Pill question

[Bucko]

For health reasons I take 5 different pills daily. I was going to take enough pills for the week in one pill bottle but my travel agent said that I am not allowed to do what I want to do. My travel agent said a new ruling has been made and I must put my pills in the proper prescription bottle for each different pill. I am just trying to find out if this new policy is true or not.

Elinis 7/73
Rotterdam 7/75
Crown Dynasty 5/01
Carnival Triumph 9/02
Voyager of the Seas 5/04

[megalyce]

Just to be safe I'd follow his advice. Technically, it's considered illegal if you possess prescription drugs and are not carrying the prescription. I doubt anyone would check, however, it wouldn't be very fun to "find out the hard way"

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Holland American Veendam 3/03
Carnival Imagination 4/00
Lake Champlain Ferries 88-95

[BethCarp]

I have not heard this as "policy" per se. But, I have heard it is strongly recommended. 1) It's not a good idea to "mix" pills.
2) You may need the prescription #/info in case of emergency.

Beth

Radiance 7/03

[Angel in FL]

What about pills like Calcium & Vit. I don't want to take huge bottles. Think that would be okay. Thanks

[dougp26364]

If it's true, then it's rarely if ever enforced. My wife takes a few presciption medications each day. The advice we've received is to only take enough for your trip plus a couple of days in the event your trip is unexpectedly extended. This way, if something happens and your pills are lost, you're not out a months supply.

My wife has always carried her pills in a couple of the daily reminder cases. We've never had a problem, never had them inspected and never been asked about them. I'm not sure where your TA received this bit of info but it doesn't sound accurate to me. I'm sure it's probably a law or rule somewhere but isn't enforced. Just like many of the obscure, ridiculous or impossible to enforce laws on the books. There would be a LOT of angry travelers if they started enforcing or getting picky about this.

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Explorer OTS - Eastern Caribbean 11/04

Past cruises
Vision OTS - Alaska 7/03
Legend OTS - Alaska 7/02

[mom22]

I don't know about any cruise line rules against it, (Megalyce is right, it is techically illegal) however I have to caution you to be careful with multiple percriptions in one bottle. A lot of meds look the same (expecially generics) and can be easly confused. In 10 years of working in a pharmacy, I can't tell you how many people brought in bottles like that to have us indentify the pills.

Another possible solution is to ask your pharmacy to print up duplicate lables for small bottles for just what you need, plus a little more in case your trip is delayed. Shouldn't be a problem, especially if you are nice about it as I'm sure you will be. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] I did it all the time for our patients when they were traveling. It is still a lot of bottles, but takes up less space (plus you don't risk losing a whole months worth of meds if you lose one.

Nile river cruise 4/84
Song of America 12/87
Voyager of the Seas 1/04/04
Ecstacy 7/26/04

[depwa45]

My wife has to take 12 different pills a day, three times a day due to two lung transplants! If we took all of her pill bottles, we'd have to pack another suitcase. So, we have just taken her containers (actually, she uses a fishing tackle box) in her carry on luggage. Three cruises post 9-11, and no hassles from TSA or the cruise line. Actually, she also takes her insulin needles with her insulin in her carry on bag w/ her other meds, and they have NEVER even questioned that at security. Just in case though, we always travel with a Dr's note stating that all of the above items must always be with her.
I wouldn't sweat it....

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Carnival Triumph January 2003
Sea Princess September 2002
Grand Princess January 2002
Inspiration June 1996

[megalyce]

Perhaps, if the pills don't all look alike, you could just pack them all in one or two bottles and make photocopies of your prescriptions?

(Like I said before, technically, traveling without your prescriptions is like driving without your license...it's "illegal", but we all do it!)

Holland American Veendam 3/03
Carnival Imagination 4/00
Lake Champlain Ferries 88-95

[birdyhunter]

I use one of the seven day storage boxes. That way they will all be gone before we go through customs.

