Taking Meds on Plane

[RobynRed]

Hello! I'm going to be flying from California to Virginia for the weekend, and I thought I would try to travel light for once and put all my stuff in a carry-on. The only problem is I'm not sure what to do with my medications. Regulations say I CAN bring meds on the plane once they've been screened, but I'm unclear on how they should be carried. Do I have to label them all? Do I keep them in separate containers, or is it okay to keep them in day-by-day box? Do I need a doctor's note? I really don't want to be delayed or pulled out of line just because of my stupid meds, so any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[RichardMEL]

Domestic travel shouldn't be a big deal, but then again you have to deal with the TSA at least twice so all bets are off (When I've travelled intra Australia I didn't bother with any of that and never had an issue, but you're a long way from Oz toto!)

I think the best thing to do is either keep your meds in the pill box, but also keep your perscription, OR labelled original medicine packages (to prove they're yours). I'd also get a doctors letter outlining what pills you have and what they are for. I always carried one with me when I flew international - never required though.

It's a hassle yes, but better to be safe than sorry.

Enjoy your trip!!

[Bill Peckham]

I travel with pills in their official containers and have never had any questions about them but is anything in liquid form? If so is it under 3.5 oz? If I had a liquid form med in an official container of less than the threshold amount, (whew is that enough of a hedge? RM is right that the whims of the TSA are mysterious)  I would put the liquid med in a 1 Qt zip lock bag and then treat the ziplock bag as potentially dangerous as a laptop and put the bag through the scanner outside your carry on.


BTW when I was on cyclosporine in 1988-90 it was in liquid form and I used an eye dropper to mix it in chocolate milk (I haven't thought of that in a long time). At some point in there the big innovation came out when it became available in a gelcap.

[MooseMom]

I don't take any meds in liquid form, so I can't speak to that.  I carry my meds in those day to day pill boxes and put them in my carry-on bag.  I've never had any trouble and I fly quite a lot within the US.

[Riki]

I always carry mine in the original bottle, and always in carry on, never checked.

The one time I checked anything medical, the airline broke the case, which broke a shampoo bottle and one of my pill bottles, and they broke the door of my cycler.

[Bill Peckham]

Hello! I'm going to be flying from California to Virginia for the weekend, and I thought I would try to travel light for once and put all my stuff in a carry-on. The only problem is I'm not sure what to do with my medications. Regulations say I CAN bring meds on the plane once they've been screened, but I'm unclear on how they should be carried. Do I have to label them all? Do I keep them in separate containers, or is it okay to keep them in day-by-day box? Do I need a doctor's note? I really don't want to be delayed or pulled out of line just because of my stupid meds, so any help would be appreciated, thanks.

And Welcome RobynRed!!  Better go introduce yourself before one of the moderators get you

[Trikkechickk]

The only problem I had traveling w/meds was when I was on prednisone.  Evidently, the pred can leave a "dust" in your carry on that alerts the TSA for rescreening.  How's that for another side-effect of the monster drug!