Prescription drugs

Not for all medications. For most, just having the label on the bottle or a copy of the prescription is sufficient. But if you take Pain meds, meds for anxiety or depression, ADHD, or sleeping pills (among others) then do some searching on the web about what might be illegal or highly restricted in Turkey. For those, you at least need a letter from your Doctor, at worst you may not be able to travel with them.

Also, take only what you need, plus a bit of a buffer, so if going for a couple weeks, don't take a 90 day supply. Chances are, no one will ask or check, but be prepared.

This is what the Turkish Consulate in LA says about that topic:
https://losangeles-cg.mfa.gov.tr/Mission/ShowInfoNote/410626

If you have a prescription for a controlled substance, you may have bigger challenges. You should contact the Turkish Consulate before you leave to ensure what you want to bring is allowed in Turkey.

I use over the counter sleeping medication when I travel, as I can't sleep in strange beds.

It's never been an issue anywhere in the world, but this is our first trip to Istanbul. Is it likely to be a problem?

Should I pack it in my checked luggage rather than carryon?

"You should contact the Turkish Consulate before you leave to ensure what you want to bring is allowed in Turkey."

Seriously? I cannot imagine contacting the Turkish consulate to ask about my prescription medications.

Does anyone here actually envision that the Turkish authorities are going to paw through the bags of arriving American tourists and check every single bottle of medication?

I doubt it matters if the tourists are American or Latvian.

I am sure there are cameras scanning the luggage and if they pick up medication they are very likely to search.

It isn't hard to follow the rules of a country.

So you think that there are cameras scanning all incoming luggage, and whenever a camera picks up a bottle of pills, the owner of the luggage will be called into a room and asked to open his or her suitcase for inspection?
I wonder how I managed to slip by on my visits to Turkey (??)

Last year I was partvof a tour group in greece and turkey that also included some short flights within those countries, almost everything was on turkish air. I had my prescriptions and OTC stuff in hand labeled snack bags in a gallon sized zip lock bag along w the pharmacy print outs (which includes my name, doctors name, dosage) and all of that was in my carry-on, there was never an issue for me or any of the other 60-70 year olds in my group (I imagine collectively we could have stocked a pharmacy:)
However, the day we left instanbul to fly back to the US, most of us got pulled out for additional intense screening of luggage, I noticed that women got female staff going thru our dirty laundry, the men got men. We all passed this check with out incident, so I assume they were checking for explosives or weapons.

Right. I imagine they were not preparing to seize all of the Lipitor!!

I mix up my supplements in one or two of those common prescription bottles..things like calcium and Vitamin B....the only labeling is my own handwriting. Not only have I never been questioned about these, but I've never had to got through any inspections on arrival in any European airport. Like most travelers, I press the green button, if there is one, and walk through the "nothing to declare" aisle.

Prescriptions, including controlled medicines, are kept in their original bottles but I've never even thought about bringing a doctor's letter or original script. And no one has ever looked. (Japan excepted_

I'd be much more afraid of losing my medicines, or misplacing them, than of an official questioning my bringing them in to any country.

I understand that, just because I've had that experience does not mean that everyone will have the same.

But as I said, the probability of officials questioning middle-aged American travelers, or even young travelers, is pretty low. And I do think it matters quite a bit which country one is coming from. I notice that travelers from non-western countries seem to be overrepresented among those who undergo screening upon arrival in certain European countries. You can often watch them fretting as an official paws through their luggage, as you pass by without notice.

I brought original prescriptions to Istanbul and a certified note from my doctor for my ADHD medications. Airport officials never even looked at them, and I didn't offer either.