Flying with prescriptions question

[NMLady]

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.

 

They are different from the ziplock bag of allowed liquids. Take the box out of your carry on to go separately through security. TSA agent will compare name on your boarding pass with name on Rx box and will okay it.

[NMLady]

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).

 

I carry all our pills in daily pill packets but I also carry copies of the Rx labels.

We were randomly chosen to go through customs search but when questioned about the pills we had the Rx labels so after matching pills in one dumped packet with the corresponding Rx labels, we were allowed to keep all the pills.

[NMLady]

TSA at Heathrow?

 

Whatever they're called, those Security agents at Heathrow are the most exacting we've ever come across. Much more strict, and rude, than any other country's Airport we've been in. Worse than any USA. Gatwick isn't as strict as Heathrow.

[marchanxiety]

At Heathrow a security agent made me cram my Restasis, daily wear contacts, and prescription eye drops into the quart bag with my other liquids. On this trip I had gone through security in Washington, Berlin, and Stockholm without a problem. I think he was wrong, but what could I do? Since then I've gone through security in Japan (twice), Hong Kong, and Montreal with a separate bag for the eye stuff (including prescription documentation, which I had at Heathrow) with no problem. Are the rules different in the UK? I don't think so.

[kenish]

At Heathrow a security agent made me cram my Restasis, daily wear contacts, and prescription eye drops into the quart bag with my other liquids. On this trip I had gone through security in Washington, Berlin, and Stockholm without a problem. I think he was wrong, but what could I do? Since then I've gone through security in Japan (twice), Hong Kong, and Montreal with a separate bag for the eye stuff (including prescription documentation, which I had at Heathrow) with no problem. Are the rules different in the UK? I don't think so.

 

Since you asked the question and piqued my curiosity, a quick Google search quickly led to the UK regulations. Liquid meds >100ml are allowed with a doctor's note, and are limited to an amount required for your flight. So, the answer to the question is "Yes", and they technically could have made you dump out all the medication except for 1 or 2 doses.

 

One of the frequent Heathrow flyers and/or UK residents may have more detailed or correct info, but that's my quick read of the rules.

[Bowie MeMe]

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 have traveled internationally and domestically with the RX you are talking about along with others that come in huge packages for 3 month supply. I carry a total of 35 prescriptions and have not been challenged in any way. I take a snack bag (plastic zipper top) for each prescription and tape with clear tape the reorder slip that shows name, RX number, name of medication, doctor, date and directions. This slip can also be run off by your local pharmacy. That is a legal description of the medication. To my mind the important thing is the prescription information not the container to which it is attached. The argument that the original package is better -- that could be switched too so same argument.

 

I take the number of pills needed. I take my weekly pill minders and they all go into a heavy duty zippered plastic case that I carry in my carryon. I never forget a prescription because the bags are there to remind me. I make new bags each year so that the prescriptions are current!!

 

Works for me and I have done this system for maybe 10 years. Hope this helps you. Lots less weight than with containers and when you return have like and extra pound.

[marchanxiety]

Since you asked the question and piqued my curiosity, a quick Google search quickly led to the UK regulations. Liquid meds >100ml are allowed with a doctor's note, and are limited to an amount required for your flight. So, the answer to the question is "Yes", and they technically could have made you dump out all the medication except for 1 or 2 doses.

 

One of the frequent Heathrow flyers and/or UK residents may have more detailed or correct info, but that's my quick read of the rules.

 

So it seems that in the UK they want you to check your liquid medications? How could the dose necessary for the flight be over 100 ml? The bizarre thing is that Restasis comes in tiny vials with about four drops in each vial. Using it for a bomb would be a tedious, if not impossible, process. The same is true for soft contact lenses. (one of the reasons I switched to dailies was to stop carrying saline solution. Other contact solutions come in the correct size, but not saline.)