Prescriptions

[island visitor]

Do you always have your medication in the original containers or do you use one of those 7 day pill holders? It takes up so much room to take all the bottles.

[jtl513]

People here always advise taking the original bottles, so I've carefully peeled the labels off the original bottles and put them on smaller ones ... but I've never been questioned about what I have.

[candbgirl]

I always use a 7 day one. I do take a list of medicines too but I have never had anyone question anything. In the US or elsewhere.

Edited August 12, 2014 by candbgirl

[sail7seas]

I always bring pharmacy bottles.

One time when my carryon was hand checked because x-ray picked up a lot of metal..... it was jewelry. When the TSA person opened my bag they saw a Ziploc on top that contained my med bottles. They commented good thing I had them in those bottles or they could have been confiscated. Doesn't matter to me what the website says is permitted/required. I don't want to be the person standing there begging to keep my meds. I make it as easy on security people as I can and hopefully they'll make it easy on me. :) If they take my meds, I go home. I have to have them.

 

[Shmoo here]

We always take our prescriptions in their original bottles. Now, we typically take longer trips (3 weeks at a time, or more), so we need to carry more than most do for a shorter cruise. Once onboard, I sort out my meds into my 7 day pill minder every Saturday, so I can keep track of what I've actually taken.

[PathfinderEss]

I put mine in small plastic bag's, I pretty much know what each pill looks like. My vit's, etc. go in one bag and the other has my prescription med's. Containers take up to much room. I also carry a list of my med's, just in case someone else needs to know what I'm taking.

[cb at sea]

Bring them however you want...no one cares or will check. Pack them separately from anything that might cause the TSA (if you're flying) to have some kind of conniption fit. Don't put it with your scissors or tweezers.....

 

We bring most of hubby's meds in a bottle, as some of his pills are too large for the daily containers.....if your's are small pills, stick them in the daily pill box, and put it in your purse....it's fine.

[POA1]

If you have large prescription bottles for 90 day supplies of your medicine, you can ask the pharmacy for small bottles that are more suitable for travel.

[Island Lovers]

I keep prescriptions in original containers and put supplements into a compartmentalized plastic container, all labelled. I've never had a problem (so far). I think that when flying it is most important to keep your prescriptions separate and in original pharmacy bottles, perhaps a bit less strict when embarking a ship. We tend to be on longer cruises and flying to ports, so it is a challenge, and I handle it as above. I keep all of the above essentials in a carryon bag, never in checked luggage.

[Fouremco]

We always carry our prescriptions in their original containers. You may know what those (legal) pills are, but customs officials may not, and some foreign customs officials are not as understanding as others. For the teenie bit of additional space the bottles might take, why bother putting them in some other container?

[SilvertoGold]

What about generic asprin, tylenol, etc.?

 

Generics have no markings and could be anything in some people's minds.

[RoupMom]

Put me down for a pill container person, but I do always worry a bit. I have a special one for traveling, covered with the same kind of fabric luggage has, and I think they always think it's something else --- or maybe I've just been lucky.

[cruiseman_tx]

I always take my meds in labeled containers, and in a quantity well more than I'll need on the cruise, allowing for any unforeseen event like mechanical failure or weather related delays. All go in a clear Baggie and have never had any problems this way on cruises or TSA airport security.

[GradUT]

I actually carry my aspirin/Tylenol in a little tin case that you used to be able to buy filled with Bayer aspirin. (Do you remember those? Do they still sell them?) Anyway, the little tin was originally for cat treats and that's what it says on the outside of the tin. Makes me laugh!

[ellieanne]

All my prescriptions are in the original bottles/packs with the prescription information on them. You can talk to your pharmacist and ask them to put the prescription information on smaller bottles to take on trips. Most are happy to do it, all you need to do is ask.

[RMLincoln]

We receive a copy of the bottle label with our receipt when we get prescriptions refilled. I can use that label to put on smaller bottles. If you don't get the extra label you can ask the pharmacist.... if you have one, but we get meds through mail-order and it's not that easy. m--

[cruisenfreak]

I have pealed and stuck my labels onto a flat sheet that is folded and put in my pill box. That includes a number of supplements also. Never had a problem.

