Taking prescription medication to Europe

[LoisGriffin1]

I am glad she is taking them in the original packaging. I am European and whenever travelling to the US I also took a spare prescription just in case I was to lose my medication. Not sure if it would have helped if I had lost my medication but I was told it might be a good idea if the worst were to happen.

[sail7seas]

Thank you for posting! And so sorry this happened. There are those passengers who have been stopped and questioned, but some on this board are so adamant that this would never happen, I just have to shake my head. Why risk it?

 

Also, not sure if anyone has mentioned but the pharmacy should be able to give you smaller bottles if it's space you are concerned about. Of course none of us wants to have huge, hulking bottles taking up precious space in our carry-ons, so if we ask fo smaller bottles, that will help.

 

 

My pharmacist has told me anytime I want, he will put our Rx in small zip locs with the usual prescription bottle label on the ziplocs to cut down on the bulk jfrom all our Rx bottles in our carryons.

 

I will never fly with our Rx in day/week pill holders. Not worth the risk to us.

 

[sail7seas]

She can still ask her local pharmacy! That's what I do -- meds in 3 month supply bottles -- and they'll still repackage it (for free)...

 

 

If the three month bottles came from that pharmacy, then great I understand why they would be willing to assist you.

 

However, if you purchased the three month bottles from a mail order pharmacy as some insurance insists, why would your local pharmacy get involved in touching medications they did not dispense?

 

If, IF they didn't sell them to you why would they have anything to do with them?

 

[PennyAgain]

I very recently went through the TSA at DFW airport. I had everything in perfect order....thankfully in original containers. The agent thought she saw 'something' when I went through the full body scanner and me and my carry on stuff were very seriously checked.

 

The 'something' was a result of my bad leg injury.

 

Any excuse to start hunting through our stuff.

 

Be prepared!

[uppitycats]

If the three month bottles came from that pharmacy, then great I understand why they would be willing to assist you.

 

However, if you purchased the three month bottles from a mail order pharmacy as some insurance insists, why would your local pharmacy get involved in touching medications they did not dispense?

 

If, IF they didn't sell them to you why would they have anything to do with them?

 

 

Courtesy, perhaps? There still are some civilized people in the world...although you'd hardly know it if this forum was the only place you hung out....

[beachchick]

Thank you all for your advice. My mother has decided to take the bottles with her. Best not take a chance. She had heart by-pass surgery 5 years ago along with arthritis she has a lot of meds to take. Unfortunately, she can't get smaller bottles from the pharmacy because her insurance dictates that she must get the three month supply by mail. LOL Again, thanks for the advice. This is why I love this Cruise Critic site, so many smart people willing to help.

 

This won't help you for this trip/cruise, but it might in the future. A couple of times, I have called and asked the 90-day mail-order pharmacy to fill our prescriptions in three smaller bottles. Only once have they said no, with no explanation other than "that's not the way we do things.":rolleyes:

 

She can still ask her local pharmacy! That's what I do -- meds in 3 month supply bottles -- and they'll still repackage it (for free)...

 

I'm certain that our local pharmacist would do that if we asked. He and his staff are fantastic and really take the time to care about "their" patients. He has even gone to bat with the insurance company to get things covered.

 

If the three month bottles came from that pharmacy, then great I understand why they would be willing to assist you.

 

However, if you purchased the three month bottles from a mail order pharmacy as some insurance insists, why would your local pharmacy get involved in touching medications they did not dispense?

 

If, IF they didn't sell them to you why would they have anything to do with them?

 

 

Because it's not always just a business transaction for them. I don't know if it matters that we now live in a smaller town, but our local pharmacists are part of the community, know people, and care about their needs.

 

beachchick

[sparky-elpaso]

The labels on DH's prescription bottles ( the 90 day ones in the big bottles) can be peeled off (carefully) and put on the smaller bottles. I keep a few of the smaller bottles from other prescriptions for just that purpose. I found a clear plastic make-up bag at Walmart that holds the 4 bottles just like it was made for it - much sturdier than a ziploc.

[fleckle]

The agents know very well that carrying medications in the original prescription bottle proves nothing as anyone can easily put anything they want into those bottles or jars regardless of what the label says.

 

If they really suspect you of smuggling illegal drugs, you are going to get hassled no matter what type of labels or containers you use.

 

If you follow procedures and do nothing to attract attention, the odds are that 99 times out of 100 you will pass right through and nothing will be opened or questioned.

 

But realistically, if they have been tipped off and are on alert looking for something, or if you say or do anything to tick them off, or there is something unusual about you, you may be delayed and subjected to further inspection regardless of how you store your medications.

 

 

[sail7seas]

Courtesy, perhaps? There still are some civilized people in the world...although you'd hardly know it if this forum was the only place you hung out....

 

 

Yes, courtesy, and maybe you are a good customer in the store for OTC and other items but my point is more about liability.

 

What if the pills you put in the vial (s)he provided and labeled were not what you represented to the pharmacist? If he prepares these pill bottles with his pharmacy name on them and for some reason, the wrong pills get put in that bottle and someone becomes ill because of that.... what about liability to this pharmacist who did not dispense the medication yet provided labeling and packaging?

 

I have the same respect and appreciation for my local pharmacist who also goes above and beyond for all his customers but I'm not sure he would touch pills he did not dispense himself.

 

[Ashland]

My perscription meds either from mailorder or my local pharmacy have a description (color, shape etc.) of the meds label on the bottles..