What medicines do you travel O/S with? [No specific medical advice]

[RooFlyer]

Thought it might be useful to see what medicines people take travelling with them, particularly overseas.

NOTE: This should be a general discussion only; please seek professional advice for your personal circumstances.

I'm in my mid 50s and do get away to some off the beaten track locations, so I pack a reasonably comprehensive assortment, as I don't want to put up with illness inconveniences if I can possibly help it. And in western countries, the cost of seeing a doctor to get prescribed something simple can be time consuming and expensive (in Canada, C$150 a time)

I always take my TMA Traveller's Medical Kit, which comes in a handy zipped and compartmentalised bag. It contains, via prescription from my travel doctor:

Loperamide: (GastoStop) 'Diarrhoea Stopper'
Norfloxacin: antibiotic for bladder and bowel. With Loperamide constitutes the diarrhoea 'bomb'.
Stemzine: for nausea & vomiting
Cephalexin: a more general antibiotic
As well as non prescription Gastrolyte and a good simple and clear booklet on how to use the medicines.

To this I have added prescription
Piroxicam as I get occasional osteoarthritis in my hands and toes
Diprosone ointment for skin fungus etc
Plus non prescription sinus medication; Codral cold & flu stuff; Panadol Extra; Difflam for sore throat; elastic bandage; small tube of 60 factor sunscreen; band aides; 4 small eye irrigation tubes (I wear contacts).

I also carry prescription temazepam and non prescription melatonin to help me sleep on the plane and the night or 2 after (not taken together!)

Also anti malarial tablets where appropriate (they are expensive!).

I'm happy to be thought of as a hypochondriac, but the above has kept me safe and well so far and is fairly trivial in size and weight. This is almost everything:

 

[PaulST]

Just a few friendly points.
1. Discuss your list and your rationale with your GP.
2. Don't consume drugs you're not familiar with (unless, obviously, prescribed by a doctor). You don't want to have a reaction to something whilst hiking through the Yellow Mountains.
3. Be careful modifying your travel meds based on this thread.
4. Discuss your meds and your rationale with your GP.
5. Discuss your meds and your rationale with your GP.

Best you run that list by your GP, RooFlyer, as a few of them wouldn't be advisable. Diprosone cream alone, for example, shouldn't be used on fungal skin infections.


There's no doubt that this is an interesting topic for frequent fliers, but just be careful playing around with medications without talking with a doctor.

 

[RooFlyer]

Just a few friendly points.
1. Discuss your list and your rationale with your GP.
2. Don't consume drugs you're not familiar with (unless, obviously, prescribed by a doctor). You don't want to have a reaction to something whilst hiking through the Yellow Mountains.
3. Be careful modifying your travel meds based on this thread.
4. Discuss your meds and your rationale with your GP.
5. Discuss your meds and your rationale with your GP.

Best you run that list by your GP, RooFlyer, as a few of them wouldn't be advisable. Diprosone cream alone, for example, shouldn't be used on fungal skin infections.


There's no doubt that this is an interesting topic for frequent fliers, but just be careful playing around with medications without talking with a doctor.

Gee, thanks for that very valuable advice PaulST; but frankly I find it a bit gratuitous; I wonder what you meant by repeating your points 4 and 5? Is it a professional technique you employ to address the very stupid??

Of course I've discussed them all with my GP AND my travel doctor. If that's any of your business. And guess what, I don't take the medicines all at once. Did you happen to notice the cautions I put in the title and in my post?

My use of 'fungal infections' was sloppy - a bit of a generalisation to disguise the fact that I have galloping pox and strange rashes I'd rather not discuss here ...

Instead of giving gratuitous advice, would you care to contribute constructively?

Edit in addendum. Before starting this thread I did consult a real doctor on its merits; happy to say they, and another non doctor I consulted, were both supportive.

 

[Ikara]

I always carry L-Lysine for cold sores. Kills them stone dead. Available from any health food store or chemist. Cheap as chips and effective.

JB

 

[boomy]

Only two:
Aspirin for headaches and hangovers.
Melatonin to prevent jet lag.

 

[get me outta here]

I lurve my Zolpidem for sleeping when travelling, it's precious to me.

 

[Denali]

Travelling pharmac_ these days.

St Johns 1st aid kit
Betadine Sore Throat Gargle (take it on the plane, pack it in check in - don't leave home without it!)
Curash Baby Anti Rash powder (a must for scuba diving trips where in and out of a wetsuit 3-4 times per day-the only time Ive seen a person prepared to carry a baggie of white powder in Indonesia)
Heel Balm for cracked heels (which I suffer from)
Nurofen
Panadol
Panadine Forte (prescribed by doctor)
Phernegan (for flights)
Rid Tropical Insect repellent (bugs love me)
Stop Itch (see above)
Strepsils Lozengers
Vaseline Lip Balm
Wet One Travel Packs
Keflex Antibiotic tablets (prescribed for just in case)
Antibiotic cream/gel (prescribed for just in case)
Antiseptic cream
Anti-Inflamme cream from NZ (love this stuff!)
Gastro stuff & Stemzine (If travelling where food is iffy)
Day/Night cold tablets
Sudafed
Metamucil tablets
Hydralyte Electrolyte powders
Probiotics and whatever other vitamins hubby wants me to pack.
Eye drops. Hubby had ocular surgery 2yrs ago.

All preventative type stuff but its saved a trip or two in the past. I have a single plastic box that stores everything and easy to put into check-in luggage (we rarely fly domestic so theres always check-in).

 

[PaulST]

Gee, thanks for that very valuable advice PaulST; but frankly I find it a bit gratuitous; I wonder what you meant by repeating your points 4 and 5? Is it a professional technique you employ to address the very stupid??

