tfar

When I travel I have a little Nalgene bottle with pills in it. It is not very practical and I am looking for an 8-compartment pill case the size of a deck of cards instead. Haven't found one yet.

1. What do you carry?
2. Do you know a good pill case?

I saw this one that I liked:
http://www.wilsonsleather.com/sm-8-d...i-3224456.html

I carry:

- Claritin
- Aspirin
- Nyquil/Dayquil (cold medicine)
- Voltaren (against rheumatic and muscle pains)
- Sleep aids

Additionally, I was thinking of carrying:

- Somewhat stronger pain killer
- something against motion sickness (I don't get that but might be handy to offer to a fellow traveller)
- something against diarrhea

Recommendations for particular brands/remedies welcome.

Thanks!

Till

MilesDependent

I have been known as somewhat of a travelling pharmacy (aka drug store). But there is NOTHING worse than being sick overseas, so I take a small toiletries bag with a few essentials. Had an instance of a nasty cold in Asia, and I would have killed for some of my codeine-psudoepherine tablets.

On an overseas trip I take:
* Paracetamol
* Ibuprufen
* Strong paracetamol/codeine pain tablets
* Codral Cold & Flu x 2 (paracetomol, codeine and pseudoepherine)
* Otrivin (a god send if you get a cold and have to fly)
* Immodium
* Dettol cream
* Mouth ulcer gel (seem to get these when I travel, and a good gel is hard to find)
* Vitamins (a multi, a B complex, C, and ecinachea)
* OTC sleeping tablets
* Indigestion tablets (Zantec)

I have a doctor's note I take with me covering all of the above.

I do get a few funny looks from customs if they x-ray my bags But they've never investigated my massive drug stash. Last time the guy simply said "sh!t, that's a lot of tablets".

Domestically, I don't really take anything, as I know the products in Australia, and can just visit the local pharmacy.

skipaway

Can't help with the pill case. I carry ibuprofen, Cipro, eye anesthetic if off the beaten path, Zycam (I swear zinc is a miracle early on in a cold), Reglan (antiemetic), Pepcid Complete, acetazolamide (probably outdated it's been in there so long), Dermabond for small lacs--superglue would do as well. I'd recommend aspirin for anybody middle aged or older, and an Epi-Pen or similar device if history of severe allergic reactions

ElmhurstNick

Domestically or Canada, I don't carry much beyond my prescriptions - just some Advil in 24-count bottle (refilled from my Costco 325-count bottle) a few Aleve, a few extra-strength Tylenol and a few generic Prilosec in a small 4x2 pill case, and a small bottle of nasal saline solution. In the winter, I'll take 4 Mucinex with me as well.

Overseas, I go more prepared, as I have a long and nasty habit of getting sick with sinus/bronchial issues near the beginning of trips. I have:
- A prescription of generic Zithromax
- Glyoxide for any mouth issues, like a sore or a bad burn
- A very small tube of Orajel
- A larger supply of Mucinex
- A nifty Adventure Watertight Medical Kit, from which I strip out the excess gauzes and bandaids which I can pick up anywhere, but slip in a 12-tablet sheet of Benedryl and a similar strip of Immodium, as well as the Orajel. That spends the vacation at the bottom of my backpack, and otherwise resides in the glove compartment of my car;
- An old style powdered Gatorade, which I can still find at REI, and
- A bunch of quart size Ziploc bags inside one gallon size bag.

rahularora1

normally carry neurofen extra strong (both with codeine and without) night nurse an absolute saviour for man flu and also antibiotics (i am some what of a self medicator) just be sure your destination country allows you to carry your medications, ensure you have a prescription for everything!

Tutu

The Container Store has an assortment of pill boxes. These are not leather like the one you listed, but have a variety of types. Here is a link that should show you all their travel bottles & Medication containers. You need to scroll down to see all the types.

http://www.containerstore.com/browse...9&viewAll=true

I have heard that in some countries prescriptions must be in their original pharmacy container labeled with the name of the passenger, matching the ticket. Is this correct?

manneca

I carry a gallon zip lock bag if I am traveling in the developing world

pepto bismol
immodium
amoxicilin
cipro
tylenol
advil
alleve
gaterade packets
scopolamine patches if I'm gonna be on small boats

All go in checked luggage. Traveling companion carries an identical set so if luggage is lost, all is not lost.

saline solution (for my nose on long flights)
wet wipes (just so I can find them easily)
hand sanitizer
lens solution/lens case/extra lenses

go in quart bag with other liquid carry on supplies (if I'm flying in a friendly country, these may go in separate bag marked "medical supplies" -- lost my vaseline in Tokyo even though I told them that I needed it for flying --had just finished chemo and needed to keep my nose moist to avoid infection Japan doesn't recognize the medical supplies exception evidently)

Prescription drugs go in another zip lock. I don't use a pill box. I don't think I'm old enough for one yet (I'm only 62 )

I just don't take discretionary medicine like vitamin supplements when I'm traveling. Too much trouble.

tfar

Thanks everyone for your input. The pill box is really just to keep things orderly, not to look older (I'm only 36). If you carry pills that aren't individually wrapped it protects them better.

