Prescription meds, traveling, and the law

[fit4life05]

I was wondering what the law is as far as carrying prescription meds with you across states and internationally. I know Sylvester Stalone got busted in Australia recently for having testosterone and HGH on his, but from the way he responded, I assume that he is on HRT and he even said he has a medical condition that Dr's prescribe these to him.....

Anyways whats the laws on this?

 

[KSman]

In the USA, you need to carry the drugs in the bottle or box that has the prescription sticker from the pharmacy. A prescription is not accepted. And if you have injectables, you need to declare these to the TSA screeners when flying. Especially if you have a gel pack to keep peptides such as insulin, HCG or HGH cool. When driving across the border to Canada or back, you do not need declare anything as these are simply personal belongings. But you must have the prescription pharmacy stickers on containers if searched.

If you have injectables, you have the right with TSA to have them inspect by having you unpack your kit and handle and display... as to not have them contaminate anything. You have the right to take a gel pack on the plane that is use to chill and preserve your meds. This over rules the restrictions on carry-on of liquids or gels. If you carry in a diabetic syringe kit, the vials can fit in the kit and pharmacy boxes will not fit where the vials go. Flatten the boxes and store in compartment that is used to carry alcohol prep pads and other items. They see insulin syringes all the time and probably will not bat an eye at items that look like that.

I think that the above should be sufficient for travel to Mexico or other international.

I never travel with anymore of my TRT+HCG meds that needed for the duration of the trip, most often in preloaded syringes, and take the boxes with pharmacy prescription stickers. I will not expose a vial of HCG to any chance of degradation or a vial of T to theft in a hotel. Never put these items in checked in luggage, aways carry on. TSA could object to the lack of containers, but there is a good reason to not carry large amounts.

 

[BigJimCalhoun]

I just travelled on a cruise to a bunch of banana republics in the carribean. I brought my bottle of T in its brown prescription container along with some needles. I put them in a zip lock bag along with all the other toothpaste, etc.

I went though Denver Int. Scairport, through Peurto Rico to the ship last week, and returned through customs today. DIA can normally be challenging as when I went to visit Dr John I had to surrender my new 3.5 oz deoderant. No one so much as blinked an eye this trip as I followed the procedure for putting things in 1 quart zip lock bags. The Puerto Rican TSA was all over some poor dude with a 1 year old child for trying to sneak through a orbital car waxer thing in his carry-on luggage.

 

[JanSz]

I just travelled on a cruise to a bunch of banana republics in the carribean. I brought my bottle of T in its brown prescription container along with some needles. I put them in a zip lock bag along with all the other toothpaste, etc.

I went though Denver Int. Scairport, through Peurto Rico to the ship last week, and returned through customs today. DIA can normally be challenging as when I went to visit Dr John I had to surrender my new 3.5 oz deoderant. No one so much as blinked an eye this trip as I followed the procedure for putting things in 1 quart zip lock bags. The Puerto Rican TSA was all over some poor dude with a 1 year old child for trying to sneak through a orbital car waxer thing in his carry-on luggage.

Did they looked at the content in those zip lock boxes, read labels?
How did you transported HCG, it needs to be in cool place after it is reconstituted.

 

[BigJimCalhoun]

Did they looked at the content in those zip lock boxes, read labels?
How did you transported HCG, it needs to be in cool place after it is reconstituted.

The bag went through the X-Ray viewer. To the best of my knowledge no one read the label and I am sure the bag was not opened.

I currently do not use HCG

 

[KSman]

HCG: -as with insulin, you can carry on a cold gel pack when needed to keep medications cold. TSA requires that you have your 'kit' separate from other items and hand off and declare the gel pack to keep meds or injectable cool. I use a diabetic travel kit for this that holds preloaded needles, prescription boxes folded flat, swabs, jel pack etc. I will not travel with a full bottle of HCG as I will not risk degradation of the whole vial. Don't pack important meds in luggage, aways carry on.

 

[JanSz]

HCG: -as with insulin, you can carry on a cold gel pack when needed to keep medications cold. TSA requires that you have your 'kit' separate from other items and hand off and declare the gel pack to keep meds or injectable cool. I use a diabetic travel kit for this that holds preloaded needles, prescription boxes folded flat, swabs, jel pack etc. I will not travel with a full bottle of HCG as I will not risk degradation of the whole vial. Don't pack important meds in luggage, aways carry on.

Tell me please about preloaded syringes.
How long they can stay in the fridge, in travel kit
Practically, max how many should be preloaded
What, Testosterone, HCG
Any precautions..
=======================================
diabetic travel kit
excellent key-words

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[KSman]

Tell me please about preloaded syringes.
How long they can stay in the fridge, in travel kit
Practically, max how many should be preloaded
What, Testosterone, HCG
Any precautions..
=======================================
diabetic travel kit
excellent key-words

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No need to chill T. I have a kit that holds three filled syringes, or 2 syringes and 2 vials. But I never carry vials thus far. If I fill a .5ml syringe with .5ml of 2000iu/ml HCG, that provides 4 EOD injections of 250iu. So that is 8 days. With a .5ml syringe filled with .56ml of test cyp, that is 8 days for me at 28mg EOD. I can also load a couple of syringes with liquid dex, but that tends to block #29 needles.

