Air travel w medications

[stillstANNding]

Hey all,

I am traveling briefly during the holidays. I am on many meds. Usually I change the schedule of the R so I don't need to take it or maybe skip 1 dose.

But what about the pills? They have to be in the original container yet they want those to be under 3 ounces, yes? Many of mine are over 3 ounces as I get them 3 mo. at a time.

These Rx's are too expensive to risk in checked luggage.

Here's the TSA statement:Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

Medications

You may bring all prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including KY jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes.

Additonal items you may bring include:

Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;
Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
Gels or frozen liquids needed to cool disability or medically related items used by persons with disabilities or medical conditions.
You are not limited in the amount or volume of these items you may bring in your carry-on baggage. BUT if the medically necessary items exceed 3 ounces or are not contained in a one-quart, zip-top plastic bag, you MUST declare to one of our Security Officers at the checkpoint for further inspection.

Anyone fly lately?
Thanks, ANN

[Cat Dancer]

The instructions are pretty clear....there in the last two sentences you quoted..."But if the medically necessary items exceed 3 ounces or are not contained in a one-quart, zip-toc plastic bag, you MUST declare to one of our Security Officers at checkpoint for further inspection"...

I always carry a copy of my prescriptions (you can get a copy from the pharmacy if you don't have it), and always tell the security folks what I have, and show it to them. A quick glance and I'm done (well, after they hand-search me, as I'm in a wheelchair and can't go through the regular "gate").

You should NEVER put your medicines in checked luggage, by the way! These days the checked bags are getting lost a lot, and you don't want to be without them...nor have to replace them. ALWAYS have them as a carry-on.

[stillstANNding]

Thanks Cat. The last time I flew was in July before the latest brouhaha. Anyone declare and have said search?

There is also a part that says if you don't want your meds X-rayed to tell them and have a search. Where do we stand on x-raying pills?
ANN

[Cat Dancer]

x raying pills should not be a problem. I can't think of anything in a pill that would be affected by x-rays.

[paj]

Ann,

I just got back from traveling in and out of Philly. I took my shots (10 of them) and my Calcium and my omega III Fatty acids :).

I declared my shots. I had them in a hard case provided by shared solutions and my folded box with the presciption on it. I told them I had meds, they assumed it was refrigerated (on Ice?) and I said no, and they said, is it insulin and I said no, "copaxone :)" and they said okay and no one even looked at it. Maybe because I was gimpy and using my cane.

But that was my recent experience. I declared in both directions and no one looked. Or at least they didn't take them out of the "back pack" or container, they looked a while on the xray belt.

Maybe you can leave some of your meds at home, take enough for the trip in the appropriate container but leave some safe at home?

Have a great holiday.

paj

[Cat Dancer]

Ann,

I just got back from traveling in and out of Philly. I took my shots (10 of them) and my Calcium and my omega III Fatty acids :).

I declared my shots. I had them in a hard case provided by shared solutions and my folded box with the presciption on it. I told them I had meds, they assumed it was refrigerated (on Ice?) and I said no, and they said, is it insulin and I said no, "copaxone :)" and they said okay and no one even looked at it. Maybe because I was gimpy and using my cane.

But that was my recent experience. I declared in both directions and no one looked. Or at least they didn't take them out of the "back pack" or container, they looked a while on the xray belt.

Maybe you can leave some of your meds at home, take enough for the trip in the appropriate container but leave some safe at home?

Have a great holiday.

paj

Just make sure the "appropriate container" is the one with the *prescription* on it! I probably wouldn't take all of them either -- you never know when you could lose your carryon, or it get wet or something..and at least you'd have the rest of the meds to take when you got home. I pack just what I'm going to need (in the prescription bottle) and leave the rest, even when it's just a matter of carrying them in my purse and I'm driving.

[stillstANNding]

Thanks paj & Cat. I never take the whole 3 months. I'd like to fill up one of those weekly med containers and have on some other trips. Now I want to go by the letter of the law and am copying the TSA statement so the screeners and I are using the same rule. And I will be the most polite person they ever screened:)

I managed to squeeze all of the meds into a quart size bag last night! I can not close it.
ANN

[Lollipop]

I flew last week with no probs - crammed everything into an ever so slightly oversized clear plastic food bag and it was my Clarins sun protection cream that got the attention!

But here's what somebody on a UK forum said on Tuesday this week (so I'm assuming it's current) in case it helps in other parts of the world too:

Not sure if anyone is aware of this but the airlines offer Frequent Traveller cards for people in wheelchairs, those carrying syringes etc.

I am a very regular traveller, but have been finding it more challenging every week to carry my Rebif and its ice-pack. Especially as you are always supposed to tell the airline about syringes etc. So I got a British Airways "FREMEC" which is a Frequent Traveller's Medical Card, basically once you have one of these life gets easier, they know that I have syringes from the reference number of it, and if in future I need a wheelchair etc that can be recorded.

These FREMECs are apparently accepted across all airlines, and for example BA also allow you to use a Business Class check-in desk to make life easier. To get one contact the BA Medical Clearance Unit, you will need to get a Medif form from their website signed by your GP, and then sent to BA to say you want a FREMEC. It lasts for 3 years & costs nothing (unless you GP charges for the letter, like min £5).
Airlines certainly vary. Some will put meds in their onboard fridges, others won't. I think the answer is to contact your airline - being the most polite person they've ever screened certainly helped me :D.

