Help! Meds on Cruise ships ?????

[Ziggy7]

My husband needs to take several medications each day, we fill a 7 day pill box each week so he knows when he's taken his meds each day or not, I was planning on doing this for the cruise (as well as an extra 3 or 4 days woth just incase). Then I read on another cruiselines board that you must take all medications on board the ship in their own perscription bottles ???? As we get 90 days of pills for each perscription , BIG BOTTLES hehehehe I really didnt want to have to take a suitcase filled with bottles. Does anyone know if this is a problem with HAL, has anyone ever just taken a pill box for their daily meds ????


Thanks in Advance !
Ziggy7 :p

Zuiderdam Aug 7, 2004
First Cruise

[WindyCity]

I don't think it's a matter of a problem with HAL but a problem with Customs. Maybe it would be possible to get a letter from the Doctor enumerating the various medications your husband takes.

[Sage]

I have the pharmacy print extra labels of the medication, and I stick all of these on a sheet of paper. If you are like me, I know the color and shape of each pill and can point them out if necessary. If someone is on a narcotic, then I would take the bottle.

[CaptData]

Go to your Pharmacy and have them print extra labels on very samll pill containers. Take these, then when you get to ship put them in the seven day container. Make sure the narcs are in seperate containers with lables. You can put the non narc in the seven day bos with two labels on it. Bring a copy of all prescriptions from your doctor just in case of lost or theft.:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) Medications

Husband also has to take a lot of medications 4 times a day.

We have the pharmacy make small bottles with the appropriate labels and I count out what he will need and of course, I add extras in case we stay longer in a disembarkation city than what we had planned.

It is not the cruise line that you have to worry about, but customs and the sometimes the airlines. Customs has been checking very carefully lately where ships have been, i.e., Mexico, Jamaica, etc.

Keep the prescriptions in their bottles until you get on the ship. Once you are settled in the cabin, then make up your seven day pill box.

:)

[hallie]

I take a few extra pills and put them in snack size plastic bags and then
I take the original labels off my bottles (they usually peel off) and put the labels on the bags. I still use the daily pill containers but still like to take a few extra. Having the pharmacy print extra labels sounds like a good idea too. I use a mail-order pharmacy so that it would be a little more difficult to get them.

[sail7seas]

When we are traveling, I leave most of our meds in pharmacy labeled bottles and make up our 7 days pill holders when we arrive at the ship.


I have never heard of anyone having any problems re: their Rx medications but there is always a first time.

The best course is to travel with pharmacy labeled bottles whenever possible but copies of your prescriptions or pharmacy labels are excellent. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[assam]

Unfortunately, I too have to travel with a lot of medication. In addition to having everything labelled by the pharmacy, be sure you carry separately a list of all the medications you are on and why they are prescribed. For instance, you could be taking the anti-seizure drug Neurontin for pain control, not seizures. This could be in the form of a letter to your doctor. This way, if you become separated from your meds for any reason, you can get them replaced faster. Also, should you require any medical attention, it will be very helpful to you in getting the correct treatment faster. Of course, you also want to add to that the list of all medications to which you are allergic.

And all this gives you something to do while counting the days to the next cruise!

[CruisinMatt]

I always travel (recently and including cruises) with a pill box full of pills as well as medication that uses syringes and I have never needed my perscriptions, including my international trips (last year).

Who would be asking for them and for what reason.......perhaps customs.....

I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry. If I miss my meds it's not life threatening. :)

[sail7seas]

When traveling with syringes, I would absolutely not chance it and would have a doctor's letter/copy of prescription with me. We all know the "less than brilliant" sort who would need to be convinced your medications and syringes are legal and prescribed by licensed physicians. Not worth the hassle you might have with an official who thinks you are up to something funny.

[Jacqueline]

This is based on my own experience with my kids = two of whom are on extensive meds. My daughter always travels with her nebulizer which gets scritinized. My son is on 5 meds.
I do use the 7 day pill boxes. I do two sets plus for most of our trips. I do not carry the original containers. As it is between the meds and nebulizer my carry on is full (okay I have my jewelry in there too and docs).
We have been to France 3 times, England twice, Into Barcelona home from Istanbul, in and out of French Polynesia back and forth to Alaska thu Vancouver. Also done the Caribbean .
No one has ever cared, I used to carry all the precriptions written by the doctor in their generic forms in case I needed to refill them in an emergency. After the first few trips I stopped. It is enough trouble to just pack up the family to travel without doing this.
Just my own experience !!

[CruisinMatt]

I put the syringes in my suitcase and have never had a problem. :rolleyes:

[ger_77]

We just came back from a Mediterranean cruise and had no problem with the following method of prescription drug transportation for my husband: we packed each day's pills into tiny zip lock bags (the kind you get in craft stores for beads). That way we didn't have to bring along all the pill bottles and take up much needed space in our carry-ons. I made up enough bags to carry him through an extra few days of travel (just in case we were delayed - which we were!), then we had our family physician write out the prescription on one of his scrip pads and carried it all in a large zip lock bag. Customs / security never gave it a second glance, but the information was there if needed. They took more time going through all my jewellery than they did even looking at the screen when his pills went through. I was actually surprised that they let me bring on some really large brooches (with sharp pins to attach them) without even batting an eye. Who knows what they're going to stop people for these days.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[tomc]

"I have grand mal epilepsy and need to take these pills throughout the day or I can die" certainly speeds things along. Actually, I won't die unless I stop taking them for two days, but --hey-- it works.

[iluvcruzin]

I don't know if this can be done.. but is it possible to ask the Doctor for samples of each medicine - enough for a week.. Then, have him sign something documenting the dosage??? Since samples come in blister packs it may be easy to manage.

[the2ofus]

My husband also must take a large number of pills each day. Fortunately most are multiples so the number of prescription vials is small, and he just packs them in his shaving kit, then sets up the 7 day box once on board. However, the one time he was taking a narcotic, we made sure they were in a clearly labeled bottle and that he also had a prescription from the MD, as it would have been awful for him if they had been lost or confiscated.

He has an extensive medical history, and I was always concerned about the difficulty of being able to provide accurate information if he should need medical care away from home. Several years ago I compiled a document with all his diagnoses; names, addresses, phone #s and e-mail addresses of all his MDs; as well as names, addresses and phone #s of of hospitals where he received major treatment. I also included all meds, allergies, and other info that docs would need to begin treatment. I update it as often as his situation changes.

It has now grown to a three page outline. When we present this to a new doc or hospital staff, they usually express appreciation for the detailed info. They still want us to give the info verbally, but it helps us to remember just when and where things occurred. It is always included in his new medical chart.

I figure that with computers and FAX machines, plus our health history document, he is likely to get better, more timely care almost anywhere we might travel. (We can't afford to travel to a lot of really remote or exotic locations where care might be iffy. I guess in our situation that is a good thing.)

[Ziggy7]

Thanks Everyone!
I think I will just ask for exrta labels and put them on smaller bottles, then fill the pill boxes on the ship. Better safe then sorry, thanks for the great replies!!!! :)


Ziggy7

Zuiderdam Aug 7, 2004
First Cruise :cool:

[Ziggy7]

testing :)

[Ziggy7]

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