Flying with prescriptions question

Do you have to have your prescriptions in their original container? This seems like a stupid question, but I am on restasis eye drops for severe dry eye and each day you use a new vile of eye drops. They come in a box that is quite large and the box would take up quite a bit of space in my carry on. The problem is, the box is what has the label on it stating who the prescription belongs to and what it is. So, I am assuming I have to take the large box. Also since I'm flying and putting these in my carry on do these eye drop viles count toward my liquids? Sorry for the stupid questions, but I have to use these drops twice a day and do not want any surprises when I get to the airport.

I think I would take them in the box for the prescription reason, and to quell any question about taking a number of liquids. I know they are under the 3 oz rule, but it is probably safer to just carry them in the box.

That being said, I haven't seen any challenges of prescription meds. Some of ours are in the pharmacy bottle, some aren't. They are all pills.

Where are you flying to and returning from? That may make a difference.

Your Rx eye meds to not count toward your TSA 3.4 ounce limit.

Stick the Rx box on a copier and copy the label. Put the label on a zippy bag with your eye meds inside. Or remove the label from the box (I usually make a mess of that).

I've bagged yo eye meds with no issues and I fly a lot.

The exception would be if flying to a foreign country which may or may not have different rules.

Remember that long flights can make your eyes even more dry and uncomfortable. I take along MD recommended over the counter meds for additional relief.

Just to follow up on Pennyagain's suggestion. Instead of trying to remove the Rx label from the box, cut out the portion of the box with the label. Adhere the label to the zip bag with clear packing tape.

I would do as Penny has recommended.

Keith

Just to follow up on Pennyagain's suggestion. Instead of trying to remove the Rx label from the box, cut out the portion of the box with the label. Adhere the label to the zip bag with clear packing tape.

Instead of destroying the original box, can you just open up the ends and flatten it to fit in your bag. I would keep any prescription meds in a ziplock bag, even a bigger one. This just keeps them in one bag if you have to deal with TSA.

I too use Restasis. The box is rigid plastic and not collapsible. I take a copy of the prescription along with the vials and my daily wear contacts. I've only had a problem once, at Heathrow. The security agent insisted that liquid prescription medications all had to fit in the quart baggie. I had to do some very fast switching and cramming. I've flown all over the world with my contacts and drops in a separate bag, and he was the only one to raise the issue. I figured he was wrong, but arguing was useless.

Where are you flying to and returning from? That may make a difference.

 

Your Rx eye meds to not count toward your TSA 3.4 ounce limit.

 

Stick the Rx box on a copier and copy the label. Put the label on a zippy bag with your eye meds inside. Or remove the label from the box (I usually make a mess of that).

 

I've bagged yo eye meds with no issues and I fly a lot.

 

The exception would be if flying to a foreign country which may or may not have different rules.

 

Remember that long flights can make your eyes even more dry and uncomfortable. I take along MD recommended over the counter meds for additional relief.

I will be flying round trip from Chicago midway to FLL. I like the idea of making a photo copy of the box and the lable. Do you think that is enough for TSA?

I can take the box if worse comes to worse, I'm just trying to avoid it if I can since my husband and I share a carry on and the box is so big. I've learned you never know what to expect from TSA!

I always travel with my prescription drugs in my carry on and have never had any question about them and they are not in their original container.

Your pharmacist (mine does) will make you travel labels which can be affixed to perscription bottles they will give you or you can stick it onto a baggy..I would take a few in my carryon and pack the rest in my checked luggage.

I never put necessary medications into a bag that I'm going to check. I keep them with me.

It is never a good idea to carry unlabeled Rx medications when traveling, but most especially when having to go through Customs either when entering a foreign country or when returning to the USA. Customs can and does seize unlabeled meds.

Don't cut yourself trying to cut off the label section of a Restasis box.

Some folks are very good at removing labels (as in the ones on wine bottles) but I don't have the patience to do so.

I have been given the once over by TSA in the US, and it involved prescription eye drops.

I am not familiar with Restasis, although I know the name, but because you are concerned about the packaging I would suggest that you also use a carry on. It doesn't have to be big, or as large as your husbands, but a zippered light weight tote would fit the bill. You are permitted a carry on and a personal item which is clearly described on your airline's web site. I suggest zippered because it might have to be stowed under the seat in front of you and you don't want to lose anything. If your husband's carry on has wheels you can wrap a tote's handles onto his bag and thus your hands would be free for an escalator, or whatever.

