6 Tips for Traveling with Medication
If you take medication daily, the last thing you want to happen on your trip is to find out you’ve run out of an essential prescription. This can become even more problematic if you have to extend your trip due to a positive COVID-19 result.
Travelers should always plan for the unexpected, and this means making sure you have the proper amount of medication for your trip. Here are 6 tips for traveling with your medication:
I recommend keeping your medication in its original container. They have the pill description, quantity, date filled, your address and full name on it, so at least any security will know it isn’t fake. If you don’t want to take your entire bottle of medication with you, ask your pharmacy for an empty bottle with the Rx label printed on it. The most important thing is making sure the pills is easily identifiable and you an an ID to prove that it is your prescription.
You should always keep your medication in your carry-on or your personal item so they won’t get lost. I keep all of my medication in a pouch anyway and this makes it easy to throw into my carry-on or backpack when traveling. TSA also allows for “reasonable amounts” of medically necessary liquids, gels, and aerosols. Just let the TSA officers know in advance. If you have diabetes, keep glucose tablets or a bag of hard candies with you as flight times can fluctuate.
If traveling for an extended period of time, it may be better to ask for a 90-day supply of drugs. Keep OTCs on hand like Dramamine for motion sickness, Imodium for stomach issues, or Tylenol/pain reliever for headaches/pain.
If you’re a veteran or active-duty military, you can go to the nearest military base to get your medications filled if you already receive them through the VA or DoD. For civilians, it may be best to ask the hotel to assist you with the name of your prescription in the local language so there’s no language barrier between you and the pharmacy.
Prescription costs can vary depending on the country, so look into your travel insurance to see if it covers any prescriptions or medications.
Don’t wait until the day before your trip to get your prescription filled in case the pharmacy ran out or your insurance messes up.
If your medication requires you to take it at the same time every day, set an alarm or timer on your phone to make sure you still take your medication at the right time.