Taking Prescription meds on plane

[mhbbwfl]

This is what you say when TSA or Law Enforcement asks you as question...

 

"Am I legally required to answer the question?"

 

You should make them work as hard as possible to violate your rights.

[Colo Cruiser]

This is what you say when TSA or Law Enforcement asks you as question...

 

"Am I legally required to answer the question?"

 

You should make them work as hard as possible to violate your rights.

 

And then you miss your flight. :rolleyes:

[jagsfan]

I'm always searched at airports......I have a lot of titanium in me. I also put all my

meds in a pill box. I carry the patient info that comes with them.....describes the pills and

all markings, also tells what the med is for. Never ever had a problem anywhere in the

world. So far, that is.

I do 90 day mail order from Caremark......CVS now owns Caremark, so I can go to my

local CVS and get my meds still in 90 day supplies.

I guess just to be safe I should get some empty small bottles from them and have them

label them. Having my blood pressure pills confiscated would be bad enough, but to have

them take my Tetracycline would be a disaster! My Rosacea would triumph.

I really like having my meds in the pill box, all together. Saves room in the carry on, and much easier to locate.

Travel gets harder and harder, doesn't it!

Mimi

[west coast cruiser]

West Coast Cruiser - just returned from Australia yesterday. I had my original bottles with labels in plastic bag very bulky (including pain pills). Walgreen gives a description of the pill on the label (e.g. round white side one LL side two 50mg). Customs never bothered to look, Forgot to pack the seven day pill box - big mistake on my part. Have a nice trip.

 

Thanks, this is a big help.

[TM]

Both my husband and I take blood pressure meds and I use prescription eye drops. We flew into Vancouver last summer and our meds were packed in our 7 day pill cases. My eye drops however I did carry in the original container as it was just easier, my drops come in vial form, not in a small bottle as most eye drops come. No questions at all, we breezed through customs. Our meds were in a quart size zip lock bag which I did take out of my carry on and they went through the x-ray.

[Pam in CA]

As for have a copy of your prescription who has a paper script any more? They're all electronic here. I haven't had a paper prescription in years

Even in FL, when you fill a prescription, they give you a printout and put it in the bag along with your prescription and any drug information. I believe pharmacies are required by law to provide this information. I have never heard of getting a prescription and not signing for it or getting the drug summary. This was true when I was in FL for almost a month in January/February and had to have my prescriptions filled there as I hadn't planned on being away for so long. They wouldn't let me out the door without signing for the prescriptions and taking the summaries.

[Kinkacruiser]

I have my 7 day pill container and I also have a plastic bag with all the bottles and extra pills in them. I have felt comfortable doing it this way but now I am not so sure.

 

We are going to Australia and New Zealand in a few months. Does anyone know what the procedure is there? I probably should contact an Embassy.

WCC

 

Coming through Australian customs , it's advisable to have all drugs/pills in original containers with the personalised prescription label on them. Don't fill your 7 day pill container. We also carry a letter from the doctor to say what each drug is for and what medical conditions we have.

Prescription drugs are heavily subsidised for pensioners in Australia. It could be interpreted that you have intentions of selling your drugs overseas (that's what our doctor told us).

Sorry I'm not sure about NZ requirements, but most likely it would be the same.

[uppitycats]

We just got back from Norway. Leaving the Minneapolis airport to London, all my meds were examined -- they're in their original containers, with prescription labels on them -- and I was questioned about what they were for. When I arrived in London, I informed customs that I had meds, and was passed through. Flying from Oslo to Amsterdam, I was passed through. Flying from Amsterdam back to Minneapolis, I was again questioned thoroughly.

 

I *know* what the law is. what my rights are..and what the recommendations are. But I'm not going to risk missing my flight because some agent -- be they TSA, customs, random police, whoever -- decides that day that they have nothing better to do than pick on someone with a carry-on full of medical supplies. I NEED my meds to complete my trip. If they're confiscated, I go home. Just not worth the hassle for me.