I noticed that everyone takes several versions of OTC pain pills that are all rather similar (NSAID) and did some research on the matter. Maybe those who do that have not done the research or there are different applications that I haven't found out in my own research.

What I did find out though is that you are not supposed to use two different kinds together, especially not the Tylenol (paracetamol/acetaminophen) variety with the NSAID variety. Except Tylenol which is only a painkiller, all the others will lower fever, kill pain and are anti-inflammatory. So there is no need to carry several kinds of the same thing unless they are different strength. In my case, the Diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam) is for an aching hip I get sometimes. It is an NSAID but stronger than the other stuff. It's prescription bound but I've never been bothered since I only carry a few pills of it. In fact, no TSA agent ever gave my personal/hygiene/med items a second glance.

Till

skipaway

It is totally ok to take both an NSAID such as ibuprofen, naproxen or a prescribed one with acetaminophen, both in full doses. It's not OK to take two, or, Heaven forbid, more kinds of NSAID at the same time. For example, don't take Motrin AND Alleve thinking they are different. Technically I guess you could take a half dose of each, and given every individual's idiosyncratic reaction to meds, that might make sense for a rare individual. Also keep in mind that most prescribed pain meds, like Lortab, Percocet, etc, contain acet which must be taken into account when considering whether to add a tylenol or two for good measure. One Lortab reinforced with one tylenol is OK. Two lortab with an extra gram of tylenol thrown in, not OK. (Don't panic if you accidentally do this once, but for ongoing use, good way to kill your liver.)

wiredboy10003

I think it's interesting that several posters carry what seems like an entire pharmacy. Especially things like amoxicillin and cipro. My travel is to big cities, mostly Europe, and I can't imagine not just walking across the street to a pharmacy if I need something. Travel to the developing world must be a lot tougher!

Over the last several years I've needed Immodium maybe twice. I think I might have some samples of Advil in my bag which were given to me on the street.

polonius

I just take tablets out of their boxes and put them in a ziplock bag.

I carry:
panadol
antacid
herbal laxative
anti-diarreha
zantac
motion sickness tablets
claritin
usually some sort of decongestant (e.g. sudafed)
valerina night time (valerian root based sleep aid)
eye drops
nasal spray

carolinelb

I carry an assortment of medicines in my bag all the time, two of which we sometimes need quickly are Benadryl and Pseudoephedrine.

I keep the pills in a divided plastic box that is about the size of a deck of cards, I have bought various boxes of this kind at the Container Store, TAP Plastics, and at Daiso. I also use a small plastic box for a few pieces of jewelry on travel. The boxes are not elegant, but they are perfect in terms of size, weight and convenience.

On travel, we have also needed first aid items, such as Polysporin, Cortizone cream and bandages, and I always travel with these, as well as a digital thermometer. I have a tiny zipped bag which contains all the first aid items, and if it will be in checked luggage, this is where I put the nail file and scissors, and the sewing kit and safety pins.

tfar

That's exactly what I plan on doing. Cool.^

mhnadel

If I'm going to Europe, I'm not likely to carry much beyond some aspirin and a few band-aids.

But the developing world does pose different issues. I have more than once sat around with a few other travelers comparing our medical kits.

What I find odd out of what people have listed is that what I consider my two most essential items are missing. Namely iodine tablets (for purifying water) and oral rehydration salts. ORS should be the first line of treatment if you do get traveler's diarrhea and you should use immodium or the like only if you absolutely have to travel. I also take pepto-bismol along since there is some evidence of its utility as a preventive (and it is hard to get in certain parts of the world).

By the way, it's important to check out any regulations for the countries you are going to. Pseudoephedrine, for example, is illegal in several, including Japan. There are also numerous reports of people getting arrested in Dubai for drugs which are legal and widely sold OTC in the U.S. and Europe.

antlass

Oh wow. Very good point. I always carry pseudoephedrine with me as it's pretty much all that works for me.

I also found it just about impossible to find an antihistimine in Amsterdam a few years ago when I had an awful allergic reaction to whatever kind of laundry soap the hotel used on our bed linens (no comments re: other potential sources on the linens please, I'm telling myself that's all it could have been!). It was awful being totally covered in hives and looking like a swarm of bees attacked me, and no effective drugs to counteract it. (all the pharmacists there said that I needed a prescription to treat them decently)

I will never leave home without a decent stock of good ol' plain Benedryl (or generic) again.