long cruises and Prescription drugs

[mrsfitz28]

We are booked next October on a 48-day cruise which will be the longest cruise we have every taken. Even though it is almost a year away i am concerned how to make sure I have enough necessary drugs for the trip. I'm sure many of you have had the same problem and I was wondering how you handled this situation. We do have a drug plan. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Donna

[3rdGenCunarder]

We are booked next October on a 48-day cruise which will be the longest cruise we have every taken. Even though it is almost a year away i am concerned how to make sure I have enough necessary drugs for the trip. I'm sure many of you have had the same problem and I was wondering how you handled this situation. We do have a drug plan. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Donna

 

Some drug plans will let you renew early because of a vacation. Sometimes it's a partial refill as an extension to get you to the end of your trip. Check with your plan.

[CruiserBruce]

Are you able to get your meds on 90 cycles? If yes, usually you can get the rx refills very early in the cycle, thus building up a supply. That what we have done for vacations in the 30 to 35 day range.

 

Also, usually your doctor can special order your meds for the extended vacation reason.

[Tom O.]

Contact your insurance company, and tell them your situation. They will normally have a means of allowing you to have a refill done early, so you can get more than the usual 30 day supply.

[take us away]

I love long cruises and am booked on the 115-day world cruise in Jan. Extra meds has not been a problem so hopefully it will work out for you also.

 

Over the years and with 2 different insurance companies and 2 different pharmacy companies, I have been able to easily get a 'vacation supply' of meds once each year. I use mail order pharmacies and routinely get a 90-day supply so they just send me 2 batches of 90-day supplies as the prescriptions are written for that amount. My current insurance company did not have this in their information but all it took was a phone call and then sending the cruise document with embark and disembark dates listed to the pharmacy company with the insurance company's 'claim #' authorizing the vacation supply.

[serendipity1499]

We are booked next October on a 48-day cruise which will be the longest cruise we have every taken. Even though it is almost a year away i am concerned how to make sure I have enough necessary drugs for the trip. I'm sure many of you have had the same problem and I was wondering how you handled this situation. We do have a drug plan. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Donna

We also have a drug plan...Our drug plan always gives vacation refills.. Two weeks before departure I notify our Pharmacy (CVS) that we will be away a certain Number of days & ask them to get approval for early refills..Also ask them for an extra prescription container, just for our cruise.. On shorter cruises I put all the pills in the weekly boxes & take a copy of the prescription with us..

 

We always take one extra week with us in case of a any delays .. So if our cruise is 48 days we ask for 55 days worth of pills..

 

I put these pills in 4 zip lock bags labeled: "Betty AM pills" -"Betty P.M. pills", & "John A..M. Pills" -"John P.M. pills" ..Just be sure you carry a copy of the prescriptions with you..

 

Do not put your Meds in your checked luggage..Keep them in your carry-ons..

 

Hope this helps, Betty

Edited November 11, 2015 by serendipity1499

[Gerd]

.

 

Dear "mrsfitz28"

 

because I go next month on a 140 day lasting grand world voyage, I also did have to think about a huge amount of medicaments.

 

But here in France, it was just a kind of simple written request, and it was smoothly accepted.

 

So Yes, I do will have for 150 days all medicament (all in its original packaging), and also the prescription from my Cardiology, ENT doctor, and also from my family doctor.

 

As already mentioned, better you put it all in your hand luggage…;)

 

 

Happy cruising

 

G E R D

[Kamloops50]

I always renew my prescriptions early . I then have 30 days left when I renew . Next cycle I do the same and have 60 day supply. This gives me 160 day supply on the third renewal.

[Tom O.]

 

I put these pills in 4 zip lock bags labeled: "Betty AM pills" -"Betty P.M. pills", & "John A..M. Pills" -"John P.M. pills" ..Just be sure you carry a copy of the prescriptions with you..

 

Hope this helps, Betty

 

Just a quick cautionary note: Police and custom agents require prescription medications to be carried in their original bottles with the prescription info attached.