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Carnival Destiny 7/01
Carnival Pride 7/02

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[VickiVSN]

I took photo copies of the labels of each of my prescrptions and OTC drugs/vitamins and packed just what I needed in zip lock bags. I figured everything could be identified and verified this way and I wouldn't have to take up 90% of my luggage space with bottles. I don't know if this would hold up in a court of law or not, but it made sense to me.

Vicki
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[mom22]

Good idea Vickie, it's the labels that matter, not the bottle itself. Photocopies or a duplicate from the pharmacy are fine. I've never been able to figure out how to get those pesky bottles to lie flat on the coppier though! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Nile river cruise 4/84
Song of America 12/87
Voyager of the Seas 1/04/04
Ecstacy 7/26/04

[D4]

This is from the US Customs website. It gives the rules for medications part way down.

[url="http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/travel/leavingarrivinginUS/vacation/know_brochure/prohibited_restricted.xml#12"]http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/travel/leavingarrivinginUS/vacation/know_brochure/prohibited_restricted.xml#12[/url]

[melissasneu]

I am a pharmacist and former airline employee.It is always ideal to carry meds in labeled containers.Previous poster had good idea to ask your pharmacist label really small bottles for you. Thousands of people use pill boxes and I don't think you have to worry about airport security withholding your meds from you (too much risk without probable cause). If you do travel with pill boxes have your pharmacist or doctor or yourself write down all meds including herbal and vitamins you take. Include name/strength/daily directions/doctor's name and phone number.Make sure your travel partner knows where the list is in case of emergency.

I don't recommend baggies because some pills/capsules break easily and this can drastically effect blood levels of certain medications.

NEVER carry nitroglycerin pills (used for chest pain) in any container other than the original GLASS container issued by the pharmacy or one that is specifically made for NITRO.Also a very good idea to discard of any nitro pills that are more than a 2 mos old and make sure you bring fresh ones with you as nitro rapidly deteriorates particularly once it's container has been opened and exposed to air or mosture.

Check with your pharmacist or physician to make sure your medications or disease states are safe to mix with sea sickness medications/patches (special caution to glaucoma,asthma,parkisons patients) Sea wrist bands work very well are drug and side effect free.

Carry ALL your medication with you in your carry on. I've known people to carry a few with them and leave the rest in the checked luggage. The passenger goes to Wichita and the suitcase ends up in Cancun or is never seen again.

Have a fabulous and safe vacation

Melissa

[cmauney]

My husband and I are very good friends with the chief detective in our hometown in SC. One day he saw me pull out a medicine bottle with several different kinds of over the counter pain meds, some prescription allergy meds, a migraine pill, etc. I just didn't want to carry all those bottles, and still don't around home. But he says that it is illegal to carry any meds in an improperly marked container(the ones the came in) and you can actually be arrested if you're stopped and your bags are searched. Any time I vacation, I always take the original bottles, whether they be prescription or OTC. Hope this helps. I don't know that the cruise lines care, but the law surely does.

Happy Cruising!

[just4kixx]

What an interesting and informative topic! Thanks for all the input. 3 out of 4 in my family take meds & supplements daily. WE always packed 3 weekly pill boxes (broken down into morning, noon, dinner & bed) in my carryon. ALthough we've never had a problem, I've always worried a bit about it. Dh & I could "manage" without our meds, but ds has a seizure disorder and without his meds would be in real danger.
This trip I will take the advice I am finding here. Thanks again!
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[dougp26364]

One word about nitro pills. Seems they trigger the explosives checking machine. I've worked as a coronary care nurse for several years and, occasionally, will have my computer set that stupid thing off. One of the TSA agents asked if I took any heart medications. I don't but I work with them all the time. The only pills I can figure that would have any effect would be nitro.

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Explorer OTS - Eastern Caribbean 11/04

Past cruises
Vision OTS - Alaska 7/03
Legend OTS - Alaska 7/02

[lmmn]

I have a daughter on several meds. When we travel, we have the pharmasist put labels on small bottles. Those 7 day organizers are handy, but once our child found it and took the remainder of the pills. Luckily there was only one day left. It's best to keep the pills in the pharmacy containers.

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