I would like to pack vitamins but don't want to pack the bulky original bottles. Does anyone know what the rules are about packing vitamins and supplements? What about gels like vitamin E etc? Have you taken them through in a carry on or in or checked baggage? What does customs require? Thanks.
Posted by
Kirkland
223 posts
Deb, I don't think you have to worry about Custom's rules. Assuming they're for your personal use, not for import or export, my wife and I have always taken our Costco vitamins and baby aspirins to Europe and Asia. We count out how many days supply we need, put them in ziplocks, and put them in our checked baggage. No problems. However, we always put precription medicines in our carry-on bag - too hard to replace if lost. Final thought ... if you're still concerned, you can probably buy everything you need in Europe.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Same here -- I always take whatever I want (I check a bag), and have never had a question or problem, even when my bag has been searched. Vitamins and such aren't as vital as prescription medicine, so if you have anything confiscated you can always get more when you get there.
Posted by
Dallas, TX, USA
9 posts
For prescription meds, do they need to be in the original bottles or can I put them in a pill organizer? I have 4 that I take daily. thanks
Posted by
Grapevine, TX, USA
875 posts
It probably depends on who is inspecting everything. This year I bought two small containers with 3 sections each for my prescription meds. I used a label maker to label each section. Put all this in the quart-sized bag along with the prescription receipt from the drugstore that has my name, the drug name and amount and the doctor's name. This took up so much less room than the original pill bottles. Now I use the containers daily -- just refill each month.
Posted by
near NY, NJ, USA
445 posts
When I traveled a few years ago with my 80+ mother, we had all her meds in one of those pill organizers.
Otherwise I would have spent half the day figuring out her meds!!!! We just carried them onboard the flight. You could always get a letter from the MD listing your meds on his letterhead if that made you feel any better.
In actual fact, we never really had any questions from customs on arrival in England or France. We just walked through. US customs are fussier on arrival in the US. At Heathow you just walk through the space that says nothing to declare and that is it.
I would not put any med in checked-in luggage. You could always put some vitamins in a checked bag, hand carrying a small supply. I hand carry a small supply of OTC meds and check the rest, as they are replaceable if necessary.