I learned this from watching the TV show "Cops." They are always busting people for carrying medications in bags or whatever. Of course, these people are always acting suspicious - they are not on a cruise. But why take a chance? Especially if you are in a foreign country.

[catl331]

Thanks Tom. This is very important as scammers and crooks try to look like innocent tourists. Do as Tom advises so you can keep moving along without extra investigation. Be prepared. We also make copies of credit cards, drivers license, passport (just in case) just so we can remember who were are!!

[Bowie MeMe]

I usually just call the pharmacy plan and put in a vacation request. I take 17 medications a day so bottles are very much "too much!". I take the refill form for the individual medication and tape it with clear packing tape to a snack size ziplock bag. It has all the information like RX number/Doctor name/Drug name/RX Date etc. I put the required amount of pills for that vacation for each RX in the ziplock bag for that drug and the entire set of pills goes in a plastic zippered bag. The weekly pill minders are filled from the ziplock bags and the pill minders are placed in a bright pink and white polka dot zipped cosmetic bag SO I ALWAYS see the bag and don't loose it. ON A CRUISE: The pill minder polka dot bag and the zippered bag of pills is kept in the bedside table and I Put a BIG Medicine Here sign on that drawer. If cruise line folks have to go into the cabin to retrieve meds and documents they can find the things I must have!!!(Some cruise lines now designate where to store meds so crew can find quickly).

 

My primary care Dr. has recently gone to electronic record keeping and each visit I am given a summary of the visit that lists all prescriptions, conditions for which the RX given and short health history along with Dr. name and address and phone number. I carry the latest of those summaries with me and can use that if I land at Dr's office or hospital while I am away. A copy of that summary is in the pill bag and also with my identity papers. Helpful.

[sail7seas]

I always travel with my absolutely necessary meds in original pharmacy container. I know TSA web site says it 'suggests' carrying meds that way but I also know I have seen travelers arguing with TSA because they were confiscating and disposing of their meds carried in little zip locks or in weekly pill holders. Whether they 'can' or not, they do sometimes and I don't want to be the person having my medications taken.

 

If you travel with any controlled substances, do not take the chance of carrying them out of pharmacy labeled containers. If you carry OTC things such as aspirin, vitamins etc, that's different as they are easily replaced if they are confiscated.

 

The closest I came to having my meds taken was at FLL airport when my jewelry in my carryon was questioned after x-ray. When the TSA person opened my carryon and saw a baggie with my Rx bottles on the top of the bag, her comment was 'good thing those are in pharmacy bottles or I would have tossed them'. I made careful note of that comment.

 

Do as you wish; I am a low risk taker and know I do not want my needed medications at risk.

[Boytjie]

Just a quick cautionary note: Police and custom agents require prescription medications to be carried in their original bottles with the prescription info attached.

I learned this from watching the TV show "Cops." They are always busting people for carrying medications in bags or whatever. Of course, these people are always acting suspicious - they are not on a cruise. But why take a chance? Especially if you are in a foreign country.

 

The last time I had anyone take an interest in the medications I was carrying was in 1984 on the border traveling from Amsterdam to Hamburg. We were two young guys traveling by car between those two cities and they found it odd and suspected that we had illegal drugs with is (which we did not). They searched every piece of the car and our luggage. They looked up every medication (and I am sure we only had over-the-counter meds) in a big book with pictures.

 

I have traveled a lot since then and travel with a lot more meds now and never was it looked at.

[crusinpsychRN]

Don't get mixed up between drugs and meds! LOL

 

It's up to your insurance company or ask for a 90 day supply.

[sail7seas]

Most insurers permit refills three or more days prior to date filled the month prior. Seeing you have a year before you cruise, if you diligently refill each month the permitted three (or more) days early, you will have accumulated 36 extra doses. My insurance permits refills are much as 5 or 6 days early for some meds.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our insurance plan allows us to refill medications 14 days ahead the normal 90 day supply.

But even in spite of being able to refill 14 days in advance, one time we had a 28 day cruise and could not get an advance in addition of the 14 day advance for one of DH's medications. Our insurance plan would not allow and our drug store would not authorize the advance either. DH just skipped every other day on that medication.