Medical devices or prescriptions are not part of your "baggie" allowance. This is all spelled out on the TSA website. If you decide to abandon the plastic container then get a copy of the prescription from your pharmacist AND take a copy of the TSA regs with you. The agents absolutely hate it but you are well within your rights to challenge them.

It doesn't have to be stressful. You've been given some alternatives that should ease your way to Ft. Lauderdale. Have a great cruise.

Ok, just to be sure I understand. The TSA website stated that liquids or gels that are medially necessary are allowed to go over the limit of allowable liquids. Does this however mean that they should be in the ziplock bag with the rest of my liquids?

Kelly, I fly frequently for business and pleasure.

Your medical liquids are not required to be in your 1 and only quart zippy bag.

I am an older woman. I have a lot of medical 'stuff'. I keep it all together in a 1 gallon zippy bag that rides in my carry on bag.

When flying in the USA it is my choice to put both zippy bags into the plastic TSA tub in plain sight. The rules for other countries vary from really picky, picky (Japan & Singapore) to situations similar to the TSA.

I will be flying round trip from Chicago midway to FLL. I like the idea of making a photo copy of the box and the lable. Do you think that is enough for TSA?

I can take the box if worse comes to worse, I'm just trying to avoid it if I can since my husband and I share a carry on and the box is so big. I've learned you never know what to expect from TSA!

TSA is not the FDA or the DEA, so theoretically, they have no business worrying about whether any meds you are carrying are OTC or Rx, and if Rx, whether the Rx is for YOU or someone else. That said, there are plenty of stories of TSA agents overstepping their authority, blatantly ignoring the policies of their own agency and writing their own rules, etc. so it doesn't hurt to have the original container or a photocopy in your possession, particularly if the meds you are carrying are liquid and will not be confined to your 3/1/1 bag.

As for me personally, I have several Rx meds (none liquid though) that I carry "just in case." I keep them in a pill organizer, so none of them are in their original Rx container. I fly frequently and it has never been an issue.

A year ago when I flew from Tennessee to Florida and back I was told on both ends that from now on my prescription meds were go ing to be required to be in original containers with labels. Never again have I been told this but because of that time I continue to keep them in their original containers with always keep all meds with me too!

Keeping pills in an organizer without labels is fundamentally a personal choice. I fly often both within the US and elsewhere so I choose to be prepared for the rules I may encounter in either situation.

We have to live with the idea that the TSA will not get any easier in its rules and behavior.

Returning to the US and also when arriving in foreign countries, you are subject to CUSTOMS agents and their rules and searches.

My mother-in-law who absolutely insisted on keeping her Rx meds in an organizer lost every last pill ot US Customs at JFK airport in New York. This was a huge issue as she was over 80 and was not returning to her home city for several days.

Not only was replacing her expensive meds an issue that my husband and I had to deal with but getting the Rx's replaced far from home was a severe problem.

Additionally the US Customas agents embarrassed her to pieces and the more she argued, the more they insisted on throwing away all of her medications.

 

My mother-in-law who absolutely insisted on keeping her Rx meds in an organizer lost every last pill ot US Customs at JFK airport in New York. This was a huge issue as she was over 80 and was not returning to her home city for several days.

 

Granted, customs is another animal entirely, but out of curiosity I have to ask: How did the customs agent come to be examining your MIL's pill organizer? Was she the subject of some sort of random search? Or was there some other reason? Obviously that can happen, but I've yet to go through customs and have it be anything more than a "rubber stamp" process.

Keeping pills in an organizer without labels is fundamentally a personal choice. I fly often both within the US and elsewhere so I choose to be prepared for the rules I may encounter in either situation.

 

We have to live with the idea that the TSA will not get any easier in its rules and behavior.

 

Returning to the US and also when arriving in foreign countries, you are subject to CUSTOMS agents and their rules and searches.

 

My mother-in-law who absolutely insisted on keeping her Rx meds in an organizer lost every last pill ot US Customs at JFK airport in New York. This was a huge issue as she was over 80 and was not returning to her home city for several days.

 

Not only was replacing her expensive meds an issue that my husband and I had to deal with but getting the Rx's replaced far from home was a severe problem.

 

Additionally the US Customas agents embarrassed her to pieces and the more she argued, the more they insisted on throwing away all of her medications.

I hope you got the identifying info about those CBP agents and contacted your congressional representative when you returned home. It sounds as though they were very unprofessional.