I do need a fridge at my destination to keep the HCG filled syringes cold. I will plan amounts to travel home 'empty' and warm. HCG will keep indefinitely in a syringe when kept cold.

When driving, I take a thermoelectric cooler with me for cold drinks in the car and to keep HCG cold. An AC adapter provides for cold at the destination if needed.

This is good for single syringes not needed to be chilled:
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This is my basic travel kit:
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I purchased spare gel packs for the above as well.
I will also carry my loaded T in the above for convenience.

 

[JanSz]

No need to chill T. I have a kit that holds three filled syringes, or 2 syringes and 2 vials. But I never carry vials thus far. If I fill a .5ml syringe with .5ml of 2000iu/ml HCG, that provides 4 EOD injections of 250iu. So that is 8 days. With a .5ml syringe filled with .56ml of test cyp, that is 8 days for me at 28mg EOD. I can also load a couple of syringes with liquid dex, but that tends to block #29 needles.

I do need a fridge at my destination to keep the HCG filled syringes cold. I will plan amounts to travel home 'empty' and warm. HCG will keep indefinitely in a syringe when kept cold.

When driving, I take a thermoelectric cooler with me for cold drinks in the car and to keep HCG cold. An AC adapter provides for cold at the destination if needed.

This is good for single syringes not needed to be chilled:
Invalid Link Removed

This is my basic travel kit:
Invalid Link Removed
I purchased spare gel packs for the above as well.
I will also carry my loaded T in the above for convenience.

How long are you doing this;
1; using 2000IU/mL rather than "usual" 1000IU/mL
2; injecting (T and HCG) multiple times using same syringe filled with multiple portions of either T or HCG


3; how, do you clean needle after injection
4; how easy/ difficult it is to fill 0.5cc syringe to 0.56cc, marks on the 1cc syringe stop at 1cc.
5. you can cut off needle (or most of it) when using syringe for LiquiDex
6; are you doing it this way only during travels or is this your standard approach
7; any thing else
-------------------------------------------------------
I have not seen 0.5cc syringes, they have a piston smaller than 1cc.
Are they the same lenght as 1cc?
What about 1/3cc's?

 

[KSman]

How long are you doing this;
1; using 2000IU/mL rather than "usual" 1000IU/mL
2; injecting (T and HCG) multiple times using same syringe filled with multiple portions of either T or HCG
3; how, do you clean needle after injection
4; how easy/ difficult it is to fill 0.5cc syringe to 0.56cc, marks on the 1cc syringe stop at 1cc.
5. you can cut off needle (or most of it) when using syringe for LiquiDex
6; are you doing it this way only during travels or is this your standard approach
7; any thing else
-------------------------------------------------------
I have not seen 0.5cc syringes, they have a piston smaller than 1cc.
Are they the same lenght as 1cc?
What about 1/3cc's?

I get .5ml insulin syringes. You can get a box of 100 from Sam's Club or Walmart for $12.xx. The brand is ReliOn. Don't know about the length, but probably the same with a bigger barrel. ReliOn just switched suppiers and the .5ml is a bit wider and shorter... I liked the prior unit better, smaller piston, longer and suited more for a man's hand size.

1; I get 10,000iu HCG vials and only add 5ml of water instead of the 10ml.
2; I fill the syringes with multi doses of each. Separate syringe for T and for HCG.
3; I clean the needles with a alcohol prep pad after injecting, then recap. I used to also clean before injecting, but alcohol would get into the tip of the needle and sting.
4; I have filled to .56 on two different .5ml syringe brands. No problem. I do the .56 by eyeball.
5; I filled syringes with liquid dex and then clipped the needles off. Still some problems. One was so difficult that it blew the needle-hub off of the barrel... it hit my tongue like a bullet!... then I saw that the hub could be pulled off and there is a perfect 'oral' syringe.
6; I do the test-cyp and HCG with #29 .5ml .5" syringes all of the time. The .5" is deep enough for IM if the legs are lean. Getting the test-cyp into the syringe take time. The injection times are reasonable as the small piston diameter creates very high pressures. A 1ml would not work with a #28 0r #29. #28 might be a better choice for test cyp. I have never had any inflammation re-using syringes this way. But anyone with immune suppressing drugs or RA etc, or aids, cannot depend on their immune system to deal with these minor insults.
7; When doing the test cyp, I inject in the quads - vastus lateralis. I have trouble seeing the veins in that area. But after I choose a location, I press a plastic tube against the skin to mark it. Then after swabbing, the target is clearly indicated. That also is good a technique for the gluts, to map a location, swab and the re-acquire the target without touching it again with your fingers.

 

[JanSz]

I get .5ml insulin syringes. You can get a box of 100 from Sam's Club or Walmart for $12.xx. The brand is ReliOn. Don't know about the length, but probably the same with a bigger barrel. ReliOn just switched suppiers and the .5ml is a bit wider and shorter... I liked the prior unit better, smaller piston, longer and suited more for a man's hand size.

