Is anyone aware of any areas in Europe where there might be a problem travelling with any medications that are commonly available over the counter elsewhere? I always seem to fall ill while travelling and this time want to go prepared with a few basic remedies, but not at the risk of upsetting any customs officers.

I have experienced no problems whatsoever. Indeed, it seems to be the other way around. There's plenty more over-the-counter medications in Europe that are not permitted to be brought back to the U.S. without a prescription, such as aspirin/tylenol with codeine that can be purchased at any pharmacy in Europe.

I second Shannon's reply..you can get just about everything OTC in the US as OTC in Europe, and sometimes more..you will find headache remedies (w and w/o codine), stomach remedies such as pepsid and anti-diarrhoea medicines (imodium and the like) sometimes with the same brand names.....What you might not find are OTC cold medicines such as Contact or Coracidne (sp ?) in every European country. Some countries do not allow them to be sold, why I am not sure. <BR><BR>I usually have some with me just in case, but got caught with out in Denmark once. Had a stinker of a head cold in Copenhagen in '96 with LOTS of messy sneezing. Wanted to reign in the symptoms so went to a pharmacy for cold tables and was told they do not sell them in Denmark. When I asked her what did they do about the symptoms, she said just take asprin and wait for the cold to go away. Went back to the pharmacy next day for more asprin and she was sneezing ripely,too. Bet she wished they had cold tablets in Denmark !!<BR><BR>Judy

If you bring OTC meds in your carry-on baggage, make sure it is in its original packaging. I once had difficulties with some loose pills I had decanted into a zip-lock bag, for convenience. They were aspirin/vitamins pills and rolaids! In retrospect, I realize I was asking for trouble, but I was young and foolish and was given the third degree by a customs agent.

LJ, I did not want to read what you wrote! After hauling my prescription meds for the umpteenth time in their original pkg-ing and never, ever being asked to see it, etc., I had just decided not to bother with it next trip. Sigh!

"Cold medicines" such as Contac or Coricidin are actually combinations of several ingredients; perhaps some of the ingredients are available separately in Europe. I believe that Coricidin is currently composed of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and chlorpheniramine maleate, an antihistamine; some versions also contain dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant, and/or pseudoephedrine, another antihistamine.<BR><BR>One key ingredient that HAD been in Contac, phenylpropanolamine (commonly called PPA) was found hazardous and dropped from all OTC's in the US in early 2001.

No codeine allowed in Greece either alone or in other meds.<BR>sj