pacific1992

Hello guys,

I am travelling to San Jose ,USA from Bangalore,India via London in a BA Flight. I suffer from ashtma and I need to carry my Inhalers.
Where should store my medicines? In the check in luggage or cabin luggage?

Additionally, how many inhalers can I carry, since I will be in USA for a duration of 1 year.

MSPeconomist

Don't put medicine you need in checked luggage.

IMO you need to check whether your particular prescription inhaler is available in the USA. Try to get a doctor's letter on letterhead and a prescription (all in English of course) explaining your need for it and giving both the generic and trademark names for the stuff. If you use the inhaler regularly, you probably should plan to bring enough with you (perhaps with some extras in checked luggage) to easily last until your USA health insurance is effective (hopefully from the day you arrive, but you might have some temporary travel policy until coverage from work or school starts) and you've had time to pick a doctor and get an appointment to get a USA prescription.

Try to check the USA's FDA website to make sure that your medication is legal and available in the USA. That or the customs website should give rules about how much can be brought into the USA for personal use. The limit might be a one or three month supply.

You should probably do the same for England, although it's highly unlikely that a transit passenger needs to worry unless controlled substances are involved.

beckoa

Welcome to Flyertalk pacific1992. We're going to relocate this to a forum that discusses medical items, and posters that know many ins and outs of this.

~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk

pacific1992

Thank you very much. I have got the doctors prescription for the inhalers. Hope it would be okay then.

Cheers

JDiver

If you can post the brand and generic name, we can probably seed if that's available in US (and therefore easily recognizable by airport personnel). Names can sometimes vary, e.g. paracetamol in the US is acetaminophen.

pacific1992

Hey JDiver thank you.

Here is the list of inhalers that I use:-

FORACORT Inhaler (Formoterol fumarate dihydrate + Budesonide)- Long Term medicine.

DUOLIN Inhaler (Levosalbutamol sulphate + Ipratropium bromide)- Inhaler providing short term respite.

Is a prescription needed for all medicines in USA ?

Are any American counterparts available ?

Cheers.

chococat

Both of these inhalers are commonly available in the US but will require prescriptions.

rens

True, but interesting to note that, depending on the laws in each state, some states allow prescriptions written by foreign based doctors and institutions, at least for non-controlled substances. However, most national chains will not do this, even if legal in a specific state. Nonetheless some smaller, private, non-chain pharmacies do a thriving business in this market niche.

OP, you may want to check out what the situation is in your destination state to plan adequately.

JDiver

As you have seen, these are available in the U.S. In California the greatest regulation is of scheduled and dangerous drugs. I don't think you will have problems with inhalers used for asthma treatment that do not contain pseudephedrine and the like. Bring your prescription - better, several signed copies if you'll move about.

keisari

I would definitely carry it with you in your hand luggage.
I would bring a letter/note from your doctor in English stating that you have asthma and you need the medications.
Even though it will take lots of space, bring each inhaler in its own box and if the pharmacy can it is better if they put a sticker with your information on each box. One box per month means 24 boxes.
I cannot imagine this would be a problem.
I am not sure if we have a combination of levoalbuterol(salbutamol) and ipratropium mixed together in an inhaler but we have it as separate inhalers. budesonide and formeterol is called symbicort in the US; it probably costs around 200 US$ or so for each inhaler that lasts 30 days if you have to pay for it yourself.

techindranil

hi
i am using symbicort turbuhealer regular basis for asthama treatement ad as per doctor i have to use it regular basis until doctor not conformed to stop. so can i bring it with me to usa. and how many can i cary with me and can i get it in usa. please advice

CDTraveler

Symbicort is available in the US by prescription, so I believe you would be allowed to bring it in as long as you have the package with the prescription label still on it. Generally when you bring in medications the rule is no more than a 90 day supply. The rules are listed at https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Con.../ucm484154.htm