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Author Topic: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US  (Read 4709 times)

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Offline ozlthrman

  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« on: June 25, 2006, 09:13:18 am »
Hi All,
I am an Australian living and working in Belgium, but I have just accepted a new contract which will require me to travel to Chicago for at least a week a month over the next 6 months. Whenever I have visited the US previously, I have always arranged to collect my meds there, either by mailing ahead to a charity organization or by contact with a sympathetic GP. I have asked some friends in the US if they have any contacts in Chicago who may be able to put me in touch with support groups there.

Some have suggested that I just pack my meds and not worry about customs, however I am reluctant to do this as I have had a close friend deported on arrival after meds were found in his luggage. Given the current political climate and increased airport security, I would be surprised if attitudes towards positive tourists have been relaxed very much! And the fact that I will be returning for five or six months makes me a likely target for customs inspection.

So if anyone has any advice on where or how I can obtain meds on arrival, it would be greatly appreciated. I am taking Norvir, Invirase, Viread and Emtriva.

Thanks for your time.

Luke

Offline blondbeauty

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,787
Re: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2006, 06:42:08 pm »
Carry a prescription from your Dr. saying you are under treatment and need those meds.
The only member in these forums approved by WINBA: World International Nail and Beauty Association.
Epstein Barr +; CMV +; Toxoplasmosis +; HIV-1 +.
Counts when starting treatment:
V.L.:80.200 copies. CD4: 25%=503
Started Sustiva-Truvada 14/August/2006
Last V.L.count (Oct 2013): Undetectable
Last CD4 count (OCT 2013): 52%= 933

Offline otherplaces

  • Member
  • Posts: 398
  • Mutant Super Hero
Re: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2006, 07:27:26 pm »

Try contacting one of these places:

www.aidschicago.org
www.aidslegal.org
www.behiv.org


Offline Joe K

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  • Posts: 5,821
  • 31 Years Poz
Re: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2006, 11:52:41 pm »
Luke

Get your meds once you get here, because if you are not a citizen and they catch you with HIV drugs, back home you go, work contract or not.  It is not worth the risk to try and take them thru customs.

Offline Cliff

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  • Posts: 2,645
Re: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2006, 03:05:33 am »
I guess the question is do you have private health insurance that will cover the cost of the meds?  It's easy to find a doctor that will prescribe meds for you, but the concern would be how do you pay for them.  Unless you are a US resident/citizen and are elgible for aid from the various governmental programs, I wonder how likely you are going to be able to find an organization that will pay for your meds.

Whether you ship them ahead of time or take them with you, your meds will go through customs, (people usually don't realize that customs checks packages as they enter the country).

My personal opinion is odds are you are much better with just taking your meds with you (carry-on) than shipping them ahead of you or trying to locate them (and pay for them) once you get to the States.  But if you're not willing (or able) to take that risk (understandable, given your work situation), then getting your health insurance to pay for yours meds in advance is probably the best way to go.

Offline ozlthrman

  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
Re: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2006, 02:13:47 pm »
Thanks everyone for the responses. It seems that there is still a definite split between those that advocate travelling with the meds in my luggage and those that recommend getting them after I arrive. I still favour the latter option and will use some of the advice/links to follow it up. As far as geting my insurance to pay for them, I am extremely fortunate that in both Australia and the EU the cost of the meds is 100% covered by the national medical programmes in each country. Even if I have to pay full price for the meds, I can probably absorb that given that I will only need 1-2 months supply.

So if someone knows of a good gay-friendly GP who could write the prescriptions and is located in the Chicago area, I would really appreciate any details you can give me.

Thanks again eveyone.

Luke

Offline Cliff

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,645
Re: Medication question from Inbound traveller to US
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2006, 02:36:42 pm »
BTW- You should check into seeing if your employer will purchase (or reimburse you) to purchase travel/medical insurance for during your stays in the US.  You need some sort of insurance, just in case something happens to you while you're in the US, and since this is work related your employer should pick up the tab.

 


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