Traveling With Medications

Traveling With Medications

Your need for medications does not cease just because you will be traveling. Your health is important and traveling can be stressful so it is even more important to keep on top of medical issues by taking your medication as prescribed.

It is important to be able to manage your medications appropriately while traveling so here are some tips to help you.

The first thing you need to do once you discover that you will be traveling is to make a list of all the medications that you and everyone going with you will need while you are traveling.

Decide not only what medications you will need by approximately how many doses you will need to have with you and then add extra doses just to be sure you have enough in case you are gone longer than planned or some medication is spilled or lost.

Decide if you will need to be able to get refills of any medications while you are traveling and how you can get them. It is much easier to ask your doctor for the refills in advance before you leave than to find a pharmacist who can fill your refill needs while traveling.

Some large retail pharmacy chains allow you to refill wherever you are nationwide thanks to the Internet. Your medications should be with you at all times either in a large tote bag or in carry-on luggage.

Never pack medications in luggage that can be lost at airports and bus terminals. It is also easier to access your medications when you need them if they are with you instead of in the baggage compartment.

Make sure you have extra medications in case of delays especially during winter or when you are traveling internationally.

All medications should be in original containers that clearly state the name of the medication, the name of the doctor, and the name of the person for whom it was prescribed on the label.

Pharmaceutical And Medicine Sometimes the route of delivering a medication depends on the target of the medication: is it going to affect the brain? Is the target of the medication the lungs? Drugs and Medicine

 

You may be asked to prove that the medications are yours when going through security lines.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) states that medications are:

Supposed to be labeled so they are identifiable

Can be in daily dosage containers once you have pasted the checkpoint

Medication and supplies are X-rayed or visually inspected if you request so before the screening process begins.

Drugs And Treatment The purpose of medications should be to improve your medical, emotional or mental well-being and should cause you no harm in the process. In order for your medication to do what it is designed to do the prescribing doctor should know all about your medical history, and about all the medications you are taking no matter who has prescribed it for you. You should also let your doctor know about any “street drugs, or recreational drugs” that you are presently taking or have recently taken. You should also tell your doctor about any non-prescription drugs that you are taking. Drugs and Medicine

Always carry a copy of a syringe prescription with you, proving medical necessity.

You are usually allowed past checkout points with needles and syringes if you have proof that they are prescribed to you by a medical professional.

Storage:

Make sure you pay attention to storage needs of each medication you will be taking with you. Some medicines need to be refrigerated so carry a small-insulated cooler bag with an ice pack for these.

Other medications cannot be stored in areas above a certain temperature so keep these out of glove compartments or from being in direct sunlight or near the bathroom where humidity is higher. Do not leave medications in a car because the interior of a car can become very hot.

Keep your medications in a cool, dry, dark environment if possible unless otherwise noted on the label for storage.

Some hotels have a small refrigerator available upon request for medications that need to be refrigerated, so ask when you get to your hotel.

Ask your doctor before you leave, if your medication will need to be adjusted for different time zone or elevations.

Be sure to have all medical information regarding types of medication you take, dosage, and doctor contact information on hand with you while you travel. Most doctors will be happy to provide this on the office letterhead.