Holiday Travel Tips

[Wooster]

Ok, so here's the deal.

PsyNP and I just upped slurroquel to 500mg. After a couple of weeks at 400 mg, it didn't knock me out so hard. However, it's a RARE thing that I wake up before 10, let alone 8am. I'm also taking 30 mg Cymbalta and up to 3 mg lorazepam scheduled throughout the day.

The question: airplane leaves at 6:30am. Fortunately we have a podunk airport with all of 4 gates. Definitely does NOT take two hours to clear security, but its a good idea to get to the airport no later than, say, 5am to have plenty of time.

The options:

1) don't take any slurroquel the night before. What will that do to me if I don't put in in my system at that dosage?

2) assume Mr W will be able to pry me out of bed at 4:45 if I either sleep in my travel clothes or have them laid out all ready to go? Will they let me on a plane if I'm not conscious?

3) Take something else that will make me sleep but less likely to be out cold for several hours? (I'm sure I have something in my left over med stash)

4) Other alternatives? Partial dose? Ideas?

How do you do travel with sleepy time meds that carry over into the AM?

Oh yeah, and I'm assuming I need to put my meds in my carry on ('cause having them in a checked bag won't help much if I'm in one place and the bag is in the other), but I use a weekly pill popper (thought you all were kidding about being able to tell the day of the week by your weekly med keeper things. It actually really works. Sheez! Who knew!). Will I get "in trouble" from the screeners for not having them in their original containers? I'm not wild about bringing along all the original containers because they take up room (slurroquel sample packs of 4 tablets each, BIG ASS bottle of omega 3, calcium citrate, and manageable sized bottles of vit. D, Cymbalta, lorazepam, and benadryl.

Any suggestions are heartily appreciated .

Peace,

Wooster (who has fitful, anxious dreams about getting left behind at airport security)

[resonance]

Regarding the original pill containers: Can you dump all the pills you don't need into other containers so they weight less, and then fit some of the containers into other containers so they pack better? I have big 3-month containers for lithium and lamictal, and my adderall and klonopin containers fit nicely into those.

I usually take my weekly pill organizer and then all the empty original bottles but I think you're really supposed to have them in the original bottles.

[meg]

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/spe...orial_1059.shtm

"Non-liquid or gel medications of all kinds such as solid pills, or inhalers are allowed through the security checkpoint once they have been screened. We recommend, but do not require, that your medications be labeled to assist with the screening process."

so pretty much, all meds go through x-ray and should be fine however you carry them unless you have some liquid/gel prescription that's over 3oz and then it needs to be checked on its own.

if you wanted a little more peace-of-mind if you're the "just in case" kind of person that I am then you could go to your pharmacy and ask them to print you a list of your current prescriptions (including dosage, phone numbers, doctors)-- it's really easy for most places to do that since it's all automated and printed onto the labels anyway. I've done this more than a few times and they're perfectly happy to do it (provided there isn't a huge wait, of course ). you can also ask them to fax it to you, but some places are more strict with this, they might ask you some security personal questions over the phone to ID you.

goodluck, try not to worry too much about it, I've never heard of problems with the pill thing before, and nobody has ever asked me for my 'just in case' list..I've done airport security maybe 10times since the newer restrictions (liquids, etc.).

meg

[dangergirl]

Hey Wooster!!

I'm a bad person to ask bc I take my meds whenever I remember to and it doesn't seem to really affect me - so YMMV there. A few questions - I don't know how much of the Sero you take at night (all of it?) and what time you take it. Is it possible to stay up all night? Can you do a test run to see if Mr. W can wake you up? I can be very ornary to get out of bed and that might start your trip on a very sour note. They will not let you on the plane if you cannot walk onto the plane yourself - as long as you are not being offensive and only look sleepy, you won't have a problem - that is a god awful hour for some people. Do you take the Sero only to sleep? If not, I wouldn't mess with switching your meds to some left over stash.

I always, always, always carry any and all meds I need on the plane, as well as a change of clothes, just in case they lose my checked bags....or for whatever reason the flight's delayed and my bags and me can't connect for hours (that way I don't have to worry about missing a dose of something). I've been traveling tons since the new restrictions and carry all sorts of pills in random containers - nothing marked and have never had any problems....now the podunk airports are far more strict than the big guys these days bc they fear us wicked people taking advantage of them...*sigh*. Hope this helps so you can sleep before you leave .

[DustyJr]

Travel Tips.........

JUST SAY NO.......I will not go/or

1) see relatives I wish never to see again

2) drink and feel sick on the 26th

3) buy stupid gifts for ppl I don't even see but once a year..............

STUPID is , as Stupid Does

4)Watch the fire burn on TV.......... REALLY STUPID

5) etc