I’ve read that 70% of Americans are on at least one medication and 20% are on 5! If you are one of the millions and love to travel internationally, then you should 
take the time to think about your medications. Things to think about:
– Do you have enough, or do you need to refill before you go? Make sure you will have enough well in advance. That would be one less thing to worry about as your travel day approaches.
– Leave your medication in the original bottles or blister packs (even vitamins) with original labeling until you reach your destination. Then if you use one of those pill organizers, you can fill when you arrive. This will avoid any unnecessary confusion.
– Make sure that you carry proper documentation and prescription as necessary. Consider obtaining a doctor’s note (especially if you require injections).
If you are traveling internationally consider:
– Is it available in the country in case something happens? What is the process of getting if you need to? Note that in many countries, it is illegal to ship drugs person to person through the post.
– Is the drug that you take even legal in the country you are going to? For example: UAE has strict guidelines on medications including pain killers and sleep aids where you may not be able to bring into the country unless you have a prescription from a UAE licensed doctor. It’s better to do the research than face possible jail time at worst and at best having them throw them in the trash.
– Are there limits to the amount of medication you can bring into a country? Some places restrict the amount you can bring in to a 30/60/90-day supply. This becomes an issue if you are visiting for 6-months.
Other general suggestions:
– If you have any new medications because of where you are going, such as anti-malarial pills, make sure you understand the interactions with your current medications.
– If you have a condition that may need treatment during your travels, understand your options before you go. Your consideration may be different if you are traveling domestically vs. internationally so plan appropriately.
– Don’t forget your medical alert bracelet if you need one. The last thing you would want in a medical emergency is to have the medical provider be ignorant of your conditions and/or allergies
– No matter what, carry your drugs in your carry-on bags and DO NOT put in your checked bag. Just like you probably would not check in your gold or diamonds, don’t check your medicine. This is YOUR health, don’t risk it.
– If you are into Homeopathy, understand that other countries may not have your views of alternative medications AS medications.
In the end, remember you are responsible for your own care and if you take certain precautions, you should be just fine.
