Question on flying with medications

[bgenew1]

We will be flying to WDW in 20 days! But I take several prescription medications. Can anyone tell me how they have done this? Do the medications have to be in the bottles or packs they came in or can you just bring copies of your prescriptions and only the medications you need your pill box?

 

[Monty]

From the TSA site:

To ensure the health and welfare of certain air travelers there are no limits on the amounts of the following liquids, gels and aerosols you may carry through a security checkpoint:

• Baby formula and breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling;
• All prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including KY jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes;
• Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;
• Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
• Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic , bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
• Gels or frozen liquids needed to cool disability or medically related items used by persons with disabilities or medical conditions.

You are not limited in the amount or volume of these above items you may bring in your carry-on baggage. However, if these items are in containers larger than three ounces, please perform the following:

1. Separate these items from the liquids, gels, and aerosols in your quart-size and zip-top bag.
2. Declare you have the items to one of our Security Officers at the security checkpoint.
3. Present these items for additional inspection once reaching the X-ray. These items are subject to additional screening.

 

[tigsmom]

If at all possible, keep the medications in the original bottles with the pharmacy label intact. You can always fill your pillbox when you arrive at the hotel... thats what I plan on doing. My concern is taking my bloodsugar monitor and lancets in my purse, I'm sure they will want to hand inspect that.

 

[miles1]

From the TSA site:

[*]Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic , bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,

[*]Present these items for additional inspection once reaching the X-ray. These items are subject to additional screening.[/LIST]

Previous to this, did they expect you to remove these items before flying? And what kind of "additional inspection" do they perform? Can I get a job doing this?:lol:

 

[barnum42]

I just put my meds in one of the zip lock clear bags and had no problems.

 

[ErickainPA]

Just put them in a clear 1 quart ziplock and it will be easier to just pull out, instead of having lots of individual ones to pull out.

tigsmom - regarding the monitor and lancet, you most likely won't even be asked about them. You will be putting your purse through the xray machine. If they question it after that, just pull it out and tell them what it is, no big deal.

Remember to be prepared to remove your shoes. Really if possible try to fly in the mid-morning after rush hour is done,makes security go so much faster to get through. We traveled for the first time mid-December with our than 3 month old and had no issues with getting through security and one of TSA agents asked how old our son was and little conversation. Wanted to make sure I had my shoes so I wouldn't get cold feet while he checked the diaper bag.

 

[shoppingnut]

We have travelled with the medication's in the pillboxes and have had no problems. The amount of bottles we would have had to bring for my mom would have been crazy and only barely fit in a gallon size ziplock bag. Besides who wants to start laying out meds when you get to the hotel, you want to run out and enjoy yourself.

 

[soin2disney]

vitamins???

What about vitamins? My husband takes quite a few of them. Can he bring them in a small pill box, or do they have to be in their original bottles? Thanks

 

[tigsmom]

What about vitamins? My husband takes quite a few of them. Can he bring them in a small pill box, or do they have to be in their original bottles? Thanks

From what I understand prescriptions need to be in their original bottle, labeled and carried by the person they are prescribed for. I haven't read anything about vitamins though. I'm not planning on taking mine for the 10 days we will be gone. :lookaroun

If he can put them in the luggage that he checks then I don't think the other rules apply. :shrug: Maybe somebody here can give an answer.

One thing I want to add though (my hubby just came back from a trip)...make sure you take you plastic bag(s) out of your carry on and put them up in the bucket to be inspected. My DH did not do this and he was pulled off the line and hand searched ( and told to do that for any future flights).

 

[Nemo14]

I have an additional suggestion too. Bring an extra zip lock bag with you just in case you or anyone in your party has something with them that might be questionable. If you can put it in a ziplock bag, your chances af getting it through are much better. My daughter had a very small bottle of hand cream in her puse that she totally forgot about, and they had to throw it out. They told us if we had a ziplock bag to put it in, she could have kept it. We also saw a man at the Orlando airport with one of those liquid-filled plastic cups that he had bought for his young daughter. They would have thrown it out if he hadn't been able to put it in a ziplock that someone in line gave to him.

 

[tigsmom]

I have an additional suggestion too. Bring an extra zip lock bag with you just in case you or anyone in your party has something with them that might be questionable. If you can put it in a ziplock bag, your chances af getting it through are much better. My daughter had a very small bottle of hand cream in her puse that she totally forgot about, and they had to throw it out. They told us if we had a ziplock bag to put it in, she could have kept it. We also saw a man at the Orlando airport with one of those liquid-filled plastic cups that he had bought for his young daughter. They would have thrown it out if he hadn't been able to put it in a ziplock that someone in line gave to him.

*makes a note of that for next month*

I was picking up some stuff in Target the other day and in the sample section then even had packs of 2 zippy bags that were marked "TSA Approved".

 

[maelstrom]

I hope someone gets a laugh out of my quart sized ziploc bag filled with a whole... chapstick.

My friend works at the airport and my other friend asked him what the best way to get drugs through security was. He said to just put them in his pocket. They're too concerned with terrorist lotion and shampoo to worry about your drugs.

 

[soin2disney]

Vitamins???

Thanks for all your advice...but what about the vitamins???Do they have to be in their original bottles, or can they be put in one of the weekly pill holders.... :wave:

 

[ClemsonTigger]

As was said before, your safest bet is to put all non essential medication and toiletries in your check-in baggage. That would include vitamins. There is always the chance that if in a pill box that some TSA agent will not accept them. That is not usually the case however. While there are specific rules, they are not uniformly imposed at varying airports.

 

[maelstrom]

I would advise putting vitamins in your checked baggage. You can always buy new vitamins once in Florida, unless they are prescription, and it sounds like yours aren't.

 

[barnum42]

I would advise putting vitamins in your checked baggage. You can always buy new vitamins once in Florida, unless they are prescription, and it sounds like yours aren't.

As mentioned - ONLY do this with vitamins you can buy easily over the counter. Anything else goes in your cabin baggage - it too Delta / Virgin five days to reunite me with my baggage last time I flew.