Perscription Drugs

[Just Cruisen']

Our documents say to bring all perscription drugs in the orginal container. Is this really necessary? My bottles are those chunky 3 month bottles, very big and bulky. I was planning on using a 7 day pill organizer.:(

[Valentine's Mom]

I have yet to cruise with HAL, my 1st HAL cruise will be in November, but I have never brought my drugs in the original bottles. I also use a daily dispenser. However I always take at least 4 or 5 additional days worth of medicine with me just in case something were to prolong my trip. You never know. It is a good idea to have everything written down as to what the drug is and is dosage and placed in your luggage though so it can speak if you can't. I guess to be sure you should check with CS but I really don't know how they would know if you carried medicine.:confused:

[jerseygirl3]

I think one of the reasons they request this is that if there were a medical emergency, it would be easy for medical staff to know what meds/dosages the patients was on.

My husband takes a few meds, and he always packs his in those weekly dispenser containers. But he always packs one extra week's worth in a separate container in case something were to happen to the other one. And always keep it on your person in a carry-on; don't ever put your meds in checked luggage in case your luggage is lost.

It's also a good idea to write down all your meds with the correct strength and dosing information and keep it in your wallet. You'd be surprised how many people don't know the name of their med or what the strength is.

[Jemima]

We take prescription medicine in the original container. I think laws in some places may require this. Also, if the medicine is in the original container it will have information on the label that might be needed in an emergency. We also make it a practice when traveling to carry over-the-counter medicines in the original container.
You might check with a pharmacist on this.

[carolcp]

if you get your drugs at a local pharmacy, they should be able to supply you with a small bottle with an offical label.

Carol

[Willsot]

I have heard this caution for different types of international travel and assumed it was related to border-crossings and customs.

[Frogs]

It's also critical if the drug you are taking is one that can be abused and sold on the black market. Having the original bottles proves that you can legally posses the drugs. We always carry our original bottles. Can you possibly cut the labels off the bottles? I'm not sure but that may be an alternative. Even a statement from your doctor may suffice.

Enjoy your cruise!

Blessings!

[sail7seas]

I always bring our Rx drugs in pharmacy bottles. My pharmacist provides manageable size bottles for us. Perhaps yours will put yours in small bottles for travel?

I bring our daily/weekly pill holders and fill them when we arrive on the ship.

[MeOhMy]

Since I too get my meds in 3 month increments by mail and some of them are very valuable on the street, I do not care to carry that large a supply. By my calculations I will have a fresh 3 month supply just before I sail. My doctors have agreed to give me a letter on their letter heads with a statement that these are my legitimately prescribed meds. Takes up much less space.

My insurance has a strong incentive to go through the mail process. One month supply of one med from my local pharmacy with "discounts" is $64. By mail it is $35 for 3 months. I can take a hint.

[kakalina]

Since I too get my meds in 3 month increments by mail and some of them are very valuable on the street,


This is why the cops like to see prescription medicine in the original container.
It's hard to tell what some of the pills are without looking at the pills in the bottle, just a letter won't do that.

Virgil

[Just Cruisen']

Since I too get my meds in 3 month increments by mail and some of them are very valuable on the street, I do not care to carry that large a supply. By my calculations I will have a fresh 3 month supply just before I sail. My doctors have agreed to give me a letter on their letter heads with a statement that these are my legitimately prescribed meds. Takes up much less space.

My insurance has a strong incentive to go through the mail process. One month supply of one med from my local pharmacy with "discounts" is $64. By mail it is $35 for 3 months. I can take a hint.


This is exactly the same with me. That's the reason I don't want to carry those big bottles!!! I will try to get a letter from my doctor. The advice about taking extra is good. I never thought of that!! The mail phatmacy would not send small bottles and probably doesn't even have them since they only dispense in 3 month quantities. Thanks for all the advice!!! It's just two more weeks and I am getting excited!!! Haven't cruised since 1999!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

DH has many prescriptions. We also get 90 day supplies (soon to change) and I always have the drug store put them in several small bottles - they know we travel a lot. It has never been a problem getting the smaller bottles. It is always wise to keep your prescriptions in their original bottles just incase anyone questions what the pills are.

[Pudgesmom]

We must receive our meds in those 3 months bottles by mail. We cannot use the local pharmacy for recurring perscriptions on our insurance.

I'll bet you can contact the pharmacy by phone or email and ask them to send or FAX you a printout (Official -:) ) of all your perscriptions. That might alleviate any questions as well as eliminating the need to carry all those giant bottles.

