I suffered a broken neck several months ago. My doctor has prescribed Tramadol for the neck pain and headaches. I will be flying Dallas to London to begin a cruise, and Ft. Lauderdale to Dallas following the cruise. I'm wondering if I can take Tramadol through security without problem if it's in the prescription bottle. I've flown many times with blood pressure and cholesterol meds, but never with a prescription pain med. Thank you.

No problem taking pain meds through security.

It's a prescription medicine in the UK so a note from the doctor would help "just in case"

For what it is worth, in 35+ years of air travel (averaging around 10 flights/year), both domestically and internationally, I have never once been questioned by anybody (airline personal, customs agents and Security agents) about any of the prescription drugs I've had in my carry-on luggage nor have I ever been asked to show the original prescription bottles or a "note" from my doctor.

Thanks everyone! You have relieved my fears.

What people are saying is that for your DFW-LHR flight it is ok.
However, it is not universal. If you are transiting through a airport in a country with strict controlled substances enforcement, you need to be aware of the implication of carrying tramadol even when it is only a transit airport.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...-medicine.html

Thanks for the heads up Greg. We'll only be in airports in Dallas, Atlanta, London, and Ft. Lauderdale for this upcoming trip.

This question has been asked in many different ways. My response remains - be logical. Tramadol is an oval white tablet that looks like many other oval white tablets. TSA or equivalent is not going to start researching what your little white tablet is and will not even open the bottle. If you are bringing a million tablets, maybe. But certainly not in the original bottle.

An MD note for anything is essentially useless - I can create a credible looking letter for anything on my computer in about 5 minutes.

What gail said. This is a non-issue.

My tramadol is a yellow capsule . Just keep in original packaging with your name on and you'll be fine

northie - that is interesting. Mine is white tablet. And makes my point even stronger - how in the world would TSA know what it was. And if you put your yellow capsule in an antibiotic bottle (since there are several that are yellow capsules) even more so - how would they know.

You do NOT need to keep pills in their original packaging! You do NOT need a copy of the prescription! This is not a thing. This is not stated anywhere in the TSA's rules.

They. Do. Not. Care. About. This.

Your only concern should be getting an emergency resupply if anything should happen to your original medications. Prevention of loss includes taking twice as much as you will need, split into two supplies carried differently, and carrying a written prescription from your doctor in case you need to buy a refill.

Security does not care about your personal medications.

I agree about the idea of splitting them up into a couple different places (but keep all with you on the plane, not in checked luggage) and taking a bit more than you think you may need (in case something spills, you are delayed, whatever).

A written prescription from your U.S. doctor won't get you a supply of medication in another country.

The US prescription will accurately describe the medicine, dose, and number of doses for the foreign prescriber. Just telling someone you lost your controlled substance bottle will not get you more.

An illegible scrawl on a piece of paper and a couple of euros will get you a cup of coffee at Macdo. More likely, the doctor abroad will want to contact your doctor at home, in which case the piece of paper will be moot.

Interestingly the comments here are about TSA which is irrelevant for London. Quite often tourists are picked up in countries other than US for not having meds in original packaging.

<<...Interestingly the comments here are about TSA which is irrelevant for London. Quite often tourists are picked up in countries other than US for not having meds in original packaging...>>

But, OP isn't flying out of London or any other city in Europe. OP is flying from Dallas to London and at the end of a cruise is flying from Fort Lauderdale to Dallas.

Regardless, I'll stand by my earlier comments, In 35+ years of International & domestic travel I have NEVER been questioned about my prescription meds and I've been all over the world and I rarely carry them in their original containers. I've been through most of the major international airports and quite a few smaller "third world" country airports. This has never been an issue.

<Quite often tourists are picked up in countries other than US for not having meds in original packaging.>

Really? Quite often?