To senior cruisers About carrying med and med docs

Traveled most of the world with the 7 day containers and have never been asked about the meds. I also carry 3 injectable meds. Spent 8 years in and out of Saudi Arabia 3x per year with no questions. Anything can be put into any pill container, so original container proves nothing.

I had forgotten about that, my boss traveled for many years with refrigerated, inject-able meds. NEVER had any issues. All over the world.

Hubby is 18 months post-transplant (double lung), so the meds we travel with are extensive, and can be complicated. He has to use the pill planner box - leaving them all in the original bottles would be a nightmare, but we can travel with them in the bottles, and then I spend a quick 20 minutes dispensing into the pill planner once we're on board. Simple. And we have the extra in the bottles in case of emergency. And of course, the injectables require a sharps container (we usually just travel with a small plastic container of our own that can be labeled and disposed of).

I never knew meds could be so complicated! Taking cell phone photos of pill container labels, getting printouts from pharmacists, mobile apps, etc. :eek:

I just put my bottles of thyroid pills and cholesterol medicine, along with a hormone patch or two in a Ziploc bag and away I go.

Roz

Another one I just put them all in a zip lock bag on criuse I just take out what I need each morning

We get our pharmacist to print out the list of medications we take; we've never had to produce any proof of the medications we carry.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I do this as well. My meds were checked when returning home through Zurich last year.

I never knew meds could be so complicated! Taking cell phone photos of pill container labels, getting printouts from pharmacists, mobile apps, etc. :eek:

 

I just put my bottles of thyroid pills and cholesterol medicine, along with a hormone patch or two in a Ziploc bag and away I go.

 

Roz

This isn't so simple for everyone. If I only had 2 bottle of pills I probably would do the same. However I don't have that luxury and need to pack 5 prescriptions (1 large pill of which I need to take 2 of each morning and night, and 2 pills of which I need to take 1 of each morning and night), 4 vitamins and supplements taken each morning and 1 aspirin taken every night. That is 15 pills per day taken at different times and/or multiple times per day. Putting them into a zip lock bag is bulky and unorganized. I posted a link to what I use in an earlier post. There are 16 small zip bags in my organizer. 8 numbered in red for morning and 8 numbered in blue for night. I use one bag for each medication/vitamin/supplement. I take the 4 vitamins/supplements in the AM so they go into 4 different red numbered bags. I take 2 prescriptions in the AM only. The also go in the red numbered bags. I take 3 prescriptions in the AM and PM. I put them in the 1st 3 blue numbered bags. I take Aspirin in the PM so it also goes in the blue numbered bag. I make sure to pack more than the number of days I will be gone just in case. I take a picture of the prescription bottle next to numbered bag I put them in on my tablet. I found this to be the best way to keep so many medications organized and have the documentation handy if I needed it.

Be thankful you only have 2. I'm counting my blessings to even be alive after separate incidents with a peripartum cardiomyopathy 21 years ago and a spontaneous dissected carotid 3 years ago and a history of family members passing away way too young. I keep my doctors hopping.

Thanks for the post and a very valid question.

I have 6 separate prescriptions. I choose to just toss the bottles in my carry-on. Mrs Ldubs uses the pill boxes/baggies. Other than those few extremes countries, I think you can pack them however you want.

As already mentioned by some and regardless of how you pack your med's, it is important to have a list of prescriptions. In my case, I have the actual bottle. A written list or copy works too. Additionally, I use my iPhone's ability to scan a document into the Note function so I have a digital record of the prescriptions. I also use the Health app and set up the medical ID so an emergency responder can access my info without a password. In addition to prescriptions you can include info about allergies, etc. Not sure if this works on other smart phones.

Anyway, just tossing out a couple of additional tips.

My husband has atrial fibrillation so is on a blood thinner. He is on several other prescription meds for other issues. He carries his meds in weekly pill trays. Also carries a copy of the prescription labels and a detailed chart with his meds by condition. Also wears a medical alert bracelet with conditions and associated meds. He is not concerned about issues with security, and has never had any questions. He is concerned about getting proper care in case of an accident or medical event.

Pills are marked so as to make their identity and strength knowable without a labeled bottle. No one is any more interested in my Lipitor or Rx strength Prilosec than they are about my low-dose aspirin. If I were to carry a tranquilizer or other controlled substance I would carry sufficient documentation that it was legally prescribed to me but not all Rx medication needs to be managed so meticulously.

I never knew meds could be so complicated! Taking cell phone photos of pill container labels, getting printouts from pharmacists, mobile apps, etc. :eek:

 

I just put my bottles of thyroid pills and cholesterol medicine, along with a hormone patch or two in a Ziploc bag and away I go.

 

Roz

But if you read, many of us do nothing special and have no problems.

Others take extraordinary steps, but none of them have said they have ever been asked for those documents.