 

A side note. Sometimes I'll just take enough for the trip plus a few days (in their labeled prescription bottles). THIS time I got rushed at the end of packing, and just tossed in the full month's worth. Am I glad I did! We got caught up in the closed airport issues in Europe, ended up staying a full extra week, and I would have been in serious trouble had I not had all my meds with me! I'll continue to throw in way more than I need, next time!

[Treven]

For me it's just easier to stand in front of the cabinet in the bathroom with a gal size ziplock bag and just take all the bottles of stuff that I take every day as well as things that I take "just in case", i.e. meds for migraine or normal headaches, or Flexeril, in there and toss them in the plastic bag.

So far, I've never been questioned; knock wood.:)

[34TigerLily]

So far we haven't had issues with having pills sorted into those 7 day dosage containers. Unfortunately our meds must come from a mail order pharmacy in 90 day quantity, so the original pill bottles would fill a ladies purse...:rolleyes:

 

When last traveling overseas, we used several of the smaller of the big bottles, and affixed extra labels on the pills I had mixed inside. No issue, but would really hate to lose to some security person.

 

How do you all handle the big quantity bottle situation?

 

PS we always bring an extra weeks' meds.

My DH takes "horse pills" that come 180 to a bottle by mail order from Walgreens Mail Order. Our local Walgreens just prints up a label on a smaller bottle and we transfer what we need for the trip.

[PescadoAmarillo]

My DH takes "horse pills" that come 180 to a bottle by mail order from Walgreens Mail Order. Our local Walgreens just prints up a label on a smaller bottle and we transfer what we need for the trip.

That's a good idea. We get our meds at the local air force base pharmacy in 90 day supplies, and 1 of them is put into the largest prescription bottle I have ever seen (like 3-4 cup size for 270 pills). I've never taken bottles because even the smaller ones are still large. But to get smaller bottles and labels...now THAT I would do.

 

Even going into China, Russia and East Germany, I've never been questioned, but it only takes once, I guess. And as I'm getting older, I'm carting more prescription meds across borders.

[luxurysailer]

For West Coast Cruiser: When going through security in Sydney, Australia on our way home a few years ago we were asked whether we had anything that wasn't in its original container. They took my after shave lotion and contact lens solutions away from me, the latter resulting in a quite miserable flight to Los Angeles. This restriction quite obviously runs countercurrent to the bottles TSA allows us to use in this country, but USA rules do not apply in other countries.

 

This isn't about the OP's question regarding labeling of medications, but I wonder if anyone else has had this problem and how others have handled this problem.

[paradiselivin1]

Never had a problem and have travelled all over the world often putting all my meds in a single "prescription" bottle. No one has ever opened to look!

[Pam in CA]

Never had a problem and have travelled all over the world often putting all my meds in a single "prescription" bottle. No one has ever opened to look!

All it takes is that one time when it does become a problem.

[suzsummit]

I have traveled, just within USA and Canada, with my meds.. 28 in all :eek:(hate to admit that), and needles for weekly shots with medicine vials, AND a nebulizer with plastic vials of breathing meds. That being said.... Sometimes I put them in 7 day containers and sometimes I leave them in original containers....

 

I rip the outer info from the boxes... from my vials and put them in a ziploc bag with the vials. I also put my inhalers in ziplocs and then pass them through sercurity. Sometimes I have more than one ziploc but TSA has been OK with that being that they are filled with meds.

 

That being said... EVERY time I put my nebulizer in my checked luggage my Bags get the EXTRA security screening and a little note inside. Once I even put a not on it saying hello to the TSA agent... They left a smilie face on the note.... see they do have a sense of humor.

 

Better safe than sorry.... especially if going out of the country... I would pack everything in labeled containers. Who needs the hassle of an extra search especially when you are on vacation.

[oldmama]

I took the 7 day container in my day bag, & had the 90 supply bottles in my carry on with no problems. My artificial hip did set off every alarm, but one, so I got real good at the spread eagle routine.

