traveling and managing pain

I need advice on how to travel.
I need to keep my normal routine. changing jobs does not change the fact that I have CP. I left my stuff at home, but now i can REALLY tell what stuff I NEED. At least to help keep a normal job, or a normal life. I have only Tramadol, because i THOUGHT it was non-narcotic.
I am strong enough to keep on keeping on for this week.
I need advice on how other people trying to manage CP, fibromialgia, ect. can travel freely, and not risk their freedom. Tramadol and opiates make me sick if i take them for too long. but for those breakthru flare ups I cant depend on only them tramadols, especially at night. I tried, not gonna happen. I claimed upset stomach when my new co workers seen the lack of sleep, and discomfort on my face. opiates and muscle relaxers would have helped me sleep that night. but see, i was reluctant to carry them.
i get to go home this weekend, then fly off to another state...one week, then yet another state. I learned that i need to carry my full prescriptions and use them as directed by my team of doctors.
should we declare our drugs at the security gate?
I feel this conversation may help other people that are trying to keep on keeping on.

"the serenity prayer"

Post Edited (daGIFToPAIN) : 8/19/2014 8:40:32 PM (GMT-6)

I answered some of this on Sunny's thread.

I don't declare my drugs. No use waving red flags. You won't have enough on you to question if you just take what you need for the week. Original bottles, just not the whole month's supply in case it gets lost. All you have is a little tramadol and a few others! You don't have to put your meds on display in a clear bag, and I wouldn't! A small fanny pack might work since guys rarely carry purses. 2 or 3 small prescription bottles going through x-ray shouldn't be questioned.

Take the other meds with you! You can't work if you can't sleep!

I take a medium-size open-top bag for my tailbone pillow and any other medical necessities. A medical bag is allowed on top of the carry-on and purse. (Skinny rear, tailbone hits seat and even bed when supine.)

so then, should I leave the Marinol at home? Generic dronabinol is the generic. basically THC in a pill. That is where I am confused.
and the opiates like tylenol 3 and hydrocodone are totally legit to transport across state lines. Alprazolam as well. those long flights kick my butt! Claimimg ignorance is never a usable legal defense. we shall see.

Well you all have obviously never tried flying out of a Florida airport with prescription meds that are controlled. You better be prepared for questions here. That was primarily the biggest way all our oxy found its way to all upper states. Folks flying in to see clinics and oxy and xanax going back.

It was first defense on the Governors list of the drugs stop here.

They pull you out of check-in, ask a million questions, and check the prescription information and I'm assuming against their list of "bad clinics /Drs, and they looked one of my meds up to see what it was. Took about 45 more minutes on top of the regular line to get through security. If you have a out of state id and Florida prescription I imagine you will miss your plane!

Vickie, it has been a while since I've flown. They ask every passenger going through security if they have any prescription drugs & what they are ?

Vitamin E isn't a prescription. How do the know the people who have prescription drugs with them and those who don't ? Do they ask everyone as the go through security, "do you have any prescription drugs on you ?" How do they know the classifications of the meds, is that part of their training ?

thank u for the info. i feel better

I hate flying, I now get the special pat down due to my spinal cord stim., what fun that is! In FL I have even needed to show a TSA agent my scar, of course they allow that behind a screen. Because I am so thin my IPG sticks out a bit and is palapable. I guess I could have had a container of drugs implanted under my skin before flying home,lol. Not sure what would happen if I refused, although invasive I do understand why its done.

Last time I flew I was advised to put my medications in a clear bag as well. I only took enough for the week and had no issues.

I guess I have been lucky. I have never been asked if I had any medications with me. I had my prescription bottles in my purse and never had a problem. They have never searched my purse or my carry on after it went through the scan. I don't see how they could really do anything if it's a legal prescription and you have the bottle with the label that has your name and instructions on it. I know that some people just get an anal person at the airport though that has nothing better to do than cause stress and anxiety.

Anyway, what I meant to say is that I wouldn't worry too much about it if you have legal prescription medications. Of course I have heard about some people putting different types of non legal drugs into a legal script bottle and getting away with it due to fact that it's in a bottle that says that drug was prescribed to them. These are the people that make things very hard for the honest cp patients and why there is so much going on now.

My daughters boyfriend had a bottle of prescription cough syrup in his carry on & they made him throw it away, they would not allow it on the plane.

Things have changed that is for sure when it comes to flying.

I live in Canada. We have done a lot of travelling. I have to put my prescription medications in a clear plastic bag. The drugstore labels must be on the bottles. I carry them in my purse and they go through the X-ray machine. You would for sure need to check if you can be in possession of a narcotic at the place you are travelling to. I was told, for example, that you cannot take medical marijuana to Jamaica. Apparently there are places in Asia that forbid narcotics. I did go on a trip last year to San Francisco. I was just off Lyrica and not doing so well. My Doctor prescribed some Tramadol. I took them with me with the other meds and had no problem. I don't declare them, they are in the hands of customs officers in the X-ray. They will ask if they are inclined to.

It also is difficult with many supplements. I was told that Customs does not have to allow you to carry them on. I have had to take a chance and put them in my luggage. They need to be in the containers they are purchased in. I do put a couple days meds and supplements in my purse in pill boxes, just in case. We have had luggage lost and that is a worry. If you travel to Europe many places do not have the kinds of supplements that are available in Canada or the U.S. Also, take what you need and a bit more just in case flights change or are delayed.

The last travel we went on there were dogs sniffing when we got back. You do have to make sure it is legal to take and bring back pain meds.

Loring

good stuff. I have anxiety meds for a reason, i guess I sweat things before they happen. But this sure helped. I will not stress on this. And if i have a problem, i will let you all know, since we are all survivors from the same wreckage. May that Comradery keep us from the jumping off point. be true to yourself, and the rest will follow.