Lolli xx

[paj]

Ann,

How was the traveling experience?

paj

[stillstANNding]

Thanks lollipop.

paj, no, we are going for 5 days in between the holidays and hoping to get double family credit:)

A friend that flew in from Phoenix said she brought all her supplements and had her bag x-rayed and that was that. Big bottles, too.

ANN

[paj]

Thanks lollipop.

paj, no, we are going for 5 days in between the holidays and hoping to get double family credit:)

A friend that flew in from Phoenix said she brought all her supplements and had her bag x-rayed and that was that. Big bottles, too.
ANN

Sorry, I am so confused :eek: I'll just go away now ;)

paj

[mrtnsn68]

I left out of O'Hare Airport in Chicago on November 20 and informed the screeners of what I had on me in the way of medications. I had brought with me a note (on a prescription paper) from my doctor with the information about what medicine I was taking (Rebif) and what it was for. They sent it through the screening machine and didn't look at it any further -- didn't even look at the note from the doctor. I was rather surprised. I thought they'd open the case and inspect things. It went very smoothly. I leave for home from Tucson, AZ on Wednesday and I'll see then how they handle things here.

Kari

[frame]

I use my baclofen bottle (which is huge) to put all the drugs i'm going to need for a trip in. Those pill containers always pop open on me. As for the shots, just tell the security people. Its a good idea to bring your scripts with you too if you have them.

[stillstANNding]

paj, pizzaguy and I both have widowed mothers that don't want to travel. They want to be in their own homes for the holidays. So do we:) So, we see my mom about 5 times a year (and I call her every day). One of the trips is between Tday and Xmas. Got it?

frame, what about Rx's needing to be in the original Rx container? Has this worked for you? Apparently. I'll have to think about it. I can't go if the take my RX's.

ANN

[Cat Dancer]

paj, pizzaguy and I both have widowed mothers that don't want to travel. They want to be in their own homes for the holidays. So do we:) So, we see my mom about 5 times a year (and I call her every day). One of the trips is between Tday and Xmas. Got it?

frame, what about Rx's needing to be in the original Rx container? Has this worked for you? Apparently. I'll have to think about it. I can't go if the take my RX's.

ANN


I thought we answered this already? Meds have to be in their original containers, with the prescriptions attached. If you go to the pharmacy and inquire, they can put a small amount into a smaller container -- WITH A COPY OF THE PRESCRIPTION ATTACHED, for you.

It sounds like you're still trying to squash all of these into a quart zip-lock bag. YOU DON"T NEED TO DO THAT. What you DO need to do is: when you go to the first counter at the airport to check in, announce that you have prescription medicines in your carry-on, and offer to show them, and the prescriptions. They may or may not be interested. Then all along the way --

through any security check-ins, past any security people, announce AGAIN that you have prescriptions in your carry-on, and offer to show them. Again, they may or may not be interested.

If anyone "official" stops you and asks, announce again that you have prescription medication in your carry-on, and offer to show them.

The stuff that has to be in a clear zip-lock type bag are toiletries -- again, in their original but miniature containers (3-1/2 oz or less, available at any pharmacy or discount center where they sell shampoos and the like...)

NOT YOUR MEDICATIONS.

So it doesn't MATTER really how big or small your medication bottles or bags or boxes are -- you take them IN THEIR ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION-LABELLED CONTAINERS, IN YOUR CARRY-ON, with original prescriptions, and be prepared to show them when asked. That's all.

[stillstANNding]

Cat, yes and thank you. We have gone over this. I am responding to new posts.

Bless you, every one.
ANN

[paj]

I thought we answered this already? Meds have to be in their original containers, with the prescriptions attached. If you go to the pharmacy and inquire, they can put a small amount into a smaller container -- WITH A COPY OF THE PRESCRIPTION ATTACHED, for you.

It sounds like you're still trying to squash all of these into a quart zip-lock bag. YOU DON"T NEED TO DO THAT. What you DO need to do is: when you go to the first counter at the airport to check in, announce that you have prescription medicines in your carry-on, and offer to show them, and the prescriptions. They may or may not be interested. Then all along the way --

through any security check-ins, past any security people, announce AGAIN that you have prescriptions in your carry-on, and offer to show them. Again, they may or may not be interested.

If anyone "official" stops you and asks, announce again that you have prescription medication in your carry-on, and offer to show them.

The stuff that has to be in a clear zip-lock type bag are toiletries -- again, in their original but miniature containers (3-1/2 oz or less, available at any pharmacy or discount center where they sell shampoos and the like...)

NOT YOUR MEDICATIONS.

So it doesn't MATTER really how big or small your medication bottles or bags or boxes are -- you take them IN THEIR ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION-LABELLED CONTAINERS, IN YOUR CARRY-ON, with original prescriptions, and be prepared to show them when asked. That's all.

And I took my shots (in their little shrink wrapped containers in a smaller container provided by the manufacturer-hold 5 and folded the box (which holds 30 but had the perscription on it) so it wasn't so bulky.....

paj

[paj]

paj, pizzaguy and I both have widowed mothers that don't want to travel. They want to be in their own homes for the holidays. So do we:) So, we see my mom about 5 times a year (and I call her every day). One of the trips is between Tday and Xmas. Got it?


ANN

ANN,

Got it, I just was laughing at myself for my assumption that it was Tgiving and my brain with holes in it for not remembering what day of the week it is so to speak......Hope it goes well. If I remember correctly, one of those trips is fairly close to me.....but it could be those holes in my brain again too.

paj