Taking medicines abroad

Manxman_in_exile

From what I've read here and elsewhere the best advice is:


(1) Keep medication in the original packaging (I must admit I just take the blister pack to save space) and


(2) Bring the prescription too. So what does this mean as the prescription itself has already been dispensed? Does it mean the second page which lists medication to request repeat prescriptions? The problem with this is that I've had medication which my GP won't put on repeat (it needed to be reviewed each time) so it's not included on the repeat request page of the prescription.


Any advice?

Gloomendoom

Check specifically with the country you are travelling too. The requirements vary from country to country. For example, I had to apply for a special permit from the health ministry to take some medication into Singapore but the same medication was OK to take into Australia (in its original packaging with my name on it)

A letter from your GP might suffice.

peachyprice

Where are you going? The advice differs greatly by country.

bspm1

And, most importantly, what drugs are you taking.

Mojisola

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

From what I've read here and elsewhere the best advice is:

(1) Keep medication in the original packaging (I must admit I just take the blister pack to save space)

The blister pack doesn't have your name on it - take the whole pack with you.

Manxman_in_exile

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Check specifically with the country you are travelling too. The requirements vary from country to country. For example, I had to apply for a special permit from the health ministry to take some medication into Singapore but the same medication was OK to take into Australia (in its original packaging with my name on it)

A letter from your GP might suffice.

I was wondering about that thanks.

Manxman_in_exile

peachyprice wrote: »

Where are you going? The advice differs greatly by country.

I understand that now. It's hypothetical at the moment as I don't feel like travelling just now. But if you look at some of my recent posts (I think you replied to one) you'll see I've just got out of hospital and my wife has had a really rough year and needs a holiday. We may just go to Scotland and do some Munros and Corbetts - assuming I can regain some fitness!

Manxman_in_exile

bspm1 wrote: »

And, most importantly, what drugs are you taking.

Nothing controversial I think. Lanzaprazole (stomach), Amlodopine (hypertension) and, at the moment, Sertraline (anti-depressant). I think I want to discuss with my doctor tapering off the Sertraline as I hate taking "unnecessary" meds.


Any view on taking the prescription? Or is that by country too?

Manxman_in_exile

Mojisola wrote: »

The blister pack doesn't have your name on it - take the whole pack with you.

Yeah - I realise that now. Was trying to save space.


Any views on necessity for a prescription?

Manxman_in_exile

Going slightly off topic but it is related! If you look at my recent thread on Consumer Rights you will read that my wife is very forgetful(!).


We were going to Florence in October 2017 to celebrate her 60th birthday, and we needed to leave the house at about 5am. At 1am she hadn't come to bed so I went downstairs to be met by a curious sight. She had dragged our recycling wheelie bin into our lounge and was scrabbling through it looking for her migraine tablets. Didn't find them.


First thing we did in Florence was go to a pharmacy (loads of them) and buy some. She was pleasantly surprised to find that they were stronger than in UK.


Returned home and found them immediately. She had forgotten that she had transferred them to one of those multi-compartment "daily" boxes! We now know to keep them in the original packaging.

bspm1

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Nothing controversial I think. Lanzaprazole (stomach), Amlodopine (hypertension) and, at the moment, Sertraline (anti-depressant). I think I want to discuss with my doctor tapering off the Sertraline as I hate taking "unnecessary" meds.


Any view on taking the prescription? Or is that by country too?

I travel often with controlled drugs, Tramadol and Morphine, I take a letter signed by my Doctor that they are prescribed for me.

Never had any trouble, my main destination is USA and if you can get drugs in there you can get them in anywhere.
I do not know what your drugs contain so advise you to check.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/controlled-drugs-list--2/list-of-most-commonly-encountered-drugs-currently-controlled-under-the-misuse-of-drugs-legislation