If you are planning a trip and you take medication, this is the post for you as I have some simple tips and advice with things you may not have considered.
You may think you can just take your medication with you and that’s it. Sadly that is not always the case depending on your medication, as some are controlled drugs and others are illegal in certain countries! Even simple things such as Codeine are banned in certain countries. So don’t just assume you are fine, check first and follow these simple tips.
Here are my tips for travelling with medication abroad:
- Take a copy of your prescription and keep it on you
I always recommend this no matter what you are prescribed. Take a copy of your prescription so that if you ever get stopped, you can show that they are your legally prescribed medications.
Keep the prescription with you so that you can show it if you are ever stopped. - Keep medication in packaging
I know many of you decant into pill organisers or into smaller containers, but this can be really bad when travelling as how do they know that medication was prescribed for you if it is in plain packaging? Even if you have a copy of a prescription, they can’t tell that those pills came from that prescription. You could have gotten it illegally. They don’t know.
So always take medication in the packaging it came in with your name on. - Check that your medications are allowed in that country
Some medications are illegal in certain countries, especially if controlled drugs such as opioids. In some countries you will not be allowed to take it in, or you may need approval such as a personal licence from the government or approval from your doctor to take them abroad.
All countries vary with rules and requirements. Some are very strict such as India, Pakistan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates who have a long list of banned medications including even Codeine!
This is very important, so do your research before you travel and allow time for any approval that may be needed.
Check with the embassy of the country you are travelling to as well as your own government website for advice. - Pack medications in your hand luggage
Imagine if your suitcase went missing along with your medications! Pack them in hand luggage only. - Liquids?
If you have liquid medication, still pack it in hand luggage, but if it is over 100ml you may need a letter from your doctor as with most airports, the liquids rule is still 100ml, although a few airports have removed this rule. Make sure you check before you fly. - Take enough
If you won’t have enough medication, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for more. Just explain how long you are away for. - Travel insurance with medical cover
If you are on medication, you most likely have some health issues. Make sure that you have travel insurance with medical cover, and make sure to declare any pre-existing medical conditions otherwise you could invalidate your entire policy.
Check my post on travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions for detailed information.