Granted, customs is another animal entirely, but out of curiosity I have to ask: How did the customs agent come to be examining your MIL's pill organizer? Was she the subject of some sort of random search? Or was there some other reason? Obviously that can happen, but I've yet to go through customs and have it be anything more than a "rubber stamp" process.

My late mother-in-law was the subject of a random search. The US Customs agent found the multi-bill organizers in her carry on bag and started going through the pills by dumping them out of the table where all else had been.

All the pills were without documentation they were all seized. Perfectly legal. Nothing to contract a Congressperson about. The Customs officer was entirely professional and within the law.

MIL argued and argued and then started a big fuss which made the situation a great deal worse.

At that point everything she had with her was examined even to the extent of opening face creams & packages of Depends which were torn apart.

Why would someone assume that such actions are not legal?

This had been a family dispute for decades and MIL insisted that she was correct and our thinking was all wrong (original containers and proper labeling).

My late mother-in-law was the subject of a random search. The US Customs agent found the multi-bill organizers in her carry on bag and started going through the pills by dumping them out of the table where all else had been.

 

All the pills were without documentation they were all seized. Perfectly legal. Nothing to contract a Congressperson about. The Customs officer was entirely professional and within the law.

 

MIL argued and argued and then started a big fuss which made the situation a great deal worse.

 

At that point everything she had with her was examined even to the extent of opening face creams & packages of Depends which were torn apart.

 

Why would someone assume that such actions are not legal?

 

This had been a family dispute for decades and MIL insisted that she was correct and our thinking was all wrong (original containers and proper labeling).

Once again, out of curiosity, did your MIL have any OTC pills with her and if so, did the customs officer have any issues with those? The reason I ask is because people always make a big deal about Rx meds being in their original, labeled package, but I wonder about OTC meds, vitamins and supplements. I doubt the average customs agent is an expert at identifying multitude of pills on the market, so I wonder if they make any distinction between "loose" Rx pills and "loose" OTC pills.

TSA

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/what-expect-if-passenger-needs-medication

TSA reminds you that many states require the original containers, this usually applies to controlled substances, most prescription meds are not listed on these schedules.

Customs

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/67

Customs wants a copy of the prescription, a wise choice in case you lose you meds overseas too

Personally, we use the daily containers, carry copies of the prescriptions and keep any controlled substances in original containers

I carry my Rx's in their original containers that shows the drug name (generic name also), amount etc. I don't do this for TSA or customs. I do it in case I need to refill, especially out of the country. I have several so I also carry an Rx sheet with all the info along with the "color" of the pill for identification. DH carries a copy of the Rx sheet also.

Over the top, you bet but I learned the hard way years ago. I had to replace all of them while traveling and thankfully I was "aware" and able to give the info. If I had an emergency and not "aware" of my surroundings, I want to be sure whoever needs my info has it clearly.

At the very least, I would suggest you get all your Rx's from your doctor to have on hand in case you need to replace.

Once again, out of curiosity, did your MIL have any OTC pills with her and if so, did the customs officer have any issues with those? The reason I ask is because people always make a big deal about Rx meds being in their original, labeled package, but I wonder about OTC meds, vitamins and supplements. I doubt the average customs agent is an expert at identifying multitude of pills on the market, so I wonder if they make any distinction between "loose" Rx pills and "loose" OTC pills.

MIL had everything in 2 organizers OTC and Rx. She lost them all to the Customs waste bin. Her organizers had 4 openings per day, morning, noon etc. I don't think the number of compartments matter to the Customs people.

Using the organizers at home helped her to avoid making errors in taking meds, but the only way I would use them in travel is to carry the pills in original containers and keep the organizers empty until arriving at your ship/hotel etc and then the pills into the compartments.

She had to pay for the replacement pills as her insurance coverage didn't allow for replacement of lost meds.

She was fighting mad and took it out on her son!

I carry my Rx's in their original containers that shows the drug name (generic name also), amount etc. I don't do this for TSA or customs. I do it in case I need to refill, especially out of the country. I have several so I also carry an Rx sheet with all the info along with the "color" of the pill for identification. DH carries a copy of the Rx sheet also.

 

Over the top, you bet but I learned the hard way years ago. I had to replace all of them while traveling and thankfully I was "aware" and able to give the info. If I had an emergency and not "aware" of my surroundings, I want to be sure whoever needs my info has it clearly.

 

At the very least, I would suggest you get all your Rx's from your doctor to have on hand in case you need to replace.

I travel so much that the way I travel with meds is the same way I keep them when at home. No point at all in switching back and forth as there is the risk I might forget something important.