Of course I've discussed them all with my GP AND my travel doctor. If that's any of your business. And guess what, I don't take the medicines all at once. Did you happen to notice the cautions I put in the title and in my post?

My use of 'fungal infections' was sloppy - a bit of a generalisation to disguise the fact that I have galloping pox and strange rashes I'd rather not discuss here ...

Instead of giving gratuitous advice, would you care to contribute constructively?

Edit in addendum. Before starting this thread I did consult a real doctor on its merits; happy to say they, and another non doctor I consulted, were both supportive.

I repeated point 4 and 5 for two reasons. Firstly, for emphasis, and secondly, kinda as a joke. But since I've clearly hurt your feelings, I'll obstain from my attempted humour for the rest of the thread.
I'm glad to hear that you're not using diprosone cream for fungal infections.

No offence was intended.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Be cautious with sudafed since pseudoephedrine is illegal to bring through customs in a number of countries. As are combinations with codeine.

 

[Denali]

Be cautious with sudafed since pseudoephedrine is illegal to bring through customs in a number of countries. As are combinations with codeine.

Yep. Found that out when I bought way too much of the stuff in France and got a please explain in Sydney.

 

[JohnK]

A traveller's medical kit sounds like a good idea.

Here are some of the medicines I carry with me taking note some of these medicines are also readily available overseas. I also suffer from immune disorders so I have to self medicate.

- Xanax
- Amoxycillin (If I have a sore throat and can't swallow its due to tonsillitis/laryngitis/pharyngitis and I am not going to see a doctor overseas to confirm it. Sometimes it takes more than 1 course and can affect me for weeks back home)
- Methotrexate
- Diaformin
- Pantoprazole
- Phenergan
- Naprosyn (or something similar for inflammation)
- Panadol Osteo (I used to take codeine as well but decided that was too risky in some countries)
- Nurofen
- Imodium (or similar)
- Dulcolax suppositories
- Mylanta/Quickeze roll tabs

I am sure I have forgotten to list something. I believe in being prepared.

 

[Cynicor]

I repeated point 4 and 5 for two reasons. Firstly, for emphasis, and secondly, kinda as a joke. But since I've clearly hurt your feelings, I'll obstain from my attempted humour for the rest of the thread.
I'm glad to hear that you're not using diprosone cream for fungal infections.

No offence was intended.

As soon as I saw it I was thinking the same thing about the diprosone PaulST. Would love to see rooflyer's fungus after a week of that stuff!

I would also advise a different antibiotic for diarrhoeal illnesses, in line with the therapeutic guidelines.

 

[Colster]

Mega B vitamin tablets
Stillnox or Zolpidem
Ibuprofen
Paracetamol
Its a party pack ready to go

 

[clazman]

Diaformin is a diabetic tablet.... so that goes to the question should you have a letter from the doctor for prescriptions medication

 

[leadman]

Gave up years ago taking bags of chemicals; down to the majors;

- Ventolin being an asthmatic
- Panadol for the hangover
- Imodium just in case
- diphenhydramine HCL aka Benadryl for sleeping

Anything else you can generally get in countries, certainly in Asia. Worse place to get medicine I found was the US. It was all but impossible to get a ventolin until I saw a doctor. One reason I also stopped carrying too much was I found some went off, but most became crushed will all the travel and movement.

 

[Cynicor]

Gave up years ago taking bags of chemicals; down to the majors;

- Ventolin being an asthmatic
- Panadol for the hangover
- Imodium just in case
- diphenhydramine HCL aka Benadryl for sleeping

Anything else you can generally get in countries, certainly in Asia. Worse place to get medicine I found was the US. It was all but impossible to get a ventolin until I saw a doctor. One reason I also stopped carrying too much was I found some went off, but most became crushed will all the travel and movement.

Oddly enough (from an AU POV), NSAIDs such as Nurofen/Ibuprofen are not OTC in SIN. You need to see a pharmacist (not just a pharmac_) to get them, which can be slightly hard on a Sunday

 

[PaulST]

Diaformin is a diabetic tablet.... so that goes to the question should you have a letter from the doctor for prescriptions medication

A letter couldn't hurt but it would be less of an issue with something like metformin/diaformin.
You'd definitely be wanting a letter of you're regularly taking stronger pain killers and sleepers (ie. valium). In the end of the day, if you have 1 box, you'll be able to argue your way through an overly zealous customes officer, but a letter from your GP would just make it easier. If you're on a long trip and have quite a few boxes of restricted (in Australia) drugs then you'd definitely want a doctor's letter.

 

[PaulST]

Oddly enough (from an AU POV), NSAIDs such as Nurofen/Ibuprofen are not OTC in SIN. You need to see a pharmacist (not just a pharmac_) to get them, which can be slightly hard on a Sunday

As they should be... No one should be able to buy NSAIDs without a few brief questions from a pharmacist/pharmacist assistant.

Many kidney physicians owe their children's private education to those NSAIDs...*

*that was a joke RooFlyer.

 

[JohnK]

Diaformin is a diabetic tablet.... so that goes to the question should you have a letter from the doctor for prescriptions medication

I used to get a letter from my GP listing my prescription medication. I stopped doing it when I moved up to Brisbane as I didn't have a regular GP and travelling too often.

I have been thinking about that recently. I notice the local pharmac_ offering to provide that type of service. Will check if it's complimentary otherwise will get a letter from GP to take with me. I don't usually take medication with me in the box. Just take enough medication for the trip and that could pose problems if questioned.

 

[opusman]

Many kidney physicians owe their children's private education to those NSAIDs...

I thought it was paracetamol that was bad for the kidneys?