Medicaction on a long cruise

[zitsky]

If taking a long cruise, for more than three months, what do you do if you take medication?  How do you refill prescriptions while at sea?

[Peregrina651]

If search were working, I would tell you that it was a big topic on the world cruise threads and that you should read those threads.

 

Otherwise, the simple answer is that you can get an override on your insurance so that you carry all of your meds with you when leave home. Did it for my daughter when she studied abroad. She took a year's supply. 

Edited October 23, 2018 by Peregrina651

[Heidi13]

In Canada, we request a vacation extension from our plans, so we can request up to 6 months. On our previous WC, we planned to be away for 9 months, so our daughter would have posted an additional 3 month supply to us in Australia.

[zitsky]

7 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

If search were working, I would tell you that it was a big topic on the world cruise threads and that you should read those threads.

 

Otherwise, the simple answer is that you can get an override on your insurance so that you carry all of your meds with you when leave home. Did it for my daughter when she studied abroad. She took a year's supply. 

 

I have tried search, but I'm not getting the right threads.  I'm searching for world and cruise and medicine.

[Heidi13]

Suggest selecting the World Cruise Board and looking through the various thread titles. Lots of excellent information.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/674-world-cruising/

[Parsley Cruises]

One thing I have found from previous long stays overseas (from the UK), is that some countries do not permit certain medications, (so don't take them ashore with you if at all possible), and secondly don't forget to take with you your printed prescription sheet/s.  

 

This 'official dislike' of even off-the-shelf items such as Paracetamol (and a couple of other things which we take for granted in the UK) aren't allowed for instance in UAE.

 

Best answer is thorough research, so whilst working out how you can get enough stuff to travel with, don't forget to research if it is allowed on your particular itinerary.

 

Good luck.

[Peregrina651]

12 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

I have tried search, but I'm not getting the right threads.  I'm searching for world and cruise and medicine.

 

Right, search is not working properly right now and the CC staff knows it isn't. Before search will work, the entire database has to be indexed, a process that will take a few weeks to complete. So, for now, things like the search function and find my roll call are not really usable because the results are incomplete--and sometimes even wrong. But, if they had waited for the indexing finish, the site would have been down for closer to a month rather than the week we actually experienced. One of the trade-offs.

[deec]

If you are seniors using a Part D...make sure you start EARLY in getting the over ride from your insurance.  there were no issues with docs writing or pharmacy filling 4.5 months for us on the World Cruise but getting Aetna to figure it out was a test in endurance!!!  For us it ended up perfectly.  Our friends, however, ended up (after being told it was covered) paying for 4 months of a VERY expensive drug!!!  The insurance company did eventually re-imburse them once we returned home.

 

[Choose Something Fun]

On 10/23/2018 at 3:43 AM, Parsley Cruises said:

One thing I have found from previous long stays overseas (from the UK), is that some countries do not permit certain medications, (so don't take them ashore with you if at all possible), and secondly don't forget to take with you your printed prescription sheet/s.  

 

This 'official dislike' of even off-the-shelf items such as Paracetamol (and a couple of other things which we take for granted in the UK) aren't allowed for instance in UAE.

 

Best answer is thorough research, so whilst working out how you can get enough stuff to travel with, don't forget to research if it is allowed on your particular itinerary.

 

Good luck.

 

in January of 2017, after our one week Mediterranean cruise, I ran out of Naproxen Sodium while in Paris. It had never occurred to me that it wasn't available over the counter in Europe. The Pharmacist there sold me 400 mg Advil which, interestingly enough, isn't available here in the US over the counter.

[Heidi13]

On 10/23/2018 at 12:43 AM, Parsley Cruises said:

One thing I have found from previous long stays overseas (from the UK), is that some countries do not permit certain medications, (so don't take them ashore with you if at all possible), and secondly don't forget to take with you your printed prescription sheet/s.  

 

This 'official dislike' of even off-the-shelf items such as Paracetamol (and a couple of other things which we take for granted in the UK) aren't allowed for instance in UAE.

 

Best answer is thorough research, so whilst working out how you can get enough stuff to travel with, don't forget to research if it is allowed on your particular itinerary.

 

Good luck.

Totally agree, as we deal with different drug names and prescription standards for 3 countries, as we frequently travel in the US and are also in UK for extended periods, or have my dad over visiting us.

 

Over the past 40 years, DW has become an expert figuring out equivalent drug names. Remember her trying to figure out an equivalent for Paracetamol in Canada for my mum many years ago. Even Canada & US have significant differences in drug names.