How to carry my meds?

Hey Guys;

I usually post in the crohn's disease section, but think maybe you guys can help me with this one.

I have been using mscontin, and msir(morphine sulfate instant release) for several years now. I have not had any problems until yesterday. My question concerns getting pulled over by the police, or being in a vehicle that gets pulled over by the police, while I have my meds with me.

I usually carry my meds in a small pill box. This helps me keep track of just how many pills I have taken, and how many I need to take. I am sure you guys can relate. Yesterday when I got pulled over, the police officer seen me go past him, and turned around with the lights on. Apparently I was not wearing my seatbelt, and it doesn't count if you snap it on as you are getting pulled over, or so I will see when I go to court. I think something happened in my small town, next to a big city. The police asked me to get out, and kept asking me about weapons. They searched me, and my car, I told them I don't own any guns. Then he asked about the can of kodiak I carry with me, and I emptied my pockets. He looked at my pills, and asked me what they were, I named them off. He said he could arrest me for a drug charge, and said he would arrest me if I did not have my pills in the bottles with my name on them next time. The only problem is I can't carry all my pills around in the bottles, they won't all fit in my pockets, and I am semi worried that they may get stolen.

So my question is, what do I carry with me, what do you guys carry around with you when you go run errands, or just go to the park to fish?

The empty pill bottles, with my name on them, in a ziplock, and a description of the pill on the bottle?
A printed out prescription history?

P.S. The police officer held my driver's license, and gave me a ticket for seatbelt. Only now I can't pickup any future prescriptions without an ID, or until I go to court, and get this ticket dropped. Not sure what I will do about this one.

Thanks for the help;

:)

Hey Homer!!!
When I get my scrit's the always come with a print out. On the print out there are two small card sized papers w/ my name the prescription number and med along with the date. Each time I get a refill, I take one of them and replace it with the previous months which I keep in my wallet. I've been stopped twice over the years and both times I had one of those metal pill bottles you hook on your key chain. Both times the policeman saw it and asked what was in it. I told him and also told him the paperwork / prescriptions were in my wallet. Both times it was good enough for the cops! The paperwork also has a description of the color, size & markings of the pill on it. I thought and still do think thats good enough unless you happen to get a real winner pulling you over!
Good Luck!
Your Friend.
pete

I'm a curious sort.. how did you get home after being stopped, since the officer held your drivers license?

In my state, you must have the pills in a bottle with a current label on them. The pharmacy can give you smaller bottles with a duplicate label for them to carry your meds around in.
My husband is also a police officer, and it is illegal in almost all states to carry narcotic medications around with you, without a labeled bottle.
As far as pulling you over for not having a seat belt on goes, I know that right now, many states are having a seat belt enforcement program going on, especially around the start of warm weather and prom season.
In NYS, it is illegal to drive and take medication that may cause impairment and can result in your being arrested for dwai ( driving while ability impaired) if it appears that you may be impaired by your taking medications, narcotics or not.
Chutz, there may have been a crime committed that had the offender in a similar appearing vehicle or had the offender described as similar to Homeboy's appearance. Writing a letter , at this point, might create more problems for Homeboy than he already has. There had to be another reason that Homeboy was pulled over, maybe he was going too slow ( yes, that's illegal in almost all states), or weaving in traffic, or a tail light out, or not working.....any number of reasons could have been the reason that Homeboy got the police officer's attention...the police officer could have arrested Homeboy on the spot for not having those medications in the proper containers but he didn't, he told him that he needs to have them in the proper containers, with the proper labels instead. I know that it may not seem like the officer did him a favor, but believe me, he did.
Homeboy should call the station, and respectfully ask to speak to the officer and ask him how to go about getting his license back. He may have forgotten to return it, and it may just be that Homeboy needs to contact him about getting it back...as I said, there may have been other things on the officers mind at that point.
Sandi

Great replies :)

To give an idea of what I am trying to say about the small town police who pulled me over.

I live in Mississippi, but I am right next to Memphis, Tennessee, about 5 minutes of driving. I moved to Memphis, TN from a small Missouri bootheel town, I got tired of all the violence in Memphis, and then moved to Mississippi, my parents live here too, next door actually. I leave my house, and rarely lock the door. My home got broken in once, about 8 yrs. ago. I had every windown in the house wide open, and they kicked the door in, messed the place up, stole 100$ in cash, and left a 5,000$ laptop alone on the table, no problems since, and I have a good idea who it was.