[AFT_LOVER]

with my diabetic husband's 4 prescriptions that are with vitamins in a 7 day, morning, lunch & bedtime holders. I am lunch since his prescriptions are twice a day. We have the scripts xeroxed in a plastic envelope. But nver asked about them.

 

Now my contact lens preservative free stuff is a pain. Continental Airlines did a conference call to TSA so they had the answer for folks in the future. The rep asked me for Names on both products & UPC seals. I gave both on both & was told it is a MEDICAL OK. So I took them. In Cleveland thehy wiped both with a small white pad & then rescreened the luggage without it. Then Put everything back in it & we went to the lane with our carryon. But in FLL then TSA guy squirt a pad with the CLEAR CAR disinfectant & it turned purple & he makes a call to the boss, then they point at EXPLOSIVE for the Candian preservative free aerosol saline solition that only last 2 days in a 3 oz bottle. So both were taken away & I had to be felt up by a woman. Then my husband's carry on has to be gone thru & there is no liquids in it. 2 Princess coffee cups that were $5 each that have paper in them for shielding on its trip home. Funny that a guy watching yells out to folks "a paper filled & wrapped coffee cup is illegal? They didn't have cofee or tea in them, how crazy"

 

So guess we drive to the ship in the future since this is ridiculous when the airline calls & has a conference call with me asking the questions & they listen. Then I am told the person gave wrong info. I called the FAA today on this & they were very interested in it.

[California Native]

solition that only last 2 days in a 3 oz bottle. So both were taken away & I had to be felt up by a woman.

 

 

I would like to point out once again ...only in USA will they provide a woman to pat you down

or in a country that predominately practices Islam..such as Turkey. The woman who searched me there apologized the entire time.

The some of the countries I've had problems with, a man has liberally searched my midsection to the point that it was invasive.

I always request the door to be left open and my husband to stand at the door, but that doesnt always work

These are the trade offs I make travelling having a chronic illness. I just let my mind go to another place.

but i think everyone should take as many preventative measures as possible.

I hope myself and the other posters who have come to this thread indicating that it wasn't always smooth sailing carrying medicines while traveling..

will give the rest of you a chance to pause and reconsider your approach to this.

[fud2468]

We now split all our meds 4 ways in baggies, in 2 carryons and 2 checked bags to be on the safe side.

Reason is, one of our carryons with all wife's meds got left behind by the airporter driver on our first cruise and it was a problem to get meds on the ship!

No problem so far-- we cruise only from and to US ports and take no meds with us on shore excursions..

Ray Mac

[6rugrats]

I used to just count out what I would need of any medications, add several day's worth, just in case, and dump it all in one container with no problems. In many years of travel, no one has ever questioned or looked at anything.

 

After so flights were cancelled, and people stuck places for many days, due to the volcanic eruption, I have vowed never to travel again without a full bottle of any necessary medications, in their original containers.

[Sparky2]

I take my prescription meds + vits & minerals sorted in the 7-day container. It's so much easier than having to open all the individual bottles.

 

I do, however, also have enough of each RX in small marked containers IN CASE they do take my 7-day away.

 

I can live without my vits. & min. for a week but not without my prescription meds.

 

Also, with the additional pills in small original containers I have extra in case travel is delayed.

[kenish]

I've had Sudafed politely confiscated at Narita. Pseudephedrine (sp?) is a prohibited narcotic in Japan, though I believe Sudafed has since been reformulated.

 

Another reason to carry your prescription information- what if you're incapacitated while traveling? Do others traveling with you know all the prescriptions and supplements you're taking, the reason why, and the doses?

 

All that said, I personally have never had prescriptions questioned other than the Sudafed. Maybe in some cases they use it as a pretext to do a further inspection....

[jetwet1]

 

NEVER EVER EVER should anyone traveling internationally with meds not have them in the prescription bottle...even domestically you can run into a power hungry TSA agent..as Pam mentioned above

 

It's also important to always verify you can legally bring your meds into a country...Dubai..no narcotic on or in your system...