Beth

[jhannah]

It is always the best practice to have your prescriptions in their original containers. That way there's little question if they are examined for any reason.

One alternative would be to have your physician give you a new script to take with you. We always take our vision prescriptions with us because should something happen to our glasses it would make it much easier/faster to get them replaced. Maybe if you had the Rx from your doctor that would satisfy the authorities. I don't know ... just a thought. But if something happened to your meds (like you dropped them in the bath water) having a script might facilitate getting them replaced while you're away.

[Pudgesmom]

Jim,

That's a good idea about the optical perscription. I do that, too.

If the pharmaceutical perscription is a controlled substance, it may be impossible to get a second 'script. If the medicine is that controlled, I myself would probably suck it up and haul the big three-month bottle. It is interesting that there is no way to look in the bottle and confirm that the contents match the label!

Beth

[sail7seas]

I am sure authorities that would be apt to be checking to be certain you are carrying the drug you claim it to be by Dr. Rx have access to PDR (Physician Desk Reference) and certainly internet sites and other books which picture exactly what a particular drug in whatever strength looks like. If this is what they do, they know what many of the controlled substances look like without needing reference materials.

Personally, in all of our (loades) of travel, I have never yet heard of anyone having difficulty traveling with their legitimately prescribed meds. It is always best for the reasons given to use the original bottles whenever possible.

Don't worry about it too much. The chance of your having a difficulty traveling with your prescribed meds is teeny, teeny tiny.

[sail7seas]

As others above have said, ALWAYS travel with more days of meds than you plan on needing. Too many variables can occur which may necessitate your having extra. When we leave the ship in port, I always bring a small pill case in my purse that holds 2 days worth of our absolutely necessary meds. Who knows what could happen ashore that would make us not get back to the ship. (Remember the pax in the Falkland Islands who had to stay ashore overnight due to seas being too rough to bring them back on tenders?) That is a time when I would have no Rx or original packaging to show authorities but none of them are controlled substances so I don't worry about that.

[bala girl]

For those with 90 day mail order plans, you always get a sheet with counseling on taking the drug. This sheet usually has your name, name and dosage of drug, directions for taking drug, Dr's name, and refills remaining. Take a copy of this sheet with you.

[kakalina]

For those with 90 day mail order plans, you always get a sheet with counseling on taking the drug. This sheet usually has your name, name and dosage of drug, directions for taking drug, Dr's name, and refills remaining. Take a copy of this sheet with you.

I get my meds from VA in 90 day supply and large bottles, but the VA supplys a copy of the lable and a info sheet per script, I take all 3 with me.
I don't wish to get stopped in some podunk checkpoint for any amount of time while it is checked out.

better safe(and quick) than sorry.
Virgil

[msraye]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS take prescripton meds in the original bottles. I have traveled all over the world and I HAVE seen folk stopped because they did NOT have the medicine in original containers.

Many of the countries have periodic "crackdowns on drugs" and YOU could make someone's quota.

The least you will lose is your time while you are detained. You COULD end up in jail (in some unfortunate places) WITHOUT the medicine you need.

Imagine what would happen if they just confiscate the drugs and send you on you way.

Yes, it probably won't happen to you---but, what if it does?

Even 3 month supplies do not take that much space!!

[jlp20]

O.K. an example to close the subject. Today, 6/26/2006, talk show host Rush Limbaugh was detained today at Miami airport for having prescription drugs in his luggage. Limbaugh was carrying the drugs in a bottle without his name and after further investigation; it was found he had no prescription for the drug. Although these were arrest able offensives, Limbaugh was let go after a three hour hold.
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[croman02]

What good ideas on this post! One more thought--when we travel we each carry a supply of the really essential meds--"just in case".
I have never thought to bring a couple of days' supply on shore excursions but what a great idea!! Here,I always keep a couple of pills for my husband in my purse in case we are away from home at dose time but never thought about bringing them on shore ex that were scheduled to get back in time to take them.
Thanks for the hints!!!

[croman02]

I think I just wrote a reply and forgot to submit it. if it's a duplicate, I apologise.
Wonderful ideas in these posts. One more thought---my husband and I each carry a supply of the essential meds when we travel--just in case...
Thanks for all the good ideas!!

[Sueseb]

We also have a mail in pharmacy that sends a 90 day supply. I called them and asked if they would please send labeled, smaller bottle for travel.
They did not , but sent duplicate labeled bottles so that I could at least carry a smaller number of pills than a 90 day supply.

[sail7seas]

If you use such things as the seven day pill holders, I would feel safe putting your pills into those holders as long as you BRING THOSE LABELS you received from your 90 supply pharmacy. If you have the labels with you, it is proof they have been prescribed for you.