1; I get 10,000iu HCG vials and only add 5ml of water instead of the 10ml.
2; I fill the syringes with multi doses of each. Separate syringe for T and for HCG.
3; I clean the needles with a alcohol prep pad after injecting, then recap. I used to also clean before injecting, but alcohol would get into the tip of the needle and sting.
4; I have filled to .56 on two different .5ml syringe brands. No problem. I do the .56 by eyeball.
5; I filled syringes with liquid dex and then clipped the needles off. Still some problems. One was so difficult that it blew the needle-hub off of the barrel... it hit my tongue like a bullet!... then I saw that the hub could be pulled off and there is a perfect 'oral' syringe.
6; I do the test-cyp and HCG with #29 .5ml .5" syringes all of the time. The .5" is deep enough for IM if the legs are lean. Getting the test-cyp into the syringe take time. The injection times are reasonable as the small piston diameter creates very high pressures. A 1ml would not work with a #28 0r #29. #28 might be a better choice for test cyp. I have never had any inflammation re-using syringes this way. But anyone with immune suppressing drugs or RA etc, or aids, cannot depend on their immune system to deal with these minor insults.
7; When doing the test cyp, I inject in the quads - vastus lateralis. I have trouble seeing the veins in that area. But after I choose a location, I press a plastic tube against the skin to mark it. Then after swabbing, the target is clearly indicated. That also is good a technique for the gluts, to map a location, swab and the re-acquire the target without touching it again with your fingers.

Wach out where you aiming that syringe with LiqiuDex, tong is ok.
Once I trew a pill in, while driving a car, I was choking and was not able to stop a car. Cooled down, was able to breed in real slow and then cough that pill out.

Nice pointer on marking injection site.

 

[KSman]

Nice pointer on marking injection site.

I picked that up watching how they prep me for blood donations.

 

[cpeil2]

3; I clean the needles with a alcohol prep pad after injecting, then recap. I used to also clean before injecting, but alcohol would get into the tip of the needle and sting.

Once used, the pin is contaminated, even after being cleaned with alcohol, so there is some risk.

 

[KSman]

Once used, the pin is contaminated, even after being cleaned with alcohol, so there is some risk.

I know that. But consider that you skin is full of bacteria when the needle goes through it. My needle is probably cleaner than the skin after swabbing. Alcohol is not a disinfectant, even though that is often stated. A study done in the 1980s, in Canada I think, check for anti-body levels in diabetics, then had them stop swabbing with alcohol prep pads. No infections were found and anti-body levels did not increase. The conclusion was that the immune system did not have a detectable change when swabbing was stopped. That study was not concerned with syringe re-use.

Many diabetics have been reusing syringes. They are the case study. And with the advent of the insulin pens, many do not change the needle for each injection and certainly pen users are not swabbing the needle after injecting.

The immune system does a lot for us and fights unseen battles 27x7.

 

[JanSz]

I know that. But consider that you skin is full of bacteria when the needle goes through it. My needle is probably cleaner than the skin after swabbing. Alcohol is not a disinfectant, even though that is often stated. A study done in the 1980s, in Canada I think, check for anti-body levels in diabetics, then had them stop swabbing with alcohol prep pads. No infections were found and anti-body levels did not increase. The conclusion was that the immune system did not have a detectable change when swabbing was stopped. That study was not concerned with syringe re-use.

Many diabetics have been reusing syringes. They are the case study. And with the advent of the insulin pens, many do not change the needle for each injection and certainly pen users are not swabbing the needle after injecting.

The immune system does a lot for us and fights unseen battles 27x7.

What is insuline pen?
I newer seen it, but I imagine it is device filled with multiple doses of insuline.
Normally, is one supposed to changes needles for next use?
Is there instruction that swabing the injection site is optional?

 

[cpeil2]

Alcohol is not a disinfectant, even though that is often stated.

This is true, given the way alcohol is normally used. A quick swabbing w/ alcohol doesn't accomplish much. Application of alcohol needs to be accompanied by scrubbing for approx. 1 minute to significantly cleanse the skin. Since almost nobody does that, it, effectively, is not a disinfectant.

When I give myself a shot, I scrub for 15-20 seconds.

Even industrial strength disinfectants like betadine need to be scrubbed in order to be maximally effective.

You are probably right - I wouldn't be surprised if the risk were minimal.

I have such a fear of an injection site abscess that I think I would just skip a shot rather than reuse a needle.

I might re-use a syringe, though.

 

[KSman]

What is insuline pen?
I newer seen it, but I imagine it is device filled with multiple doses of insuline.
Normally, is one supposed to changes needles for next use?
Is there instruction that swabing the injection site is optional?

Insulin pens are as you thought, sort of a ball point pen, dial in the dose and press. The manufacturers expected the needle to be replaced with each dose, but many do not do that. Takes the ease out of the solution,

There is no instructions that swabbing is optional, just shown to not be needed [by those with fully functional immune systems.