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How I Travel With My Epilepsy Medication

Gabrielle Foote's avatar image

By Gabrielle Foote

2 min read

Since I was 16 years old, I have traveled to many different places. During my travels, whether they are day trips or 2-week trips I always take my epilepsy into account.

Traveling with epilepsy

How do I travel? I now have a checklist of all of my medications so that no medication is forgotten.

Also, about a year ago, I purchased an electronic pill dispenser. This has made my life so much easier. How I travel with my pill dispenser depends on the form of traveling I will be doing.

Flying with epilepsy medication

Before I go on vacation, I make sure my medication is in the original prescription packaging and that my pill dispenser is empty. TSA does not like unidentified medication. I bring my pill dispenser's backup key in case the electronic aspect fails.

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Because baggage gets lost all the time, I keep my pill dispenser and my prescription bottles in my carry-on. I don't want to risk my luggage getting lost and not having my medication.

I have also paid for TSA Pre-Check, which I've noticed makes getting through security with my epilepsy medication much easier.

Road trips

I make sure that my pill dispenser is full, and again, that I have packed the backup key.

I also take a picture of my prescription numbers. It's an extra safety measure in case something unexpected was to happen to my medication.

Staying organized with meds

I want to take a detour (get it?) to tell you about an Excel checklist I created. It contains everything I need to pack for a trip.

Several years ago, my husband and I drove from Phoenix to Tahoe. (I highly recommend the drive. We had an amazing time and there was some truly beautiful scenery.) Unfortunately, I did not have the idea to make a list for traveling. And I packed everything but my medication.

I know this seems silly and highly unlikely. However, when you're packing for a long trip, sometimes things you've meant to pack get left next to your bag instead of put in your bag. Luckily, my main pharmacy is Costco. I was able to get a temporary fill of my anti-seizure meds for my trip and our travels back to Phoenix.

What does my checklist contain?

My list has everything from my family's toothbrushes to my medication lists. There are 3 columns next to each item I am packing:

  1. I have a column for when I pack the items
  2. Another for verifying my items are in the bag (this is done the day before we leave)
  3. Finally, a column for returning home to make sure I haven't left anything

I know that the second column seems redundant. However, this ensures that I have put my medication in my bag instead of repeating my Tahoe trip mistake.

How do you travel with epilepsy medications?

Do you have any other recommendations that you use for traveling? If you do, please share in the comments. It's so important to make sure that traveling is as safe as possible with epilepsy. Peace of mind will also help you have a more relaxing trip.

Always remember, you are not alone.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The EpilepsyDisease.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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