Not all insurance plans work the same. So you need to talk to your insurance company.

We also keep all medications in their original contains -- we have had TSA check our medical bag 3 times since 9/11.

[Hlitner]

Most prescriptions can be written for a 90 day drug supply, so speak with your physician. The problem meds are primarily those known as Schedule 1 or 2 drugs which are mostly narcotic based meds. There are strict federal restrictions on these type drugs which are often limited to only a 30 day supply. And these drugs are the ones that cause lots of grief for those taking long cruises.

 

Hank

[Augie's mom]

We are booked next October on a 48-day cruise which will be the longest cruise we have every taken. Even though it is almost a year away i am concerned how to make sure I have enough necessary drugs for the trip. I'm sure many of you have had the same problem and I was wondering how you handled this situation. We do have a drug plan. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Donna

on my 90 day refills I fill the earliest I can , usually after 60days. On 30 day refills my pharmacy suggested refilling 4-5 days early and do it for as many months to get the extra needed pills. They said that was usually easier than getting the insurance company to fill more and earlier.

[serendipity1499]

Just a quick cautionary note: Police and custom agents require prescription medications to be carried in their original bottles with the prescription info attached.

I learned this from watching the TV show "Cops." They are always busting people for carrying medications in bags or whatever. Of course, these people are always acting suspicious - they are not on a cruise. But why take a chance? Especially if you are in a foreign country.

 

IYou're right Tom... Sorry, I forgot about those who fly to the port..

 

Since we don't fly to the port or back home, I use the little plastic boxes but carry all copies of the prescriptions with us..

 

I would never carry our Meds into a foreign country that way & never ever carry narcotics unless they were in an original prescription bottle..

 

Have been doing this for years & never had a problem.. However when we fly internationally I always use orig. prescription bottles..

 

If U.S. customs Officers want to confiscate them on our return it's not a problem as we can do without them for a couple of hours..

 

Perhaps it's because our names are in the U.S. Customs System, since I'm retired from an International Airline & have been in & out of he U.S. several hundred times...I'm always honest with Custom's about what I'm carrying..

 

Only once almost had a problem with a Customs Agent in Hawaii, when he wanted to know what the loose powder was that I was carrying.. It was a special gift for my Mom & he looked like he wanted to put his fingers through it in order to test it..:eek: If he had, I would have left the powder there..LOL/SIZE]

[sail7seas]

What was the loose powder? Was it face powder?

 

[CaveDiving]

Contact your insurance company, and tell them your situation. They will normally have a means of allowing you to have a refill done early, so you can get more than the usual 30 day supply.

 

I completely agree with this. In my experience, virtually all medical prescription drug plans have some form of “vacation override” to permit you to obtain additional quantities of your medications to tide you over for your trip.

 

Just a quick cautionary note: Police and custom agents require prescription medications to be carried in their original bottles with the prescription info attached.

I learned this from watching the TV show "Cops." They are always busting people for carrying medications in bags or whatever. Of course, these people are always acting suspicious - they are not on a cruise. But why take a chance? Especially if you are in a foreign country.

 

I have to completely disagree with this. To my knowledge, there is absolutely no requirement to carry medications in any specific containers. Be careful about believing everything you see on TV. Original bottles may be handy and prevent some questions, but certainly are not required by any means. Here I am speaking of only personal use quantities of non-narcotic medications. Carrying copies of the prescriptions however, is a good idea.

 

... I have seen travelers arguing with TSA because they were confiscating and disposing of their meds carried in little zip locks or in weekly pill holders. Whether they 'can' or not, they do sometimes and I don't want to be the person having my medications taken.

 

I sincerely doubt that regular medications were being taken from travelers and disposed of because they were being carried in Ziplock bags or plastic pill holders. I tend to believe that what you may have seen has some additional information to which you were not privy, and whatever materials were confiscated would have been taken independently of how they were packaged. It is not a matter of “whether they ‘can’ or not”, if they can than they can and if they can’t than they can’t. TSA cannot make up their own rules on the spot.

