Originally Posted by
JDiver
Amazon offers a large variety of pill vials, clear, amber, etc. ask your pharmacy if they can print a reduced size label, or if it’s just the length apply as much as possible around the vial and then fold the label back on itself so you’re left with a labeled vial with a tab, essentially.
We've just encountered this from CVS problem, when they discontinued using/stocking their previously smallest vial for pills. Almost all of our many Rx's would fit in the smaller one, and I doubt we are alone in this. Why they prefer to stock only the larger "small" isn't clear. It might not cost much more, but they take up more space, and aren't even stackable.
We are planning to find/buy some of the smaller ones, and ask our pharmacist to attach proper labels (or just hand us the labels, which they'd do with no problem if they didn't feel right about attaching them). I had thought about sticking the two ends together, sticking out a bit, if important info would be covered, but I like the "foldover" end better. Thanks!
Originally Posted by
txflyer77
If you're worried about specific medications in certain countries, you can email the consulate and ask if any are a problem. Japan is one destination that can trip people up in this regard.
The only thing I carry in the original prescription bottle is my anti-anxiety medicine since psychotropics are one of the categories that sometimes attract extra attention, though to date nobody's asked.
This is, or could be, a serious concern (and possible *very* serious) depending upon which meds, which country, and also in some cases quantity of meds. And OTC meds can be a serious concern, too. There can be some surprises about what isn't allowed, or is only allowed in limited quantities, and what needs advanced permission, etc.
Japan is, indeed, among the more strict, although not the *most* strict. But again, it matters which meds. In Japan, Sudafed (the original formula, which is the only one that actually helps us, is banned entirely, except in very low concentrations, which leaves out the regular tablets. For other "sensitive" meds, especially some pain meds, pre-approval is required, but it was a very simple and quick process. In some cases, a smaller quantity doesn't need pre-approval, but above a threshold, it is needed.
www.CruiseCritic.com has quite a few threads about this, with considerable details, now and then:
Here is a link to the Disabled Travel sub-forum:
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190
We figure it is better - much better - to be safe than sorry, and we ALWAYS carry meds in Rx labeled containers, a copy of the Rx for anything sensitive (and this can vary with country), and a signed letter from MD stating that "<meds> are required for medical care", listing each of the meds.
We just update the paperwork approximately annually, so nothing is too much out of date.
We certainly don't want to be "turned away", and we even more do not want to be, uh, apprehended at some border!
We've had some "regular security" folks rummage through a carry on occasionally, but they never seemed at all interested in anything "medical". They never find whatever it is they might be looking for, which is fine with us
GC