I have never had a problem flying domestically [US] with prescription meds that are NOT in their original container [in a pillbox instead].

Rather than taking several bottles with us, DH and I were planning on using the same approach for our 25 day trip to Europe. Will we have any issues with security and/or customs? We will not have big quantities of any of them.

Thanks.

I've never had any issue with this and I fly between Europe and the US about 4-5 times per year.

I agree...mine are all in pill boxes. I have never ever been questioned anywhere about pill box contents. OTOH I ad a bicycle cable/lockng assembly taken away once bnecause the screener decided it could be used as a weapon..maybe I should have!

I carry mine in tiny ziplocs for each day....no one has ever questioned it. I fly to Europe 2-3 times a year.

Ditto to the above. When I travel I usually don't have the Rx bottles, I use smaller bottles that are unmarked. No problems for me.

I agree with above but separately take a list of your meds with dosage in case you need any duplicates or need to see a physician.

Customs checks are quite rare. I fly once a week within the EU, and can't remember if I ever got asked to open my luggage for inspection. Also prescription drugs in cabin luggage never raised a question.

But since none of the posters (including me) ever experienced a situation in which a Customs agent wanted some proof that the pills weren't the weekly ration of ecstasy, it's hard to say how to handle it.
It's easier to proof for most people over here as prescription drugs in many European contries come in same type of packaging as you know from most OTC drugs in the US. So an agent can see the brand name of the drug on the package or blister pack and does not have to deal with a bunch of loose pills in a box.

I guess it can't hurt and is no effort to bring a copy of your doctor's prescriptions with you. This can also be helpful in case one of you loses your medications, and you need help from a local doctor or pharmacist. As brand names of drugs usually differ between here and there (and also within Europe), it can be very helpful if your doctor also stated the active ingredients of those drugs.

I do better than that, Cath. I travel with a physician [DH]! LOL

When we went through customs in Copenhagen, they barely took the time to stamp our passports. Have since been in Sweden and am now in Norway and there was only a glance at us as we drove from Sweden to Norway.

Hope you are having a wonderful time!! Do you love the car?

Hi D,

We always put our RX meds, vitamins and everything else into zipbags that are labeled with their contents.

No problem.

You might wish to bring copies of the RX labels or the Rx if you are concerned.

Judy - Loving the car! We picked it up on Monday after spending 4 days in Copenhagen. We drove to Oslo on Tuesday and then to Voss yesterday. We are getting ready to do a Norway in a Nutshell tour today. Will start a TR thread soon.

If you are concerned (I would not be) go to your pharmacy and ask them for a printed list of all your prescriptions. This might be good to have even when you are not traveling. They can do this for you in a minute.

There are places that question pills in unmarked containers. Bermuda was one. Maybe they have changed, but the person in front of us in line had to explain what each pill was and why she was taking it. I like the idea of peeling off the labels or having a printed list of prescriptions with you, though so far I just take all the damn pill bottles.

Go just about every year with medication to europe

with no problems

Europe is usually fine meds are not questioned

unless scheduled controlled drugs not labeled

in large quantities wise to have labels/Rx/md records

for these.

UAE Dubai is the worst in the world for this though

so be careful if going through there.

Happy Planning,

I've never given this a second thought, and I take a daily prescription medication. It's a very small pill, so I just carry it in my purse in one of those decorate small pill boxes, I can easily get enough in that for several weeks.

I take vitamin and other supplements daily, also, and put them in unmarked containers to save space (ie, a very small vitamin bottle I"ve saved, or sometimes just in a small ziploc bag, etc.

NO one has ever even known I had these, how would they? They'd have to be searching every single eensy space of everything you have on you. They don't trigger any metal detectors, obviously, or anything in the screening machine that I know. I guess if you got selected for a special search, maybe (although I have several times and they aren't looking in these little bottles).

I'm surprised that people say how easy it is to get by checks just by putting them in a prescription bottle. Obviously, you could put anything in a prescription bottle, that doesn't prove what they are. And carrying around a prescription for something doesn't prove what any particular pill is, either, that you have with you.

I dont' think I've ever gone through customs in any country in Europe where I've traveled except perhaps the London airport.

Customs seemed like pretty serious business in Prague in 2006. It was very intimidating, but I don't recall problems with the prescription meds. A year ago the Sydney Airport had dogs sweep the entire luggage carousel and arrivals area. The woman next to us got in big, BIG trouble for having an apple in her backpack, but no one even questioned my elderly mother's myriad of medications.

They don't allow agricultural products like that brought into the US, either.

I've been to Prague three times between 2000-2010 and don't even recall that I ever went through customs, so if I did, it wasn't very memorable and it didn't take any time. I remember going to the luggage area to collect bags and then just walking out the door in the direction of where the taxis are (which is a bit away, I know, and you walk through the airport for a bit). I wonder if there was some particular issue in 2006 that caused that problem.

I have taken photos on my phone of the label & the pill next to it. If you were really concerned or going into a county that cares, you could probably print a photo & description (or google it on your phone if applicable, then copy it into your picture directory so you don't have to carry paper). Prescription medications have those markings on the pills that differentiate the pills - photos & descriptions are easily available online. Just an idea.