The authorities are well aware that a great many people get their prescribed meds in 90 day supplies and that it is impractical to travel with such large bottles.

They know (can easily find out) what most of the common meds look like. The internet has loads of sites that picture and describe each tablet,capsule etc

Bring the pharmacy labels.

[as41shots]

O.K. an example to close the subject. Today, 6/26/2006, talk show host Rush Limbaugh was detained today at Miami airport for having prescription drugs in his luggage. Limbaugh was carrying the drugs in a bottle without his name and after further investigation; it was found he had no prescription for the drug. Although these were arrest able offensives, Limbaugh was let go after a three hour hold.
Rumor has it he was on his way to meet Bill O'Reilly. ;)

[Host Walt]

Having over 40 years of international travel behind me by almost all forms of transport and all kinds of border frontier crossings, I have never been asked anything at all about any prescription medications.

That said, there are never any guarantees. I carry in my wallet (along with a copy of the data page of my Passport) a small list of each medication along with a USP description (provided by my MD) that will help a physician who may need to help me in a situation where I can't communicate.

Frankly I didn't even remember the "original container" rule until this thread reminded me (I use a pill organizer). I think I'll order a batch of smallest sized labeled containers from my drug store and put a sample or two in each container (just in case) while still using the organizer.

[rxralph]

Have your physician write you new prescriptions for your medications, in the quantity necessary to cover the length of your trip. You may want to ask for a day or two extra in case of emergencies. Take the new prescriptions to a local pharmacy and have them filled. You will have to pay for them out of pocket. Do not charge them to your insurance company, for that will throw your usual refills out of sinc. and/or the insurance company will not cover because they will have been filled too soon. Use these when away on your cruise.

rxralph

[2bout2c]

On the World Cruise in 2001 we sideswiped another ship at 3am. The sound for muster stations, you get up, get dressed, lifejacket and grab your money out of the safe. The passports were held at the front office.
I had my meds in the orig containers in the bathroom, didn't even think of them. Now I put a 7day supply in the safe with the money. With our situation we could have been put ashore for quite a while. Now I know I'm good for at least a week.

[sail7seas]

Good idea about putting a small supply aside to grab in the case of an emergency exit from the ship.

As I wrote, I always have a pill box for both DH and myself in my purse (totebag) when we go ashore for just the day and it contains several days worth of our necessary meds.

[retiredRx]

Very informative thread. It is important to take labeled bottles for legal but also for identification in case of emergency. Many people take generic drugs which if not identified are almost impossible to identify. Also don't forget a list of all of the non-perscription you are taking.

[peaches from georgia]

Have your physician write you new prescriptions for your medications, in the quantity necessary to cover the length of your trip. You may want to ask for a day or two extra in case of emergencies. Take the new prescriptions to a local pharmacy and have them filled. You will have to pay for them out of pocket. Do not charge them to your insurance company, for that will throw your usual refills out of sinc. and/or the insurance company will not cover because they will have been filled too soon. Use these when away on your cruise.

rxralph
Our pharmacy gets us an extra 'vacation' refill for all our meds. The insurance co's will cover these ahead of time when the pharmacist designates that this is a refill which needs to be filled earlier than normal because patient will be out of town at the time of normal refill.

You don't have to go to the doc for new special prescriptions or pay out of pocket. Insurance will cover these because you are not getting more of any med than you should, you are just getting the next refill earlier than the normal date you would refill. We've done this under several insurance companies over the years and the pharmacists say it is standard procedure if you just ask for a 'vacation' refill.

[sail7seas]

Our insurance permits an 'early' for vacation refill three times a year.
They have never refused our pharmacist's request and probably would permit more if we needed it but that has always worked out fine for us.

[chasetf]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS take prescripton meds in the original bottles. I have traveled all over the world and I HAVE seen folk stopped because they did NOT have the medicine in original containers.

Many of the countries have periodic "crackdowns on drugs" and YOU could make someone's quota. The least you will lose is your time while you are detained. You COULD end up in jail (in some unfortunate places) WITHOUT the medicine you need.

Imagine what would happen if they just confiscate the drugs and send you on you way. Yes, it probably won't happen to you---but, what if it does? Even 3 month supplies do not take that much space!!
I would add.... for those worried about having just receiving three months supply and hauling it along.... take what you need (plus continguency extra) in the original bottles and leave the other 2+months worth at home. ;) Then you do not have to worry about lugging along the extra weight or losing three months supply. :)