News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

Traveling with Meds

Your meds need to go in your carry-on when you’re flying. You really don’t want to be without them if your checked bags are lost.

I travel with about half a dozen oral medications. I keep them in their original pharmacy containers and carry those in see-through food freezer bags. Using that method I’ve never had a problem with security, in any airport.

In the U.S. the TSA considers needles and syringes “medically necessary” items and you can carry them on after they’re screened, just like pills.  The Transportaton Security Agency has a lot of good information about traveling with medications and medical devices on its web site.

Some meds need to be refrigerated. When I used Avonex, for example, I needed to make sure that I could keep it cool when I traveled.  Check with your doctor, or the pharmaceutical company, to determine how long your medication will be okay outside of a refrigerator.   If you’re going to be away for an extended period check, in advance, to see if your hotel room, or ship cabin, includes a mini-refrigerator.  If it doesn’t, many hotels (at least the larger ones) will roll one into the room.  Once or twice I just shoved the vials into the room’s mini-bar.