BootsnAll Travel Community

Planning on travelling for the first time shortly. Heading from the UK to SE Asia, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, home. Taking around 18 months and spending the bulk of time in NZ.

My husband has crohns and, whilst this does not effect his daily life in the slightest, he has to take prescription drugs every day (Asacol is one of them).

Having never travelled before I have some questions about travelling with prescription drugs:

- is it likely to be a problem (i.e. at customs) travelling with large amounts of prescription drugs?

- does he need to take a letter from his doctor in case his bag gets searched?

- is it possible to take only a few months supply and buy / obtain more (legally) in New Zealand if he has a prescription from his doctor?

Would be keen to hear from anyone who knows about this area, especially those who have travelled with prescription drugs themselves.

(btw - I am quite aware that I may be being slightly paranoid, but this is in my nature I'm afraid! )

KG

I'm not sure about buying medicine in NZ, but I traveled for 3 1/2 months alone with lots of medicine--I'm an asthmatic. Back home, I take 4 inhalers each day, plus one pill. My doctor and I changed medications so I only took 2 inhalers each day (Still, I had 8 inhalers and 150 pills with me at the start of the trip!) to cut down on what I had to carry. I was never questioned about my medication, and kept the prescription labels (even if it meant carrying around an empty box) so if questioned, my name was visible. My boyfriend brought additional medicine when he met me in Greece--he was supposed to get a dr's note but ran out of time, and we didn't get questioned. But just get your doctor to write a little note about the medicine, saying it's for personal health and necessary etc etc. I doubt it should be a problem.

Cheers Cherie. Did you travel through Asia at all?

KG

Nah, prescription drugs are usually not a problem whatsoever. Sure, if you come across a crooked cop/custom officer, you might have to argue - but it's unlikely in NZL and Asia. With my phobia of needle-transmitted diseases, I usually bring a set of syringes for an emergency and have my doctor write a 'prescription' - I did that in many countries, including countries with the death penalty for drug possesion, but never had a problem. So, you should be perfectly fine.

Adrian

A few things: most countries will not honor prescriptions from other countries. You would have to see a doctor there. That is not to say you couldn't get the necessary medicine, since in many countries (South and Southeast Asia for example) you don't even need prescriptions for many drugs that require one back home.
I was able to get a Guatemalan prescription filled in Belize (but not Panama,) but this took trying many different pharmacies until I found a shady one that was willing to do it.
As far as travelling with prescriptions, I've never had any problem with anything, (even drugs which I did not have a legitimate prescription for.)
Though I have never had any problems with the US customs, that would be the country I would be most worried about (they are a bunch of dick cheneys,) My friend was stopped coming back from Tijuana, and they confiscated some stuff. Though if you have a "legitimate" (ie not Mexican, or Thai, etc...) prescription, US customs will let it pass.
Hope this helps.
-Jer

Thanks for all the info on this one. Finally, finally getting close to heading off.

Does anyone know if there is any problem having prescription drugs posted to New Zealand from the UK? Would they get through customs if accompanied by a copy of the prescription?

KG

KG,

Let me know how things go getting meds New Zealand. I have ulcerative colitis and have started stockpiling meds to take over there and Australia for my trip starting this fall. My prescribed dosage is 9 pills of Colozal a day and I'm taking about half that trying to maintain. That would cost about $350/month over here without insurance. My plan is take about two months with me and have that much mailed over as needed.