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Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: metekrop on June 29, 2011, 05:53:46 pm

Title: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: metekrop on June 29, 2011, 05:53:46 pm
I will be travelling to Europe carrying my HIV meds in my pocket to see my family memeber.  That is only for about 10 days consumption.  Is there a problem at the airport check point to have the screeners see these HIV med?  I am seeking here any experience.  What kind of question they will ask you about the meds and what would my answer be to them? Etc.. I am just frightened.
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: Jeff G on June 29, 2011, 06:26:59 pm
I have traveled with my meds before . I would suggest bringing them in the original current prescription bottle . They probably wont ask what they are for and you shouldn't have a problem anyway unless where you are traveling to a country that bans people with HIV from entering .   
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: drewm on June 29, 2011, 06:31:19 pm
Carry them in original container (with labels) and you should not have any problem. I travel several times a year and always put mine in my carry-on.
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: bocker3 on June 29, 2011, 06:42:45 pm
I fly 6+ times a year.  I leave my meds in my carry on -- with just my next dose in my pocket.  While TSA says you should have them in their original bottle -- I always have my weekly pill organizer filled and have never had an issue.  There is nothing to worry about -- just don't put them in your checked luggage.

Happy travels.....

Mike
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: leatherman on June 29, 2011, 06:48:59 pm
you might want to check out these other threads where this topic has been discussed
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=33116.0
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=30764.0

don't forget to take a couple extra days worth of meds with you.
You never know when a natural disaster will hold you up a day or two ;)
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: Assurbanipal on June 29, 2011, 07:12:12 pm
I wouldn't put 10 days worth in your pocket -- but I almost always have a day and a half in my pocket and have never been questioned in the US or going to the EU.

Half the people on the plane are on one type or other of prescription drugs.  There is no need to be nervous.  

Just don't grind them into powders and secrete them in various bodily recesses. :)
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: newt on June 29, 2011, 07:18:04 pm
Oriignal bottles, hand luggage, declare them at security, no probs
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: surf18 on June 29, 2011, 09:57:30 pm
i always put mine in my pill case with all the other vitamins/supplements i take. and i bring the original pill containers of my two hiv meds also in my carry on. i do that as mentioned earlier, i just like to have some extra pills with me on vacation.
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: littleprince on June 30, 2011, 04:59:35 am
Maybe this is the paranoid side of me coming out but I always travel with my meds in at least 2 places if possible, carry on and baggage. At least if ones gets stolen or misplaced you have back up. And always take extra.

Even if you do have loose tablets carried on you and get questioned you can always tell them to look in you baggage for the bottle with label on them. Then there won't be any problems.
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: lusopt on June 30, 2011, 07:29:25 am
unless where you are traveling to a country that bans people with HIV from entering .   

There are no countrys in europe who does that. You may enter everywhere, being HIV+ and bringing your pills
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: metekrop on June 30, 2011, 07:36:07 am
Thank you guys. 

All your points will be well taken care of.  Thank you again.
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: mecch on June 30, 2011, 07:56:11 am
Maybe this is the paranoid side of me coming out but I always travel with my meds in at least 2 places if possible, carry on and baggage. At least if ones gets stolen or misplaced you have back up. And always take extra.

Even if you do have loose tablets carried on you and get questioned you can always tell them to look in you baggage for the bottle with label on them. Then there won't be any problems.

I one up you on that. Just save an old real pill bottle and carry both staches in real pill bottles.  After all, in your theory, if for some reason you were questioned with "loose pills" during the boarding process, your bag with the bottles is long gone and far away.

Security had better things to be watching out for than prescription medicine!
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: Gio on June 30, 2011, 09:02:17 am
I brought my pills in my pill case and the bottle in my carry-on...  I went through security both here and in South America with no problem. I was not even questioned nor did i voluntarily disclose. 

Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: Miss Philicia on June 30, 2011, 09:09:02 am
Maybe this is the paranoid side of me coming out but I always travel with my meds in at least 2 places if possible, carry on and baggage. At least if ones gets stolen or misplaced you have back up. And always take extra.

Even if you do have loose tablets carried on you and get questioned you can always tell them to look in you baggage for the bottle with label on them. Then there won't be any problems.

Do you also do this when traveling in a car, bus, train? I doubt it -- and a plane is no different except you pass through a security check point for 10 seconds.
Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: Assurbanipal on June 30, 2011, 10:12:42 am
don't forget to take a couple extra days worth of meds with you.
You never know when a natural disaster will hold you up a day or two ;)

Metekrop

Just wanted to highlight this point from Leatherman.  And at small airports with fewer flights it doesn't have to be a natural disaster -- a thunderstorm will do. 

A

Title: Re: Checking at the air port carring HIV meds in your pocket?
Post by: mecch on June 30, 2011, 10:33:30 am
Do you also do this when traveling in a car, bus, train? I doubt it -- and a plane is no different except you pass through a security check point for 10 seconds.

Huh?  It makes sense to carry in two bags, a carry on and a check in.  Plenty of times my check in arrives a day or two later on transatlantic flights.  So, I guess the carry on alone would be enough. But I've had a carry on bag gone missing on a stopover. Probably my own careless forgetfulness, but hey.