Travelling with Medications

We put our pills in ziplock baggies, peel the original prescription label off and put that in the baggy with the pills to save weight and bulk in our backpacks. But in all of our 25+ years of traveling, no one has ever stopped us to question our medications. They never even got a glance. Anything in powder form will attract extra attention for obvious reasons, however, and get swabbed by TSA. Hope this helps.

So far I haven't had a problem taking my meds to Europe.

For less bulk, I count out enough pills for my trip (plus a few extra) and then put each type in a plastic baggie. Then I peel off the pharmacist's label from the original container and just stick it on the baggie. Sometimes this peeling off process works OK and sometimes I end up shredding it. Some pharmacists don't mind printing out an extra label for me; some won't.

So then I just type up a label.

If I'm going to be somewhere for several days, then I transfer the meds to a 7-day pillbox. Much easier to use.

So far, so good, fingers crossed.

This is what I have posted previously
I always take generics for : naproxen (Aleve), aspirin, Benadryl, omeprazole (Prilosec), cough gel caps (Nyquil/Dayquil), and Dramamine. Additionally, I take plenty of our prescription meds. I also have a small first aid ‘kit’ in a quart baggie with band aids of assorted sizes, gauze pads, adhesive tape, seri-strips, dental floss, alcohol wipes, hand wipes, and small packets of Neosporin and cortisone cream. I use the small Ziploc type bags (Rite aid carries them in their travel section) to hold each of the pills, then put them inside a larger baggie to organize (hubby’s prescriptions in one, mine in another, and otc’s in a third). Takes very little space.

TSA does NOT require that meds be in original bottle or have the original lable. Whether or not inspectors in other countries will worry about how you have your pills organized is always a question. Personally, I've never had a problem taking meds into other countries for my personal use (and we've had more than 40 international trips).
It is the INFORMATION that is important- more in case you have a medical emergency, or need a refill (lost meds, trip extended...) You should have the brand name of the medication (ambien, etc.) and the generic name, and if no generic, a "chemical" name as brand names are not always the same. (This info is usually on the paperwork that comes with your meds- either as the first or last page).

There are lots of ways to organize your meds. You can ask your pharmacist to print you an extra label (or use the one they give you that is with the 'side effects" printout) 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 according to when you take them (example, day 1, am in one blister, day 1 lunch next, day 1 pm next, etc.) and put all labels on the top of the sheet. You could use a pill organizer or baggies or individual day mini-baggies, and put the labels from the pharmacy on one sheet of paper with them or the organizer.

I carry an information sheet with the above info (one for me , one for hubby)and I also list my Dr's phone #s, pharmacy's #, and emergency contact info as well a list medical conditions, surgeries /dates. If you become ill while traveling, or need a refill because you lost meds, etc. it could be vital. Feel free to private message me if you want a sample copy of the info sheet. Also, note that liquid meds of more than 3 oz should NOT be placed in your 3-1-1 bag, but should be in their own baggie, in original bottle if possible. Also if you use a CPAP, nebulizer, etc, these devices must be declared and removed for separate screening. Most airlines don't count these in # of allowed carry-on.

There are some here who insist meds MUST be in original containers. TSA disagrees. But one person insists that US Customs has checked this upon his return.

In more than 40 overseas trips (and hundreds of trips within the USA), I've never been asked about my pills. I have had my nebulizer checked the couple of times I had to carry it. And a liquid cough medication was looked at, but I had the original label (comes as part of the paperwork they give you with the complications - I just cut it off).

I am a long term user of the anti coagulant warfarin and as such always carry a large amount of tablets in my hand luggage. I keep the tablets in their original packaging so there's no doubt as to what they are and carry my 'anti coagulant therapy' booklet (a record of my INR/blood test readings) to further prove why I have the tablets if needs be - granted you may not have a booklet like this but a prescription or letter from your doctor might be a sensible idea to clarify what medication you are carrying and why. I also take glucosamine sulphate and carry those in original (store) packaging - it's not prescribed and bought 'over the counter' - within my hand luggage. I carry warfarin in my checked baggage too as 'back up'. If you prefer the meds in a Monday to Friday dispenser, take that with you empty and fill it once you are beyond security (at both ends).

I travel expecting the worst but - so far - have never even been asked about why I'm carrying an apparently quite large quantity of tablets in my hand luggage. Take the precautions and hopefully you'll never need to justify what you are carrying and why!

Have a great trip!

Ian

The only time we've been stopped was flying domestically (IAH to PIT) with 2 bottles of liquid prescription meds for my husband. Each was the original labeled bottle in its own zip bag. His carry on was searched and his ID was compared to the name on the bottles. Meds in pill form have never been questioned, but we always have original bottles just in case.

