Underhill

Hey, guys--it's not just European customs that take a hard look at pills; the U.D. customs folks can be very, very tough.

Patrick

Before traveling I always have my pharmacist put the appropriate number of pills in the smallest container possible with a label on it. Then he puts the rest in another bottle. Much better than those containers that could hold about a thousand pills to put in a few weeks supply worth.

NYCFoodSnob

This just in from the U.S. Customs website:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/le...rom_source.xml

"Medicine:

If you're traveling with prescription medicine, carry them in their original containers and bring a copy of your prescription.

If you buy medications abroad, be aware that they may not be FDA-approved or allowed into the United States."

I travel with prescription medication all the time and one happens to be a controlled substance. No one has ever stopped me or questioned my need. I do not follow the rule above but I don't recommend ignoring it. I travel with lovely antique pill boxes that always go in my carry-on and they have been hand checked. Nobody has ever questioned one pill.

As for ThinG, sounds like someone's husband can use a Viagra.

Rosemary1

My bad, my reference was a typo to Thin G. I typed TJ, sorry. But I think you knew who I was referring to if you've been around this forum for any period of time.

NYCFoodSnob

Personally, I think ThinG is harmless. In the beginning I thought she was a "daft" pre-op transsexual (not that there's anything wrong with that) but now that I've lived with her on this forum for six months, I've come to adore her. I have a feeling she's an absolute delight in-person. Plus, she worked with Todd Oldham and I can't imagine Todd not surrounding himself with fabulous people. And, yes, I know she's a he (I think).

ParadiseLost

Squeaky, personally I wouldn't worry about it but there is always a but .
Greece and Codeine www.greeka.com/greece-health.htm
I won't want to have a baggy or plastic container with Codeine pills in it while in Greece .
Regards, Walter

ThinGorjus

This is a perfect example as to why I refer to many of you on this forum as "daft."

1. I am a man, not a woman. I have never written on this forum that I am anything other than a man. Many of you assume I am a woman because I mention my husband, Keith. We are a gay couple.

2. I have never mentioned being a pre-op transexual. Where you got that one from (your daily pint of gin, perhaps)I will never understand.

3. As an Englishman, I am sick to death of the arrogance of many Americans on this forum who assume that Europe is a third-world continent. (Should we bring our own toilet paper to Italy with us?) There are W. Virginia coal miners with more sophistication than some of you.

4. Yes, Rosemary, I am obnoxious. But, I am only obnoxious when I deal with idiots.

NYCFoodSnob

Please...meant no offense, Thin. I realize I crossed the line of familiarity by referring to you as "she" but, sometimes, I just like to be a bad girl. Even though I take internet forum I.D.'s with a grain of salt, it was still inappropriate to say "she" when you haven't given me permission to do so. I know many gay men are sensitive about the fun and sarcasm surrounding mixed pronoun usage. (I've gotten into loads of trouble.) I apologize if this caused you any duress or forced you to take more pills than you're already accustomed to taking. I have a feeling you're a good sport and can take a joke.

I know you never mentioned being a pre-op transsexual but, back in the day when I first started making myself known here, I said some of your posts read like they were written by a pre-op transsexual, from Britain, of course. This is my own little inside joke and I often make myself weak with laughter when no one is around to help. Now that I've come to enjoy your "daft" rants and raves, my joke no longer applies.

My aunt, who took laxatives and missed her one and only visit to the Louvre, is the gin girl. My drink of choice is always champagne (Louis Roederer Cristal) but sometimes I enjoy a really good vodka (Grey Goose).

I'm not going to comment on my experience with the English but I do agree that many folks here will never understand Europe. Yet, with all my years of travel to that fabulous Italy, I still chuckle when my Roman friends remind me that they find many aspects of Italian life third-world. But, then again, these are Romans who spend time in America.

ThinGorjus

I could never be offended by someone who swills Grey Goose, as it is mother's milk to me.

I am not offended by being called, "she." I realize that this is a part of the gay ethos. But, there are other here who assume I am a woman because I have a "husband," and my sn is thingorjus. (Men can't be thin and gorgeous, I guess, at least not in Indiana.)

I am offended, however, by American arrogance toward other countries. Afterall, everyone knows our Princess Anne makes your President look like a pansy. Yet, you don't see us Brits holding that over your heads. Bottoms up, John G.

