Forgetting Your Medications When Traveling
It is hard to remember everything when you’re packing for a trip. You may remember the littlest details and leave behind something crucially important, like your toothbrush, your glasses, or your medication. What do you do when you forget your medication? Luckily, there are things you can do.
If you’re traveling in the US, you can visit the local branch of the national pharmacy you use and they can easily get access to your files either through the computer or calling your pharmacy at home. If you don’t use a national chain and there is not corroborating pharmacy in the location you’re visiting, you can also ask a pharmacy to call your pharmacy at home. Usually, this is no problem. You can run into snags when you have no refills left on the prescription or if your insurance will only pay for you to get your medication filled once per month.
If the medication is a controlled substance, it is likely that you cannot transfer it, and that you will need to visit a local doctor to obtain a new prescription. Since that would seem like drug-seeking behavior to some doctors, it is best to do one of two things. If the prescription CAN be transferred, contact your doctor and ask him or her to write a new prescription for just the amount of time you will be in the place you are visiting. If the prescription cannot be transferred, make sure you tell the doctor you see to obtain a new prescription that your doctor is waiting for his or her call, and that way the doctors can agree that it is ok to write a new prescription for the medication.
If the local pharmacy does not work with you at all, you can call your doctor’s office to have them call in a new prescription, as long as that medication is not controlled (See above) and as long as your insurance will cover it. In some cases, your doctor will call in the prescription, but insurance will not cover it and you will have to pay full price. In this instance, it is best to go with the generic, if possible, and hopefully the purchase of your medication will not break the bank.
If all else fails and your doctor will not return your call and you are unable to get an appointment with a local doctor, go to the nearest emergency room and explain your situation. Sometimes you can talk to a physician’s assistant or registered nurse who will write you a prescription.
Overall, forgetting your medicine is not the end of the world, but as you can see, can provide a bit of a hassle when it happens. The best thing to do is to make a travel checklist when you pack, and that way you can be sure you remember everything that is important.
If you are in a situation where your stay was extended, and you didn’t bring enough of your medication but you have some at home, you can get someone from home to mail it to you overnight, as long as it is not a controlled substance.
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