TSA does NOT require that meds be in original bottle or have the
original lable.

US Customs does require it:

http://tinyurl.com/melqjx9

Sandy bwb, what was the approxiamate ounces of yr husbands cough medications when he got held up? my issue is a prescription scrub for rosacea....original bottle (from manufacturer) is 12 ozs. All i need for a 2week trip is 3ounces . i also have prescription rosacea ointment in a 3oz tube, and all of this mandates use of a 50 spf sunscreen in the past i have gotten all of this jammed into my first 311.....but im tempted to try a second bag, with all of the appropraite documentation. Even w my co pay, the ointment is like $125 a tube., so part of my anxiety is that i literally cant afford to loose it. (have it confiscated)

Im considering a trip to Israel next January , so im been ruminating on this issue.

Doric8, each bottle was 10-12 oz. He was recovering from a procedure and needed to finish each bottle.

Perhaps your pharmacist can decant a 3 oz portion of your scrub into a small bottle and label it. Sunscreen is always a problem when I take annual girls' trip to Mexico--how to take enough and avoid paying ridiculous resort prices! I have transferred into multiple 3 oz bottles and still needed to buy more there. Last trip, I just bought a lot at home and checked my bag.

I have carried on a day-of-the-week pill organizer with my 2 prescription meds and also a first aid kit with OTC meds. Never questioned.

I put all my prescription and OTC meds in one of the two net bags that came with my RS rolling 20-inch carryon and put the bag in the carryon. And I put some meds in my RS Euro Flight Bag. Never had a problem. I do keep all bottles in the original box or container with label.

What the TSA says only matters when you are going through a TSA checkpoint. In other words, the start of your trip from your home airport in the US and then on your return if you change planes in the US and go through security there. What is important here is what the countries you are visiting think about your drugs and the US Border Protection people you will encounter that check you on your return to the US.

I have always taken my meds in their original containers, or if those were too big (like when I get the 90 day supply for some of them) I have had the pharmacy provide me a small labeled bottle for that drug for my travels and filled it with enough to get me through my trip plus a couple days in case of delays. Many of my pills seem to be too fragile to place in a zipper top baggie so I prefer the hard bottle.

I would check to see what drugs are possibly not allowed in the countries you will be visiting. Even what we consider harmless over the counter non prescription items here might be illegal in some countries.

So far I have never been checked coming or going or over there as far as drugs are concerned, but I have seen people pulled out of the customs line and have their drugs given a very thorough exam. But I wouldn't worry about that as long as you are not carrying suitcases full of narcotics for a short visit. :-)

We've been to Europe 8 years in a row and I've always carried my meds in one of those 7 day pill organizers. Never had an issue.

We originally carried all meds in prescription bottles. For the last several years we have taken to simply dumping all the pills we two need for 3 weeks or so into one ziploc bag which we carry onboard in our carry on. Including vitamins and some supplements, it's a fairly hefty little bag. Maybe we have been lucky, but have never experienced so much as a "What's this?".

To save space & weight this is what we do for RX pills. Have the pharmacist print out extra labels. Put the pills in a freezer zip lock and put the extra label on it. Take the original data sheet that comes with the RX with you to show that it is for you. We have been to many European countries and have never had a problem. There are some state laws that require prescription meds to be in original containers, but they are rarely enforced and I only remember reading of a couple of cases in the past twenty years.

I use the plastic bag pill pouches available from Wal-Mart, Walgreens, etc., and place my daily prescription meds and supplements into them, for the number of days I will be traveling plus a few extra days just in case. I then collect pill pouches in a standard pint size freezer zip-lock bag along with copies of my prescription medication labels. As the trip progresses my bag slowly gets smaller and lighter which I really like!

I have been questioned only once about them when I was going through security on the Eurostar from London to Paris. After being scanned through the x-ray machine my luggage was set aside for inspection (too many electronics). The inspector questioned me about what was in the zip-lock bag. I told him what they were and he asked if I had any paperwork for them. I had a photocopy of my prescription medication bottle labels in the bag, which he looked at very hard, and then passed me through. Now I also include a letter from my Doctor as to what prescription medications I am taking in addition to the bottle labels.

Thanks, everyone for your great responses. I think, just to be safe and because I don't have an exorbitant amount of prescription meds to take with me, that I'll just keep them in their original containers. I'd hate to be delayed on any of my planes on the off chance they decide to question me.

Good advice from everyone. Yes, take original bottles this will help if you need emergency refills overseas. Pack in carry on and perhaps get scripts from your doctor in case you do need to have Rx refill for any reason.