RufusTFirefly

TG--it's not arrogance, it's just the certain knowledge that we truly are better than any other nation, emipire, tribe, etc. now or ever before in history. Actually probably even better than any in pre-history. Not to mention better than anything that will eventuate over the next few hundred thousand years.

muffin

I am a pharmacy tech and I think traveling with your RX's is a wise idea...but how do the custome agents identify that you have the correct medication in the bottle? You could sure be sticking stolen Vicodan/Lorcet etc. into a bottle that is labed Bactrim DS or something (antibiotic) and how the heck would customs know? I doubt they have access to every picture of every maker of every generic drug. Just pondering...

bob_brown

Has anyone of us really had their prescription drugs checked and, therefore, have firsthand knowledge?

I get the uneasy feeling that what we read here is gossip warmed up for the bad news league. I have made several trips to Europe since 1997 and many trips to Canada over the years.

I have never had my medicines inspected by anybody nor have I seen a fellow tourist who did have his personal medicines reviewed. I do indeed carry my presciption medicines in the original bottles, but that is mainly because I need to keep them identified for myself!

Whether in the original bottle or not, what would a European customs official know about American prescription drug names. Often the same drug over here does not even have the same generic name as its European analogue. Take Tylenol or Acetaminophen as an example. In Europe acetaminophen is known as Paracetamol in some countries. I remember asking for acetaminenophen/Tylenol in Switzerland and getting blank stares until I found the owner of a sporting goods store who had lived in the USA.

So if a European customs officer looked at a prescription bottle of Levaquin I doubt if he or she would know what it was. And what could/would the legal authorities do anyhow?

So really. Does anybody out there know anything factual to contribute?
Does Dr. Rex have any first hand experience with personal presription drugs being inspected when brought into Europe?

I do agree with one assessment, even though I have had no direct experience. American customs types with their drug sniffing dogs and arrogant attitude are much more unsettling than any
European officials.

By actual experience I have encountered American border patrol officials who were more expert on insurance policies than professional insurance agents who had passed all parts of the CPCU or the CLU exams. These folks are scary.

sojourner

About once a year when I'm getting my RXs filled/refilled, I ask the pharmacist to just make duplicate labels.

I then stick those labels onto the small plastic bags in which I put a supply of pills sufficient for the time I'll be away. I can re-use those labeled Ziplocks several times/trips.

So my drugs are in correctly labeled containers. I thought that was more important than "original containers". How would security or customs people really know what KIND of container the pharmicist originally put the pills into, anyway?

I must admit, my method has never been put to any kind of test.

kismetchimera

I still feel more comfortable to bring the original containers if I bring prescription medecines with me..

You never know..
Talking about something different, this is als about customs agents.
I heard awhile back that this man, was bringing to Europe , in a vase his mother ashes , which he wanted to scatter at his mother favourite's village.
When he arrived, the agents tought that he was bringing some kind of illegal drugs with him.

He went through Hell, was strip searched and held at customs for awhile, until they could determine that the grey powder were the real thing.

Meanwhile,he lost almost all the poor mom remains...He was devastated and thought that it was a bad nightmare..

What an experience to go through..

As you see, everything is possible when travelling to Foreign countries..

Patrick

Has anyone had their prescriptions checked? YES! Going by ferry from Kusadasi, Turkey to Samos, Greece. The Greek customs people were really thorough. Every single thing in my toiletries kit was checked, and every bottle and container opened. They even opened the aspirin bottle and studied the imprint on the actual tablets. The girl in front of my was upset because they dumped most of the contents of a container of her "body powder" onto a cloth. They sniffed it and even tasted it, thinking it might be something else. Damn, I could smell that horrible lavendar scent from 5 feet away.

Scarlett

While it was not a Europe trip, my husband and I had our drugs checked by Customs coming back to the US from Nassau! We stayed at the Ocean Club (remember that place? sigh) and the Yankee had to stretch the wrong way and snap, there went his back. So in order to get him in and out of the hotel, the hotel doc gave him a little envelope with some big white pills in it.
Whatever they were, they worked. He was not in pain but had a somewhat suspicious smile on his face....all the time. At the Customs gate, they looked in my purse ( of course, I was carrying everything in my bag) and I was asked what these pills were. We were taken aside and had to tell the whole story-while the Yankee smiled blissfully..then they called the hotel, talked to the doc and let us board the plane.
So...my lesson learned was...
Take your meds in their bottles. In your carry-on is fine. I have never since then been bothered by anyone about the drugs I carry and for a healthy person, I do carry quite a few. (you never know when someone will irritate you and your head will pound!)
Good luck and be Well!

Joelleinitaly04

I think the story about the man and his Mum in the urn must be an urban legend. Not to be too morbid, but cremated remains are not fine ash, they have chunks of bone in them and it would have been pretty obvious it was human remains.

Joelle

kismetchimera

Joelle,
I saw the man in tv and was crying when he was telling his story..