BootsnAll Travel Community

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I am hoping to live in Central or South America, or Vietnam for 2 years. I must take about a handful of medicine every day, with some injections sprinkled throughout the month. Does anyone have experience with buying meds in Central or South America or Vietnam? I'm looking for Methotrexate (pills or injectable), Prednisone, Oxyprozin (Daypro), Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquinil, also used for anti-malaria), Azulfidine (Sulfisalizine), Humira or Enbrel.

Thanks!

Hello,
Unfortunatly, I think that more people look at the
Health and Travel forum then at the TRAVELING WITH DISBILITIEs forum.
And so I think that you might have a better chance at getting an answer if you wrote a "post" there.
After all, you are asking a HEALTH related question!
It's just a suggestion...
Good Luck!

Travelclown is right, so I have moved the thread over here.

My guess is that, if you're living in one place (is it work-related?), you'd have to register with the embassy-recommended doctor and get local prescriptions. If you're travelling, you should be able to get overseas prescriptions filled/treatments administered in the major cities, but obviously you'll need to take the prescriptions and doctor's notes along (and email yourself photocopies of same, in case they get lost!)

Thanks, Travelclown and Whalewatcher, for lookin out!

I am hoping to get a teaching job somewhere in Central or South America, or Vietnam, so I will be pretty stationary. I know that some schools offer health insurance, but most do not so I'm saving up extra money in case I need to buy everything out of pocket.

Although I have "great" insurance now, anyone who has seen Michael Moore's new film, Sicko, knows that I'm still paying an arm and a leg on health-related expenses in the U.S. on top of my monthly insurance payments. So maybe I won't be in for much of a shock...

Insurance companies function differently in Canada and so this might not apply to you, I don't know... (I haven't seen Micheal Moore's film yet...)
You said that you have great insurances now. If you put an end to your coverage because you want to live elsewhere what will happen when you come back? Will they accept you? I know that I can't get new insurances now because I'm sick...
Maybe you should ask how long you are aloud to be out of the country for. If they say 6 months, then leave for 51/2 (with 51/2 months worth of medicine in your luggage...and you would have to make your monthly payments) and then come back. After a few weeks of vacation with your family, you could go back...
IT'S JUST AN IDEA...

Joanie, for Central and South America it should be relatively simple to buy them as you go. Just have a Spanish-speaking doctor or pharmacist write up and sign a legible description of your condition(s) and prescriptions before you leave. (Surely there's at least one patronizing Cuban or Columbian doctor living in VA.) And get his or her contact info in case someone down south has a question. Most South American pharmacists are fairly well-educated and should be able to figure out the generic equivalents when names don't match up.

The prescriptions will, in most cases, be cheaper in those countries. My only worry would revolve around accidentally procuring counterfeit drugs (a problem that occurs here in the U.S. as well as there.)

Someone else will have to answer for the ease or difficulty of procuring the same items in Vietnam.