 

It is also interesting to note that many, if not most, regular prescriptions are available at pharmacies in other countries and at significantly reduced prices. Typically, non-narcotic medications require no prescriptions in most countries other then the USA and Canada. I understand that the American pharmaceutical industry has a major advertising effort to scare the devil out of anyone against using medicines that have not seen the huge price markup in the US. But really, do you think the rest of the world is doing without quality medications, particularly since many medicines sold overseas are made by the same companies as the medicines sold in the US?

 

Just a thought, YMMV.

 

Scott & Karen

[Kamloops50]

Canada customs and immigration requires that medications ( perscribed or not ) to be in their original containers. If have had my meds questioned by them because they aren't properly tagged.

There are OTC (over the counter) products in the US that are not allowed in Canada because are a controlled substance in Canada.

[Avery's Gram]

Our insurance company refers to this as a "vacation override." They have always been helpful, but sometimes the paperwork takes a few extra days to communicate, from us to them, them to Dr., them to pharmacy, and pharmacy back to us!

 

But you have plenty of time so should not be a problem.

 

Barbara M. In NH

[sail7seas]

I completely agree with this. In my experience, virtually all medical prescription drug plans have some form of “vacation override” to permit you to obtain additional quantities of your medications to tide you over for your trip.

 

 

 

I have to completely disagree with this. To my knowledge, there is absolutely no requirement to carry medications in any specific containers. Be careful about believing everything you see on TV. Original bottles may be handy and prevent some questions, but certainly are not required by any means. Here I am speaking of only personal use quantities of non-narcotic medications. Carrying copies of the prescriptions however, is a good idea.

 

 

 

I sincerely doubt that regular medications were being taken from travelers and disposed of because they were being carried in Ziplock bags or plastic pill holders. I tend to believe that what you may have seen has some additional information to which you were not privy, and whatever materials were confiscated would have been taken independently of how they were packaged. It is not a matter of “whether they ‘can’ or not”, if they can than they can and if they can’t than they can’t. TSA cannot make up their own rules on the spot.

 

It is also interesting to note that many, if not most, regular prescriptions are available at pharmacies in other countries and at significantly reduced prices. Typically, non-narcotic medications require no prescriptions in most countries other then the USA and Canada. I understand that the American pharmaceutical industry has a major advertising effort to scare the devil out of anyone against using medicines that have not seen the huge price markup in the US. But really, do you think the rest of the world is doing without quality medications, particularly since many medicines sold overseas are made by the same companies as the medicines sold in the US?

 

Just a thought, YMMV.

 

Scott & Karen

 

Of course, many (most ?) of the Rx commonly prescribed in U.S. and Canada are available in most of the countries we would be visiting. However, they likely require a doctor's prescription there same as here though I do know there are exceptions.

 

I don't care to spend any of my vacation time seeking a doctor, paying a doctor to prescribe the Rx that were confiscated and I certainly don't want the stress of experiencing that whole scenario. I also would not wish to pay for them out of pocket when it was entirely avoidable I would have them taken to begin with.

 

If that is okay with you to do, then great. Go for it. Your choice. We do not all have to agree.

 

Edited November 11, 2015 by sail7seas

[Tom O.]

 

I have to completely disagree with this. To my knowledge, there is absolutely no requirement to carry medications in any specific containers. Be careful about believing everything you see on TV. Original bottles may be handy and prevent some questions, but certainly are not required by any means. Here I am speaking of only personal use quantities of non-narcotic medications. Carrying copies of the prescriptions however, is a good idea.

 

 

Scott & Karen

 

I copied this statement from the U.S. Customs website: "Prescription medications should be in their original containers with the doctor's prescription printed on the container. It is advised that you travel with no more than personal use quantities, a rule of thumb is no more than a 90 day supply. If your medications or devices are not in their original containers, you must have a copy of your prescription with you or a letter from your doctor."

 

So it sounds like it is ok to not have them in their original containers as long as you have copies of the prescriptions. But I think it would be easier to have the original containers than to go to the trouble of getting copies of the prescriptions.