Traveling with meds

[hobbit]

I will be going to California for my son's graduation from the Marine Corp. soon. I have never flown and I'm concerned about traveling, I have extreme vertigo and can hardly handle car rides. I will be traveling with a small pharmacy including my rebif, do I need to worry about airport security?

[Leola Stotts]

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS AND KEEP THEM WITH YOU. YOU DO NEED TO HAVE WRITTEN PRESCRIPTIONS IN HAND FOR THE MEDS YOU CARRY ON BOARD. I TOOK A SMALL COLLAPSABLE ICE CHEST WITH MY MEDICINE, SYRINGES ETC. AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. I JUST NOTIFIED THEM AHEAD OF THE CHECK IN SPOT. ALSO, ANTIVERT, MECLIZINE, ETC. WOULD HELP YOU TO GET THRU THE PLANE TRIP. THE EXTRA TROUBLE IS WORTH WHILE TO GET TO SEE THIS GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

[marybenes]

If you have booked your ticket, please consider calling the airline and request wheelchair assistance (if you haven't booked your flight yet, then request it when you do).

When you check in, tell the agent you reuqested this and they will call a porter to come and take you to your gate. this will save you having to stand in the long security lines and get you to the gate sooner. Whoever else is traveling with you will stay with you as well. If you have to go thru multiple airports, there will be someone there waiting for you to take you to the next gate. Once you arrive at your destination, there will be someone to take you to baggage claim and help you with your luggage. They will also ask you who will be picking you up.

Make sure you have some dollar bills to tip with - it is well worth it.

Mary

[sherp]

sherp

Thanks for the info about traveling with meds. I have been asking about this in the chat room. The W/C sounds great even though i can walk but not long dist.

[Maple25]

I have flown intercontinental with my copaxone and I used dry ice or techniice. This complies with the safety requirements of airport security.

[wkikta]

For keeping your medications cool there are no restrictions on cool-paks, with reason. You may have to identify what is medication, works well even in the Third World. You don't have to have the prescription for the medication, just make sure you have the label from the package it was delivered in, TSA rule. For their purposes the prescription itself, like a letter from your Doctor, is kind of worthless.

Do not plan to do any walking, use the chair/cart for all moving in the airport. It will make your trip significantly better. Most airports do not allow tipping the chair pushers, they are not doing anything special for you, just their jobs. I have found that pleasant conversation with them can be a reward to them, break from the mundane. They really are very nice people.

[hobbit]

Thank you!

Thank you, this has been very helpful and useful. I'm just crossing my fingers that my body doesn't have a complete meltdown. Between traveling, the holidays and the fact that I have not heard my boy's voice or hugged him in so long.....well, any of these reasons are enough to trigger me. I guess the Xanax will get a workout!

[uarkgrad1996]

no issues when traveling

I traveled to Romania this summer with my medication. Shared Solutions sent me a travel pack holds a 2 weeks supply of copaxone, injector and supplies. It aslo has a clear window/sleeve to put my prescription in. I kept my travel pack in my carryone and then pulled it out when I went through security check points. I had no issues with US airports, but the Paris airport did not like it; however, they did eventually allow me to pass through with it.

One thing to keep in mind, with all the charges on checked bags now, there is significant increase in carry on bags. Some airplanes don't have the overhead space for all the carry ons and they make you "check" your carry on at the gate or at the end of the jetway. When this happens to me, I take my medication out of my bag and keep it with me on the plane just to make sure it stays safe. That may be overly cautious, but I don't like taking chances.

Have fun in Cali! It is one of my favorite places!!

[sportsfan]

I traveled to Romania this summer with my medication. Shared Solutions sent me a travel pack holds a 2 weeks supply of copaxone, injector and supplies. It aslo has a clear window/sleeve to put my prescription in. I kept my travel pack in my carryone and then pulled it out when I went through security check points. I had no issues with US airports, but the Paris airport did not like it; however, they did eventually allow me to pass through with it.

One thing to keep in mind, with all the charges on checked bags now, there is significant increase in carry on bags. Some airplanes don't have the overhead space for all the carry ons and they make you "check" your carry on at the gate or at the end of the jetway. When this happens to me, I take my medication out of my bag and keep it with me on the plane just to make sure it stays safe. That may be overly cautious, but I don't like taking chances.

Have fun in Cali! It is one of my favorite places!!

That's not being overly cautious, it's smart. Checked luggage can be exposed to extreme temperatures or be lost. Always carry your meds in your carry on.

[Tomjadg]

Meds

I just got back from vacation, and had no trouble at the airports.
To protect the syringes, I packed everything in a soft camera case, and carried it on the planes and set it between my feet.

I learned my lesson the hard way about using carts to get to gates. I about crippled myself walking to gates at the first two.

I had the label from my last delivery, along with a letter from my Neuro, but never needed them.