How to travel with medications?

[Euthalius]

Hello, I am new to this group and new to taking multiple tablets following a heart attack. I am soon going to start travelling again for work and wonder whether there is anything I need to know about carrying all these tablets through the airport, e.g. do I have to take the boxes so I can prove what the drugs are?

[MisUse]

Hi. carry them in your hand luggage, and take a copy of your prescription with you. I take mine in dosette boxes to cover whole of time away plus extras. I don't take the actual boxes, take so much would need another case!, but a copy of your prescription should suffice

[Hidden in reply to MisUse]

Webster packs are safer than dose boxes as the chemist packs them into the sealed blister packs

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I have had to travel with Type I diabetes for over 50 years. A covering letter from your GP/consultant can be helpful. Strangely the only place I have had an issue is Heathrow although one place I have not been to is the USA.

[Hidden in reply to MichaelJH]

I've been to USA a free times. Unopened boxes is the trick there.

[Hidden]

Hi , I travel to Thailand a lot for a month at a time. I carry my medication in original boxes with a copy of my prescription. Been stopped by Thai customs who are notorious for being strict, but never had a problem.

Wherever you go travelling, have a great time!

[Hidden]

Hi I just put the packets not the boxes in a clear plastic bag with my prescription in my hand luggage, I have never had any bother even in abhu Dhabi they never took them out of the bag, painkillers is probably the only prescription drug there could be a problem with as codeine is illegal in a few countries char x

[Ruffio]

I always travel with the boxes too, in addition to a copy of my full prescription list.

[JibberBXT]

Hi,

I have travelled to the US, Japan, Germany, Belgium and France. I take an original of your prescription list (green forms) and take the tablets in their foil packs (not the boxes). I have never had a problem. I am also diabetic and put all my diabetic bits and bobs in a separate cool bag. Never bothered with a letter from the Doc.

Good Luck, Geoff

[Jill222]

Hi just from experience taking my medication on holiday. I leave mine in the boxes they come in. Take a prescription that the doctor has given me and put in my hand luggage, airport staff have never looked or questioned them. I also carry my anti coagulation card as this must be shown when going through the scanners. (Due to defibrillator)

[Oneman]

Hi There, I live in Spain and travel regularly within Europe for work. I have been talking multiple meds (all tablets) since HA in early 2016. I travel with the tabs in pre-prepped daily boxes, in my hand luggage. Hand luggage has been opened for scrutiny in several different airports, Italy, Spain and UK and the tabs have never once been questioned. Personally I have never carried the actual prescription but it may make sound sense for you to do so as suggested on this forum.

[Handel]

Hi. Our GP just fills out a standard travel letter noting down the drugs and what they're taken for. I don't bother taking the boxes pills are in as all the bubble packs have the name of the drug on them. I take my repeat prescription and a copy of travel insurance (type 1 diabetic too!). Good luck xx

[Euthalius]

Thanks very much to everyone who replied to my original post. I took the tablets in a dosette box, plus cut-off fronts of the original boxes and a copy of the prescription. No problems in Italy last week or in USA this week.

[Hidden]

If flying overseas I carry a recent letter from my doctor on their letterhead listing my medications including non prescription and carry unopened boxes with their labels on. If you do lots of short overseas trips consider having your pharmacist doing Webster packs for you and carry those with the Dr letter. I always take extra, I've been stranded several times, bit not so much it will be questioned and I always carry on so they can't be lost. I also carry copy of my scripts in case I need now. Overseas won't fill those but a doctor can at least see them and wrote scripts for you wherever you are. If changing a big time zone talk to your doctor about any timing changes to when you take. For example delaying a Statin 12 hours to get in sync isn't a problem but it's with blood thinners. Equally, you can't double them up. Once you've had that chat it will be the same anytime you go a long way. Note that a doctor letter won't work for strong painkillers with ocytocin, codeine etc. They are tightly controlled in many countries.