Australian Customs with OTC medications

[TexasSonny&Cher]

I've read different things about getting through Australia Customs with over-the-counter medications. I usually carry a 'pill box' full of aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Sudafed, calcium supplements, Immodium, etc. Will I have any trouble carrying these in?

[kaseyoz]

All of those are all available OTC here too so unless you had a mountain of them i cannot see any problem with having them.

Do you really need all the different kinds of oain relief maybe you can just bring one kind. They are all widely sold over here.

[TexasSonny&Cher]

You're right. Hopefully I won't need any of the meds, but I like to have it with me when I need it, especially on the ship where the cost of everything is multiplied.

[Globaliser]

aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Sudafed, calcium supplements, Immodium, etc. Will I have any trouble carrying these in?

No..

[cands]

I've read different things about getting through Australia Customs with over-the-counter medications. I usually carry a 'pill box' full of aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Sudafed, calcium supplements, Immodium, etc. Will I have any trouble carrying these in?

 

Hi,

Just a hint to make sure you only bring a small amount of Sudafed (ie 1 box/bottle). You dont want them to think you're going to start a speed factory;) .

 

Also, Tylenol as you know it, is not available in Australia. The drug used in it is not sold here. (You may find Tylenol brand on the shelves, but it contains paracetamol. Most Australian OTC analgesics contain Paracetamol, Aspirin, or ibuprofen. (some with codeine added))

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[TexasSonny&Cher]

Thanks Steve,

 

I don't plan to bring a lot of anything, just enough for 2 for 3 weeks. It's interesting you don't have acetominophen there, I'm not familiar with paracetamol.

 

Looking forward to seeing yout country.

Pat

[violetmay]

Just looked this up on Wikipedia. Paracetamol is the same as acetominophen, just different names.:)

[Globaliser]

Paracetamol is the same as acetominophen, just different names.

Absolutely correct. As far as I can see from the websites, the only difference between Australian standard Tylenol and American standard Tylenol is that one has 500 mg and the other has 325 mg. The active ingredient is exactly the same.

[ErinH1]

You folks in Australia have a wonderful product that I got in Pt. Douglas at the local chemist, FexoTabs. My feet had been attacked by mosquitoes (in Sydney, so beware) and I asked what's the best thing you have, cause the itching and swelling is unbearable. Wish I had bought many more packets of this stuff. It's nondrowsy. fast acting, works for 24 hours and says it's for relief of hayfever, allergy and itchy skin rash/hives. Need to see if we have something the same in the U.S. Each tablet contains "180mg Fexofenadine Hydrochloride". Need to look it up on the web. They also sold me ItchEze Plus cream super strength, which worked better than the Benadryl cream I had brought with me.

[victravellers]

You folks in Australia have a wonderful product that I got in Pt. Douglas at the local chemist, FexoTabs. My feet had been attacked by mosquitoes (in Sydney, so beware) and I asked what's the best thing you have, cause the itching and swelling is unbearable. Wish I had bought many more packets of this stuff. It's nondrowsy. fast acting, works for 24 hours and says it's for relief of hayfever, allergy and itchy skin rash/hives. Need to see if we have something the same in the U.S. Each tablet contains "180mg Fexofenadine Hydrochloride". Need to look it up on the web. They also sold me ItchEze Plus cream super strength, which worked better than the Benadryl cream I had brought with me.

 

Fexo is another name for the brand Telfast, fexo is the generic (cheaper) brand. It is a non drowsy antihistamine, works great:)

[cands]

Just looked this up on Wikipedia. Paracetamol is the same as acetominophen, just different names.:)

 

Gee thanks,

The things you learn on these boards! All these years I thought Tylenol contains some exotic drug not found in Australia. And all the time is was just boring old paracetamol. You never stop learning:rolleyes:

 

Steve.

[vozzie]

Another good OTC one for mozzy bites is "Stingose" spray. If you spray it on your bites, before you start scratching, it is very effective.

 

BTW, the best tip for getting through Australian Customs (like any Customs I suppose) without grief is to be honest and, if in doubt, declare it.

[celle]

I've read different things about getting through Australia Customs with over-the-counter medications. I usually carry a 'pill box' full of aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Sudafed, calcium supplements, Immodium, etc. Will I have any trouble carrying these in?

 

As long as you keep all of these medications in their original packaging, so that they can be easily identified, I don't think you will have any trouble.

 

I would advise you not to put them all (unlabelled) in one container/pill box - not sure from your question if that is what you meant you did - it might cause problems with Customs, and in any case mixing different pills together in the same container is a dangerous practice.

 

And yes, other people are correct in saying that Tylenol is Paracetemol (sometimes under the trade name of Panadol) here in Australia and New Zealand. The other medicines you mentioned are available under the names you are familiar with.

 

Celle

[TexasSonny&Cher]

As long as you keep all of these medications in their original packaging, so that they can be easily identified, I don't think you will have any trouble.

 

I would advise you not to put them all (unlabelled) in one container/pill box - not sure from your question if that is what you meant you did - it might cause problems with Customs, and in any case mixing different pills together in the same container is a dangerous practice.

 

And yes, other people are correct in saying that Tylenol is Paracetemol (sometimes under the trade name of Panadol) here in Australia and New Zealand. The other medicines you mentioned are available under the names you are familiar with.

 

Celle

Thanks Celle,

You're right, I usually carry them all together in one container. I don't want to carry the big bottles of everything. I guess if Customs doesn't like what I have I'll have to throw it out and buy everything new when we get there.

 

You're also right about mixing meds together, and I would never mix any prescription drugs. Having grown up in and worked in the medical field for over 30 years, I feel pretty confident about putting my OTC meds together. Thanks for the warning though.