First - this is not a request for medical advice. I am under a doctors care.
Second - I am looking for a factual answer though some anecdotal info is OK.
I have a flight trip coming up on Tuesday morning (3/21). I’m pretty much terrified to fly. So my doctor prescribed some Xanax. I’ve taken it before and am aware of its effect on me.
In addition I take pills for my BP and Metformin for my type 2.
I have no problem packing my BP Rx and Metformin in my carry on. But I woul prefer to carry a couple Xanax in my pocket for quick deployment. I would pack the original container in my overhead. Would this be a problem?
I’ve read numerous travel sites for help including the TSA blog. I can’t seem to get a concrete answer and in fact find conflicting information.
Can anyone answer this for me? If my Xanax is in my luggage, how can it help me?
It only needs to be in your carry-on luggage while you go through security. Once you’re air-side, take out whatever you want and put it in your pocket.
It isn’t a problem at all, or, at least similar in situations, it hasn’t been for me or, I presume, millions of other people. Drug stores sell little metal keychain containers that can hold a few pills for this type of situation or similar ones. You can just get one for a few dollars, run it through the scanner and pick it up with your keys on the other side. They never get checked in my experience and it wouldn’t be a problem even if they did as long as you have a prescription (not necessarily a written one with you; just a general explanation - HIPAA laws are pretty strict and protect people against most medical questions unless there is a very strong reason to). You aren’t doing anything illegal or even shady so there isn’t anything they can do to you.
Keep it in the original prescription bottle with your name on it. Just to be extra cautious, write down the prescribing doctor’s name and phone number.
Yes, you can bring it in your carry on, and yes, you can put it in your pocket once you’re through security.
I’ve always carried my prescriptions in my purse when I fly. It’s a good-sized purse, so I also carry my electronics devices and power banks, cables, etc. Never been an issue.
I fly all the time. I routinely bring small quantities of prescription drugs in a pill holder, with no documentation. No one has ever given them a second glance at security. I suppose I ought to carry my scrip, but I never have.
If you want to be careful, bring a copy of the prescription with you, and the original bottle. (In your carry on luggage, so you can pull it out and show them if anyone questions you.) But the odds of anyone questioning you about the three pills in a pocket container are really tiny.
Lots of people bring stuff like xanax and valium when they fly, fwiw.
I would think that if the medications come with the cautions about driving and operating heavy machinery … maybe you shouldn’t be flying a commercial jet … let your co-pilot fly this leg of the route …
I’d add that you should put it in your “personal item”, not your rolling suitcase carry-on. Rolling suitcases are at risk of being gate checked if they run out of overhead space. You might not want to be frantically repacking your medication (or worse, forgetting to) if they ask you to do that.
I will add that I take my Xanax as soon as I hit the airport so that it’s working by the time I’m getting on the plane. If you’re talking about having a couple of extra in your pocket, I’ve never had an issue. I’ve relaxed enough to keep them in their bottle in my purse though. Just make sure your purse is where you can reach without unbuckling because that’s when you might need the bumper dose. Otherwise, keep it in your pocket.
The people that have TSA problems are the ones whose carry-on sets off the screening process and then an officer has to manually dig through your suitcase. Then they find a ziplock bag with 20 each of 10 colors and shapes of pills, some of which look pretty home-made. *That’s *when the red flag goes up.
Don’t be that person and you’ll be fine. The last time I traveled civilian my bag got manually screened because the machine saw a larger than 3 oz bottle of something. It was a pre-fab 6 floz protein shake I carry as a emergency meal for work that I’d forgotten to remove. :smack:
Don’t give the x-ray computer a reason to suspect your bag and the rest is easy.
I’ve flown all over the world, and never had anyone do an inspection of my weekly pill holder (blood pressure meds and vitamins). As long as your medication is not a bottle of liquid, you will have no problem.
I’ve even gone through screening with a couple of pills in my pocket. As long as there’s no metal, works fine. They aren’t looking for two or three pill-sized items they are looking for a wad of something, timers or triggers, etc.
I agree with above - have a pocket on your carry-on where you stuff your wallet, phone, keys, a little pill holder, etc. - as soon as you’re through security, take those out and put them back in your pockets.
I keep random, unwrapped pills in my pockets fairly often, including every single time I’ve been through airport security. It has never been a problem. Of course, They let me through security and onto a plane once with two straight razors in my carry on, so “it’s not a problem” isn’t the same as “it’s 100% legal and kosher”. Just remember it’s theater, not real security.
I can say from personal experience that anyone who looks like an insane fanatical terrorist WILL be extensively searched at TSA checkpoints … I carry a satchel containing exactly one (1) book and exactly one (1) pair of shoes and it’s all but a cavity inspection for me … every time* …
I swear … the whole time I was moving up in the line at Orlando International … the entire TSA crew were pointing and laughing at me … as soon as I got close, they pulled me out of line for the full every detail inspection, laughing to tears … I would have been pissed except the relief of all the other passengers was palatable … and I do feel safer flying knowing that someone who looks like me gets intensive scrutiny … so I put on my winning smile while I put my clothes back on … it’s their job after all …
Couple pills, bag of pot or ugly hats is not what TSA is looking for …
= Except my local airport … nothing but helpful getting me to leave the state.