I still visit memphis ALOT, all the big stores, and doctors are there. There is almost a night and day difference with crime & violence between Memphis, and the small mississippi town I live in now, even though the two are so close together. It's almost too wierd how you drive through one spot, and everything just changes. How stores get robbed over there, and it's rare for something to happen here, but it does happen. The small town mississippi police do get shot at.

I will be checking, but think that they can pull people over for no seatbelt in Mississippi. At the very least, I do wear mine now, and hope this experience keeps me wearing it. I am pretty sure they cannot get away with this in Tennessee though. I have been pulled over in Tennessee many times, and everytime I was speeding on the interstate, and guilty too. Everytime I had no seatbelt on. Every time they dropped the speeding ticket, just because I went to court, just because I showed up, and no seatbelt tickets, this is my first one ever.

Moving on;

I'm a curious sort.. how did you get home after being stopped, since the officer held your drivers license?

I asked them about that, before they left.

They replied, sure you can drive, just show the seatbelt ticket to the officer if you get pulled over again.

K, so no problem there.

I was not feeling well at all, and dreaded having to go out. The officer asked me why I seemed mad, irritated, are you nervous? I told him I have crohns disease, and have not been feeling that great today. Then I got, well why are you out driving if you are sick, and started to explain how the world does not stop spinning, but remembered to try and be respectful towards them, and even moreso towards their ignorance; A smart mouth will get me nowhere, they simply don't understand chronic illness, and proably don't care to. I sure would not want to get an earful of his problems. So; I stopped talking, and asked them if I could sit down on the curb. One officer said you can get back in your car and sit down if you like, we are just about done, so I did.

I have printed off a prescription history, and I have been keeping my pill bottles in a ziplock bag, in my glove box, all with one single pill in each bottle. The bottle also has a description of the pill on it. Walgreens does print off all kinds of labels, and little cards with my meds, I never thought to ask them about duplicates, to carry in my wallet, just incase I ride with someone else, or get in a big hurry to leave, forgetting the bottles.

Thanks for the replies, and the ideas everyone, keep um coming if you have more.

These are some really good things for all of us to remember re: traveling with our meds.

Also wanted to add PA just changed its seatbelt law and now you can be pulled over simply for not wearing the seat belt. Don't need to have another offense, which I thought was ridiculous in the first place. I sure don't have a problem wearing a seatbelt as i don't need any more health problems should i have a fender bender!

PaLady

Here in Tennesee they can pull you over when you are not wearing your seatbelt. We have a saying CLick it or Ticket. Its all over the media. My dad was pulled over and he used a small metal container also. They took his pills and took him to jail. (he was acually not doing anything wrong this time) Finally the doctor faxed to his attorney the paperwork on the meds. I had to go get all this taken care odf. He still had to wait until his court date to even see the judge. Then the judge told him to carry his meds in his original prescription bottle at all times.......

Ok theres my 2 cents.......

Boy I hope you can get somewhere with this so you can have your ID back. I would do what someone said earlier call the officer and kill him with kindness.....

Laurie

OMG! I was told that if a person that is on medication drives that they can be arrested for being under the influence. I am so frightened to drive anymore because of my last accident where I rearended a car in my SUV and caused so much pain and distruction to someone else that I just almost totally quit driving. I think that its just too risky when I have a hubby that can drive me where ever I need to go.

As far as the ticket for no seatbelt...Ouch is all I can say. I've never had anyone take my licence though. I keep my meds in a current script bottle with the label current. Walmart will actually give its customers one if they ask (or at least they do here).

Anyway, so sorry you got a ticket.

Scarred

Wow I'm really glad this came up because I have to travel overseas for a long weekend, and completely forgot about travelling with all my medication!!! I guess I'm going to need a letter as well as the bottles from the chemist....

That is good news.

Morgoth,
If you're coming for military business I would think following the instructions of your superiors should be ok, however, it may depend on where you are in the States. I think at least having the letter translated into English would be helpful, and making sure you had a phone number that would be answered by someone who understood the situation.

There are lots of policies over here - some federal, some state. And some localities even are tightening up. Yet there's only so much you can do if you don't get the medication in marked bottles like we do.

Maybe someone else here will have some advice.

PaLady