill organizer and put all the lables on an index card or sheet of paper. If you take narcotic pain meds or other 'dangerous' medciations, you might want to ask your doctor to give you a letter explain what you take and why. BUT - What is most important isn't what the goverments worry about.... It's about having the proprer info in case of a medical emergency. I take a special form I designed that has all my meds (brand name and generic names), doses, times, and condition, as well ad doctor and phamacy contact info. It has helped me in multiple medical emergencies. If you want a blank sample form private message me with your email.

If you have ambien/zolpidem or other controlled substance, it would probably be best to keep that in the original container that has your name on it. This relates to re-entry into the US.

I always get a written copy of the prescription from my doctor and that has been sufficient when questioned. Not to mention the time I left the prescription bottle at the hotel and had to get a refill.