Q: What medicines should I pack when going out of town? We have several trips planned and I want to make sure I have the right stuff.
With summer here, traveling gives you a chance to get away from your usual routine and see new horizons. Unfortunately, you can get injured or sick whether you are at home or on the road. If you aren’t prepared, motion sickness, intestinal disturbances and minor injuries can derail you from enjoying family gatherings or vacations.
Before you walk out the door to your adventure make sure you’ve packed all of your regular prescription medicines and a current list of all your medications. I recommend using pillboxes when taking your medicines on the road with you. Packing a pillbox instead of taking all your pill bottles with you takes up far less space and is less disastrous if you accidently leave your pills behind somewhere. Using pillboxes has another advantage when packing for a trip: filling up your pillboxes before you leave will alert you to when you’ll run out of medicine before you get back home.
What if you discover that you don’t have enough doses to last until you return? If you usually get a 30-day supply of pills, you can ask your doctor to refill it for a larger quantity, like 90 days. You could also explain to your pharmacist that you’ll be gone when your next refill is due to be filled, and ask if you can refill your medicine early. Some insurance programs allow one early refill or “vacation refill” per year for certain medicines. If you have to pick up your refills every time from the doctor’s office, you’ll need to plan ahead with your doctor and pharmacist. Medicines for pain or anxiety that can’t be called or faxed to the nearest pharmacy can cause problems if you need more while out of town.
When traveling outside the United States, be extra cautious about your food and drinks to avoid spending your vacation visiting the local bathrooms instead of the beaches or museums. Always avoid ice: never drink a freshly opened bottle of water or soda that has been poured over ice! But if you do end up with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea on your trip, AVOID taking anti-inflammatory medicines such as naproxen (Aleve®) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin-IB®) for pain, swelling or fever. Taking naproxen or ibuprofen while dehydrated can seriously damage your kidneys. Seriously! Until you can keep fluids down, if you need a painkiller, take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) instead.
Along with your prescription medicines I recommend packing some non-prescription medications to treat common conditions that may arise. Here’s what I always bring on a trip:
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Relieves aches, pains and fever, including tension headache from staring at maps and backache from riding all day in cars or planes.
- Meclizine (Bonine®, Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Formula). My personal favorite is chewable 25mg tablets to prevent motion sickness. Indispensible when traveling in moving vehicles or roller coasters that go backwards and upside down.
- Loperamide (Imodium®-AD). This is the very best way to stop diarrhea in its tracks, so you can spend your vacation on the beach instead of in the bathroom.
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®), the kind you have to sign for. My husband’s ears always get blocked up when he travels by plane, so I make sure we have this for him to protect his ears from painful changes in pressure. Instead of pills you can use naphazoline (Afrin®) nasal spray.
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl®). This is a miracle worker for bee stings, bug bites, minor rashes and allergic reactions.
- Naproxen, 220mg tablets (Aleve®) or ibuprofen (Advil®). Great for emergencies like tooth pain or muscle aches. DON’T USE IT if you have vomiting or diarrhea, have serious heart failure, are allergic to aspirin, or have had a bleeding ulcer. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol®) instead for aches and pains if you can’t safely take naproxen or its cousin, ibuprofen.
- Dried Prunes. I pack these as insurance against constipation. Research shows that eating 5 prunes is just as effective as taking a stool softener, and I adjust the “dose” up or down according to my needs. Don’t like prunes? Pack your favorite laxative instead. I recommend Miralax® because it’s reliable, powerful yet gentle on the body.
Bon voyage and safe travels!
