Inhalers & customs
 

I was wondering if anyone has had any trouble getting their inhalers through customs. Do you have to bring your prescription? I use 2 inhalers & neither one of them have a prescription label on the actual inhaler, I'd need to get one from the Dr.

I always travel with an inhaler without the prescription and have never been questioned about it. I only carry the device and leave the box/labeld prescription at home. Never a problem. Remember there are over the counter inhalers as well. I believe this would apply to certain types of medication that may be considered controlled substances overseas.

With the new changes in security I have heard that if you take an open container ~ say water ~ they make you drink out of it to ensure that it is not something lethal, do they make you take a hit off your inhaler?

I've done travel to Puerto Rico, London and Paris after Sept 11 and again, never been questioned.

Great news! Thanks everyone!!

When I have flown recently, I have had inhalers in my purse and was never questioned. I did have to drink at one airport (Boston, I think) from the water bottle I was carrying, but I didn't have to take a hit from the inhalers.

I have asthma and have never had a problem with inhalers. If you want to feel safer you can bring a RX. My bags look like a walking pharmacy. Once when I was searched in LGW security looked at the RX for my asthma pills but didn't look twice at my inhaler.

I am a pharmacist and the guidelines they give us in advising patients traveling abroad is to have a copy of the original prescription with you including the dianosis (must be written by the prescriber). Carry the medicine in the original pharmacy labeled container and make sure you have enough to do for the trip (different countries have different products, not all countries have the same meds available). If your medication is a brand name product, write the generic name on it also because another country might have the med but under a different name. These are just the guidelines. Each country has different rules and regulations, but if you follow these, you should have no trouble anywhere. One last warning, some countries have laws against certain medications even if they are prescription (these are mostly asian countries). Always check before leaving. Hope this helps, April

I just returned from Europe last week. My albuterol inhaler was questioned in Heathrow...I was asked to squirt it once. In Frankfurt my new Advair diskus device was looked at funny since it looks alot different than the usual inhalers, but once I explained what it was they let me through. I was never asked for a Rx.

Sandra, those are the two inhalers that I use & it was the Advair that I figured would cause the most questions. It does look different doesn't it!? London is where we are headed so thanks for the heads up about Heathrow.