Prescription meds.

[sneighbors59]

Hello all, I just signed up on the forum and had a question that I am sure others have dealt with. I am a double lung transplantee. I take a LOT of meds. Some of them are not always available in your average CVS or Walgreens without ordering and waiting for up to a week.  Also, is having prescription pain meds in your van an issue with law enforcement? :huh:

 

[highdesertranger]

if the prescription is in your name. I don't see how it could be a problem, but nowadays maybe others will chime in. highdesertranger

 

[cyndi]

I sometimes have to wait for a week for my meds. Nothing I can do but try to be someplace where I don't mind waiting.

Pain meds shouldn't be an issue as long as you're carrying them with a prescription or in the original container with your name on it.

I'm sure you know that driving while taking pain meds can get you in some trouble.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

If you're worried that the pain meds might be a problem, in addition to keeping them in the original container from the pharmacy, ask your doctor to give you a letter, on his letterhead, saying that he prescribed them and what he prescribed them for.

Regards
John

 

[SoulRaven]

I would discuss your itinerary with your doctor and decide what pharmacy to use and give them some advance notice.  May not work but couldn't hurt and you may get some advise you can depend on.

I travel with quite a few meds myself, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone,  Xanax  and a few others, all in their original containers with my name on them. Never been questioned. Know what your limitations are, several of those mentioned work like a sleeping pill for me. 

Congratulations on getting out after your transplant. I wish you the best. Bob J.

 

[Reducto]

Unless it's more than one person could reasonably take in a 3 month span or they're coming from a lot of different doctors I don't see how it would be a problem. Worst case finding them could become an excuse to continue a search, but that is easily remedied by simply not consenting to a search in the first place.

Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist how your medications handle temperature variations. You may want to get a small 12v fridge for them if any have problems with 90+ degrees or below freezing, which you may occasionally run into.

I've never had a problem transferring prescriptions especially between stores of the same chain. Just drop by or call ahead and give them the info off your current rx containers.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We both carry meds without any problems.
Margie gets hers at Walmarts since we seem to land at so many of them. She is in their system so refills are easy anywhere.

The VA mails mine to wherever I am when I call. I get oxygen from companies the VA has contracted all over the nation. I call, they deliver to wherever I'm sitting...even in small towns.

 

[Ella1]

I was not aware that O2 suppliers would deliver to campsites. Or do you meet them at a central location?
Even when O2 is delivered to my home, I set it up in advance, and then it's between the "hours of ... & ....
I was expecting to have to plan my journey based on their business location. If I'm at a campsite in Sedona, someone will deliver O2 from either Flagstaff or Cottonwood? I don't have to go pick it up? I thought delivery was to residences only...

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Ella...Not sure how it works for civialian use as mine is prescribed by the VA and set up thru a travel system.
Never tried to get a delivery to BLM. I would have to go into town (Cottonwood, for instance) and meet at Wally's, BK, or whatever at a certain time. Had a
 delivery just off a traffic circle once.

 

[sneighbors59]

Hey thanks for all the advice. Transplantees without their anti-rejection meds soon have no more problems. It is a real fear. But fear is just lack of faith, so I am really thinking about hitting the road with you all. At least part-time at first. Great site, great forum.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Hope to see you out there.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

A final thought which may - or may not - be of any use to you.  Here's a pointer to Bob's blog post on buying cheap prescription drugs in Mexico:

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/s...co-for-dental-glasses-and-prescription-drugs/

Regards
John

 

[missnout]

Hey thanks for all the advice. Transplantees without their anti-rejection meds soon have no more problems. It is a real fear. But fear is just lack of faith, so I am really thinking about hitting the road with you all. At least part-time at first. Great site, great forum.

"Fear is just a lack of faith" i needed that right know

 

[Marie]

How does getting prescription meds in Mexico work, exactly???

 

[akrvbob]

It's unbelievably complicated:

1) You walk in across the border,
2) go to the pharmacy and tell them what you want,
3) give them the money,
4) walk out and across the border. The guard will ask what you have and you will say some prescription meds
5) He'll glance through your sack of meds and say have a nice day.
Bob

 

[Marie]

Damn!!! Even I can do that!!!

 

[WriterMs]

I know I can be too much of a worrywart. I know that about myself, BUT....

for something like anti-rejection medications where any slight deviation might cause BIG problems, I wonder if you can trust the medicines from Mexico as much as from the U.S.?

On the other hand, I read many blogs where our fellow vandwellers do get ALL types of important medications there and report no problems. Just sayin'....

 

[WheelEstate USA]

I can't speak for all meds from across the border, but what I've had of them, I found them to be as good as our generics and maybe better in many cases.
You can also get OtC stuff down there that blows ours out of the water, like for pain, sleep, and such. There are cancer meds we don't have that work.

Some things you might need that you Dr can't prescribe, a Dr there can. I was told by one of ours that you pop into Dr office, pay something like $35, tell the doc what hurts and what you would like to have. He scribbles up a script and you step around to the  pharmacy. 
Now, I haven't been over in a while so I'm open to verification to what I was told

 

[lpavelchak0204]

Greetings!

I take daily meds and I'm new to this lifestyle. However, I have been doing cheap meds for years now all over the state of Florida. I use the Health Department (HD).

Most of the larger county HD's have a pharmacy in them or you can have your prescriptions sent to a drug store or grocery or walmart pharmacy.

I use Winn Dixie here. 

I arrive at the HD most open at 6:30 here in FL with the first appt being around 6:45 am. I have my soon to be emptied prescription bottles with me. I see the doc he writes me a script for 6 months ~ two 90 day supplies, which his computer sends to my chosen pharmacy at Winn Dixie. 

I pick up my meds about 45 minutes later which costs me $10 for the 90 day supply. I've had no issues getting my refill in another Winn Dixie anywhere in this state.

I've had no issues getting a prescription at any HD I've been to in the state. HD appointments are sliding fee and since they run off of money grants from the US Government they have to see you regardless of your ability to pay.

I actually prefer the HD to VA. In my experience it's a lot faster.

 

[gramakittycat]

None of this applies to CONTROLLED medications .New FDA regulations make it extremely difficult to even find a doctor to prescribe them .You won' be able to bring them over the border from Mexico and you may even have alot of problems getting them filled in a different state .If you go to the VA for your meds I believe it is not such an issue.