 

 

In the USA you have rights, but do you have the time to deal with a overzealous TSA agent.

 

Firstly, let me say that I understand and empathize with your situation.

However it is not just the TSA who would have issues with this.

If you get pulled over say for speeding and a search is done of your car and pills are found not in their original container, you will get a ticket, that's in any state in the US btw, states are getting more and more strict on this thing as time goes on due to the ever increase prescription pill sellers.

 

My DH takes "horse pills" that come 180 to a bottle by mail order from Walgreens Mail Order. Our local Walgreens just prints up a label on a smaller bottle and we transfer what we need for the trip.

 

Correct, make life easy for yourself and any enforcement agent that you come into contact with, trust me they would much rather take 2 minutes to look at some paperwork than go through a couple of hours because you had packed your pills in a ziplock.

 

BTW if you think traveling with meds is a pain, try a parachute, that one sends most TSA agents for a loop :p

[kitty9]

I have my 7 day pill container and I also have a plastic bag with all the bottles and extra pills in them. I have felt comfortable doing it this way but now I am not so sure.

 

We are going to Australia and New Zealand in a few months. Does anyone know what the procedure is there? I probably should contact an Embassy.

WCC

 

You have to be very, very careful with both those countries. When you fly into Australia or NZ, you must fill out a form and must list every drug you have on you, including over the counter and vitamins. I was behind an elderly couple in line for Immigration and Customs in Sydney, and they were tearing apart their luggage and carry ons, and found their prescriptions and unfortunately this couple did not put them on the forms----they thought that when they read, "are you carrying drugs" that it meant illegal drugs. This poor couple was terrified and the agent lectured them that they must keep their drugs in their original containers, not in a bag or days of the week things, and they must list everything they had in their possession. In the next line, a young guy had a lot of vitamins and they took him to a private room and I didn't see him come out, and I was there in line for over 45 minutes. Oh, and the elderly couple, they were still in line when I left the airport.

 

As for the US, I, and members of my family, have been hassled more than once about our prescription drugs, by overzealous TSA agents. My dad had his drugs in the days of the week container, and the TSA agent took him to a private room and he had to explain what each drug was----and dad takes about 20 pills. On another trip my mom, who took about 12 different pills, had her's in the bottles with her name on it, and when the TSA agent pulled them out of her carry on, he said she was lucky that she had them that way because he would have taken her aside and could have taken the drugs away from her. So, it's well worth it to keep them in their containers rather than in bags or in those "days" containers.

[California Native]

Firstly, let me say that I understand and empathize with your situation.

However it is not just the TSA who would have issues with this.

If you get pulled over say for speeding and a search is done of your car and pills are found not in their original container, you will get a ticket, that's in any state in the US btw, states are getting more and more strict on this thing as time goes on due to the ever increase prescription pill sellers.

 

 

Thank you for sharing that info and you are absolutely correct

 

I didn't mention driving as the OP

was discussing TSA and then many of us strayed over to international travel

 

but back to driving in the USA with meds for one moment

 

I've been a chronic pain patient for 15 years

I have friends that are police officers and in the fire dept.

 

So, I'm well versed on what to do..

 

I also carry my medical history in my wallet in case I have an ovarian cyst burst and I'm unable to communicate and in my cell phone I have ECI listed next to my DH and mom.

 

Also, over the years I've had my police officer friends give me a DUI test to make sure how my medicine registers in my body. I never ever ever have even a sip of alcohol

except when I'm on a cruise ship and I know there is

absolutely no chance I would have to drive. As alcohol with my meds means no driving and I wouldn't be able to drive if a crisis arose.

 

Also, I make it a point never to drive if my pain level is over an 8.5

 

I always carry a supply of 7 days of medicine with me in a smaller size prescription bottle. That way if there was an earthquake (I live in the SFO Bay Area) family emergency with my mom or something else that would delay me getting home..I'm going to be ok.

 

I tend to be a what if and contingency plan person. I know others take the approach of playing the odds...but not me.