We are far from seniors but as the daughter of medical types I insist on a travel pharmacy. This is a small bag where all the blister packs and creams etc are kept. In a bag inside are the paper infos. I don't have any prescribed medication but my hubby brings his list for his diabetic items that he gets at the docs.

On a side note, check that the things you take are allowed in also as some may surprise you. Countries with strict drug laws (Ie Singapore) have a list on their government website. Codiene seems the biggest one of these to watch.

I never knew meds could be so complicated! Taking cell phone photos of pill container labels, getting printouts from pharmacists, mobile apps, etc. :eek:

 

I just put my bottles of thyroid pills and cholesterol medicine, along with a hormone patch or two in a Ziploc bag and away I go.

 

Roz

I hope you never have to find out what it means to take 20 or more pills a day...but after a lung transplant, it is the difference between staying alive, and not. I'll deal with the traveling pharmacy, and keep my husband alive a little longer, thanks :D

One of the things others have mentioned is taking extra meds with them - we make sure that we have a month's supply at all times - many of the medications he takes would not be available overseas, and if they were, we could never afford to pay out of pocket for them. None of these are narcotics, and we've never been questioned by CBP or ship's personnel about any of them...

I hope you never have to find out what it means to take 20 or more pills a day...but after a lung transplant, it is the difference between staying alive, and not. I'll deal with the traveling pharmacy, and keep my husband alive a little longer, thanks :D

 

 

One of the things others have mentioned is taking extra meds with them - we make sure that we have a month's supply at all times - many of the medications he takes would not be available overseas, and if they were, we could never afford to pay out of pocket for them. None of these are narcotics, and we've never been questioned by CBP or ship's personnel about any of them...

No disrespect intended intended towards those on heavy meds. Could happen to any of us. Agree about taking extra meds. Friends of mine were stranded in the Czech Republic for 3 weeks after 9/11, and were glad they didn't have to hassle with trying to get refills in a foreign country and paying out of pocket.

Roz

Friends of mine were stranded in the Czech Republic for 3 weeks after 9/11, and were glad they didn't have to hassle with trying to get refills in a foreign country and paying out of pocket.

 

Roz

Oh, I can't even imagine.. I try not to even look at the totals anymore...some of these meds are 4k a month, one shot is 6k per shot, every two weeks. (I've been known to open the refrigerator door, and say, "Honey, we don't have any milk...but we do have $24,000 of medicine!" :rolleyes::loudcry: Thank heavens for insurance....there would be no paying out of pocket for us :)

One of the things others have mentioned is taking extra meds with them - we make sure that we have a month's supply at all times - many of the medications he takes would not be available overseas, and if they were, we could never afford to pay out of pocket for them. None of these are narcotics, and we've never been questioned by CBP or ship's personnel about any of them...

You might be surprised how cheap they are outside the US.

I can get many drugs overseas for a total price less than my copay here.

But yes, in your case there are ones that may be hard to find outside the US.

You might be surprised how cheap they are outside the US.

 

I can get many drugs overseas for a total price less than my copay here.

 

But yes, in your case there are ones that may be hard to find outside the US.

While that might work in some places such as Mexico (our winter home) it is an awful strategy in most of the world where drugs are controlled often more tightly then at home. For example, if you are traveling in Japan and need a prescription drug you would have to get an appointment with a Japanese physician in order to obtain a prescription. Even in you had a copy of your US prescription it would not be honored in Japan.

Hank

You should always carry the original container for drugs, even over-the-counter stuff, and the prescription.

It's a hassle, but much less of one than if you're detained in a foreign country for possession of contraband (just because it's legal in your home country doesn't mean it's legal everywhere).

Here's a Trip Savvy article on traveling with medications.

You should always carry the original container for drugs, even over-the-counter stuff, and the prescription.

Why?

Individual pills are marked so as to identify their formula, strength, and manufacturer. For drugs with no abuse potential, your approach is overkill (but I won't stand in your way if that's what you want to do).

Why?

 

Individual pills are marked so as to identify their formula, strength, and manufacturer. For drugs with no abuse potential, your approach is overkill (but I won't stand in your way if that's what you want to do).

None of that identifies the traveler as a legally entitled to own the prescription, and not all countries base prescription laws on abuse potential.

And even drugs without abuse potential may be restricted in other countries. A good example, mentioned in the article I linked, is pseudoephedrine; perfectly legal in the United States and has no abuse potential (without a lot of work), but illegal in Japan.

While that might work in some places such as Mexico (our winter home) it is an awful strategy in most of the world where drugs are controlled often more tightly then at home. For example, if you are traveling in Japan and need a prescription drug you would have to get an appointment with a Japanese physician in order to obtain a prescription. Even in you had a copy of your US prescription it would not be honored in Japan.

 

Hank

Japan is different, in SO many ways. :D

But MANY countries, you go in and ask for what you want, they tell you the price, you pay and get your meds. And at a lot lower price than the US.