New poster here, be gentle...

I noticed a lot of people have, in their FAKs, EDCs etc., prescription meds repacked in something other than the people-proof bottle from the pharmacy with the label as to what it is and the doctor info. Does this present a problem with the TSA when flying (or with Customs, like on US/CAN border)? Does one need to have a prescription piece of paper from the doc in this case? Just curious.

Whenver I get a refill, I save the bottle from the previous month. I pull out 7 tablets and put them in the old bottles (with the correct labels). Each month I rotate out the old tablets and replace them with new tablets.

The extra bottles go in the BOB. If I am traveling, I use the extra bottles and have never been questioned because the pills are still in bottles with the original prescription and doctor info.

Thanks Brian of Texas, but I guess what I was trying to get at was how horribly bulky those pharmacy-issued containers are, and what does one need to do to use some more efficiently-sized container and stay unquestionably legal?

I use a couple of these, but whatever you find out about the proper way to label them to satisfiy authorities I would like to know too. One pouch can carry more than 2 weeks worth of prescription meds for me.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/15036-14526-737.html

I traveled for the first time out of the country, requiring a passport, last year and had similar concerns. I get a number of my medicines mail order (90 day supply), that comes in rather large bottles. Several websites will tell you to keep your meds in original containers and/or carry a copy of your prescription with you. Several "seasoned" travelers told me that as long as you have just what you need for your trip, you shouldn't have any problems. I carry my meds in a seven day pill organizer in my carry-on, in case my luggage and I get seperated. I didn't have any issues traveling that way to Europe for a week. Third world travel or longer periods of time may require the "official" method of prescription carry.

Good point about keeping the quantities down. Small amounts of meds may not be worth it for the authorities to be concerned about. I'll see if I can find out anything from the "official" sites just to be on the safe side.

If I find out anything "official", I'll be sure to post.

That's a handy pouch for bottles, great idea.

I normally forget to copy my written prescription from the Doc before I go to the pharmacy. What I have been doing is tell the Phamacist that I am going to travel and to please print me up an extra label to attach to a smaller container or just carry the extra label with me, with the extra meds, if the med container is too small to attach the label. We all know you can't read or understand the doctor's hand written prescriptions, so the pharmacy labels provide all the necessary information for me, and if necessary, the med police. I also sometimes ask for smaller pill bottles at the pharmacy. They have always been happy to oblige, at no cost.

One Day Closer

A week or two supply of meds for personal use should PROBABLY be OK (these days who really knows). Any controlled substance should be in pharmacy pkg (narcotics, most sleepers, etc.).

Check if your pharmacy will dispense in small ziplock bags , not childproof, so some won't. Saw them at Walgreens recently for sale, just ask for a set of labels to put on the bags & re-pakg for a appropriate quantity.

I'm not sure that I'd want to put meds (pill form, as opposed to capsules) in a bag. No protection from being crushed. If one is supposed to take one 1mg. pill per day, but your pills have accidently been reduced to powder in a bag, how would you know, easily, what is 1mg.? A rigid container offers better protection and a cotton ball can keep the pills from breaking up due to vibration.

Thanks to readyone for mentioning the second label from the pharmacy thing. I had tried asking them for smaller bottles, but even the smallest size bottle had the people-proof lid (which adds significantly to the bulk) and they said they were "required" to dispense all meds with those lids. "Required" by whom, I don't know. Could be state law or just store policy.

Even if one uses one of those keychain-type aluminum viles whose diameter is so small that a label applied to the outside would have serious overlap, one may be able to roll up the label and place it inside the vial (just a thought).