Traveling while on medication is a little trickier than when you're not taking prescriptions. Use these tips when traveling with prescriptions to/from San Diego
Clothes -- no problem! Laptop -- in the bag! Medication -- can you really bring that on a plane?
There is a lot to take into account when you're traveling, and it can be anxiety-inducing. What shouldn't be anxiety-inducing is bringing along the medication necessary for your health.
Other than the fact that there are certain medications that you can't take with you, traveling with prescriptions is actually a breeze. It's just a matter storing and packing them -- and having the right documentation.
Here's everything you need to know about taking your medications with you if you're heading to San Diego!
1. Talk to Your Doctor
You should visit your doctor ahead of time to talk about your medical needs. They can go over a dosage schedule with you in the event of a large time change.
Make sure you get any documentation from them that can make it easier to prove that the medications are yours. This includes written prescriptions and a copy of your medical record.
In case you lose your medications or they're stolen while you're getting from point A to San Deigo, you'll need written prescriptions from your doctor so you can purchase more during your trip.
2. Check Your Supply
The worst thing that could happen other than losing your medications would be running out of doses. You want to come prepared. Make sure you have enough of your medication to last the whole time you're in San Deigo.
You may want to even pack a little extra simply because you never know what will happen. Your flight might get delayed, or if you're driving, your car might stall and leave you stuck for a few hours.
Have your doctor prescribe you a few extra doses to account for these emergencies. Sometimes, your insurance company might give you a little grief about covering this, but if you let your doctor know about it, they can usually work out a deal for you.
3. How to Store Your Medication
Even though it's required, put your medication in its original prescription bottle. This way, it's a lot easier to prove that it's yours. If you don't have it for whatever reason, make sure you bring written prescriptions.
There are a few rules on liquid medications. You can't bring more than 3.4 ounces unless you declare it beforehand. They may be subjected to additional screening.
If you have weekly medication containers, go ahead and bring them because you can always put your pills back in after you land.
- Carry-on or Checked Bag
You can have as many prescriptions as you need in your carry-on or checked bag as long as it passes the screening process. Out of the two, carry-on is the better option because it allows you to keep an eye on your medications so they won't get stolen.
If you're traveling by car, it's a good idea to keep your pills in your glove compartment for easy access. In case you plan to leave your car for an extended amount of time, consider moving them to your trunk.
4. Your Dosage Schedule
If San Deigo isn't within your usual time zone, you'll have to adjust your schedule accordingly. Again, if you speak to your doctor before you leave, they will be able to set up a schedule with you.
You'll need to take your pills when you normally would -- according to your timezone. There are actually things you can buy for this. There are multi-time zone clocks and alarms that can track your dosage times and wake you up when it's time to take your meds.
We recommend that you test this out, and try to get in the swing of things before you head out to San Deigo.
5. Emergency Refills
Getting a refill of your prescription can be slightly difficult depending on your situation. If San Deigo is in the borders of your own country and you go through a local branch, you could probably have your prescription sent there temporarily.
If San Diego isn't part of your original country, or your local branch is nowhere to be found, you'll probably have to pay the full price for your medication.
The good news is, you can file an insurance claim when you get back, and possibly, get your money back. Just make sure you save all of your receipts so you can send it off with the claim.
6. Drug Restrictions
Some countries won't let you bring certain medications like Advair Diskus with you. San Deigo is no exception. You can call their embassy or visit their website before you leave to check and see if your medication is restricted.
Sometimes, you can't bring certain medical equipment like syringes on a plane. What you can do is fill out and send a form so an exception can be made. The embassy can also tell you what these forms are.
Tips on Traveling with Prescriptions
If you want to make your trip to San Deigo go smoothly, you'll need to know the rules concerning traveling with prescriptions.
Your medication may be restricted, or you might need a refill while you're there. You'll also need to adjust your doses depending on the time zone changes. Don't let your medications hold you back from broadening your horizons.
Looking for a fun place to take your kids while you're in San Diego? Visit our blog to find out why this zoo is the ideal place!
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