[nana51]

I always take mine in the 7 day keeper. Never have questions at the airport, customs, or the ship.

[wander]

For 7 day trips i simply use the 7-day container, along with copies of my prescriptions. For longer trips I usually get smaller pill vials from the pharmacy and a copy of what they call dummy labels - not good for renewal but tells what the meds are. I do this just to be on the safe side, but after traveling to over 120 countries (land, air and sea trips) I have NEVER had anyone ask about or even look at my meds, which are in my carry-on. However, there can always be a first time, I know. So, I play the game.

 

In reality, having the pills in the original bottles is meaningless as you could put almost anything in the bottles that have no relevance to the labels. With a few exceptions one cannot tell what a pill is by just looking at it unless the person also had a PDR to look up their pictures. Even then it is iffy as drug manufacturers can change pill appearance more easily than the PDR is updated.

 

For example, I take an adult aspirin. Well, depending on where I get them they may be yellow or several shades of orange. I also take a prescription drug and every so often a note comes with my renewal telling me that they have changed suppliers and that the new pills do not look like my previous prescription. There is no way the inspectors could tell if the pills in the container were really what the label says or something else.

[shandryl]

I keep my prescriptions in the original bottles. :) My advil or any other pain relievers stay in the exact bottle they were purchased in. :D I just want to go through Customs! I don't like taking any chances LOL I want the whole process to be a smooth as possible. :)

Edited August 12, 2014 by shandryl

[Krazy Kruizers]

3 times since 9/11 we have had security at the airports check our medicine bag.

We always keep our medications in their original bottles. We get 90 day refills and some of DH's pills look like horse pills. Our drug store automatically will make 3 small bottles for these large pills - thus we don't have any large pill containers.

[sapper1]

I always bring pharmacy bottles.

One time when my carryon was hand checked because x-ray picked up a lot of metal..... it was jewelry. When the TSA person opened my bag they saw a Ziploc on top that contained my med bottles. They commented good thing I had them in those bottles or they could have been confiscated. Doesn't matter to me what the website says is permitted/required. I don't want to be the person standing there begging to keep my meds. I make it as easy on security people as I can and hopefully they'll make it easy on me. :) If they take my meds, I go home. I have to have them.

 

 

Yes to the above. Prescription meds are always in their original containers. Nine times out of ten you will most likely be OK without, but then you get the security or customs guy who had a fight with his wife before coming to work and look out!! If I am carrying a restricted substance I always have a doctor's note as to the fact that I have it and why I need it.

 

OTC meds such as vitamins and daily aspirin get put in labelled baggies and if they are confiscated they are easily replaced.

[sapper1]

Bring them however you want...no one cares or will check. Pack them separately from anything that might cause the TSA (if you're flying) to have some kind of conniption fit. Don't put it with your scissors or tweezers.....

 

We bring most of hubby's meds in a bottle, as some of his pills are too large for the daily containers.....if your's are small pills, stick them in the daily pill box, and put it in your purse....it's fine.

 

Your advice may be fine for domestic flights but many of us fly internationally and have to go through customs. They do care.

[jbhcw]

My most important meds...that I have to have are in 90 day bottles...I usually just take the bottle..but am traveling next month without dh..and was thinking I would ask for prescription labels at the drug store..and put each med in a small ziplock...this will take up much less room and if it's labeled with the same label that would be on the bottle think I will be okay...we are friends with our pharmacists.....will ask...

 

And I always take plenty of the meds I cannot do without...as someone else said...I couldn't travel if I did not have my medication.

 

And I also have a list of all my meds in my iphone...

[Crazy For Cats]

When I need to fly to the port to catch the ship I save an old prescription bottle and put all of the required pills in that bottle. That way I hope that I am covered if TSA checks and the bottle becomes disposal post cruise to free up some space on the return trip.