Packing for long-term travel can be a daunting task. You want your luggage small and lightweight, but you want to have everything you need.

So you ask yourself repeatedly…. Do I take it or leave it? Do I pack it or buy it there?

When packing to move abroad, we compromised on a lot of items. However, one thing I wouldn’t budge on was a travel medicine kit.

I did not want to spend any part of my trip trying to find the nearest pharmacy, figuring out how to get there, and then searching the shelves for something that might be a close comparison to what I needed in a language that I don’t understand!

Sounds fun right?

 

I should mention that I am a licensed PHARMACIST in the United States and am passionate about drugs.

I think it’s important to be prepared for some common ailments because being sick while away from home can ruin a trip.

This post is my own opinion on what I think is important in a medicine kit. Chris and I don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions, so this kit is for general preparedness. Also, all brand names listed are just examples (so you know what to look for on the shelf), I have no connection with any pharmaceutical company or brand.

You may have different preferences or needs based on your medical history.

Do what works for you and has worked for you in the past!

Check out Webisode #2 Health and Wellness While Traveling to learn even more!

 

Medicine Kit Essentials

 This kit includes medicine to treat:

• Pain
• Heartburn
• GI-Upset
• Allergies
• Cough and Cold
• First Aid

***Make sure to read all the side effects and contraindications for any medication you are going to take. Every person can react differently to the same medication***

*Note: Generic products work just as well as brand name products. The active ingredients are identical, but the fillers may be different. Unless you have an allergy to certain fillers in medications, I highly recommend saving yourself some money and using generic products.

 

 

Pain-Killers

• Anti-inflammatory:This is a must! They work for muscle aches and pains, headaches, cramps, etc. by helping with pain and inflammation.Examples:
  • Ibuprofen (Advil, Midol, Motrin)
  • Naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve)
  • Aspirin can act as an anti-inflammatory, but it is also a blood-thinner (causes you to bleed more easily). I do NOT recommend Aspirin for general pain relief.

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol): This works differently than an anti-inflammatory. For some people, it works better for headaches and generalized pain, but I find that anti-inflammatory meds work well too and are more multi-purpose.

*If you have a medicine that you take for pain that works……USE IT!

 

Heartburn

You are probably going to be enjoying different foods and drinks than you normally would at home, so having something on hand for heartburn is a good idea…. even if you haven’t had heartburn before.

• Antacids: These are fast acting and you can buy them in little travel packs, which is handy!
  • Ex. Alka-Seltzer, Rolaids, Pepto-Bismol, Tums
    • Liquids are more difficult to travel with, so I would avoid them if possible.

• Acid-Reducers: These work well for recurring heartburn and are good for heartburn prevention.
  • Ex. Nizatidine (Axid AR), famotidine (Pepcid AC), cimetidine (Tagamet HB), ranitidine (Zantac)

 

GI-Upset

Again, hopefully, you are going to be adventurous and enjoy the local foods and drinks. Along with that can come an upset stomach. Be Prepared!!

• Anti-Diarrheal:Examples:
  • Loperamide (Imodium), bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol)
  • Traveler’s Diarrhea is a common occurrence when traveling due to different climates and sanitary practices of your travel destination.
    • It should be treated with the above meds
    • STAY HYDRATED – dehydration can be serious

• Constipation: Increasing fiber in your diet, drinking more water, and exercising can help with constipation naturally.

• • Stool Softener: This is the gentlest way to help relieve constipation. It isn’t a laxative, so it won’t force a bowel movement or cause cramping. It works by adding moisture to the stool, so there is less straining.
    • Ex. Docusate Sodium (Colace, Surfak)
    • Make sure to drink lots of water too

• • Laxative: These work by causing contractions of the intestinal muscles to eliminate the stool.
    • Ex. Bisacodyl (Dulcolax), senna (Senokot)
      • These can cause stomach cramping, diarrhea, and nausea so only use them if you tried the other options above.

 

Allergies

Even if you don’t have allergies at home, having an anti-histamine on hand can be a lifesaver. You will be around new plants and animals and your body could react abnormally.

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), brompheniramine (Dimetapp allergy, Nasahist B), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), clemastine (Tavist)
  • These are fast acting but can cause drowsiness
  • They work great if you are having trouble sleeping due to allergies
  • These can be used sporadically to help if you are having trouble sleeping in general

• Cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin, Alavert)
  • These are non-drowsy
  • They should be taken daily in the morning to help prevent symptoms throughout the day

**I keep one from each of these groups in my medicine kit. They work differently and are good for different situations***

 

Cough and Cold

There are a million combination products on the market to treat cough and cold (meaning they contain more than one active ingredient). I don’t recommend them. It is more efficient and causes less over-medicating if you have an individual product to treat each symptom and then can take them as needed to treat your exact ailment.

For example, You may have congestion and a cough, but no pain. However, the combo product you bought has acetaminophen in it too (which you don’t need because there is no pain).

• Cough –
  • I keep this simple and just keep cough drops on hand. There are Over-The-Counter cough suppressants, but they typically come in combo products or are liquid (which can be inconvenient when traveling).
  • Ex. Dextromethorphan (Delsym, Triaminic Cough and Cold, Robitussin Cough, Vicks 44 Cough and Cold)

• Congestion –
  • If the congestion is in your chest you can take what’s called an expectorant. Most studies have shown that drinking more water is just as effective as taking an expectorant, so I don’t waste the room in my travel kit.
    • Ex. Guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin Chest Congestion)

• • If the congestion is in your head:Examples:
    • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) – This is highly regulated in the US because it can be used as an ingredient to make Meth. You must show an ID and are limited on how much you can purchase.
    • Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE)
      • This is my preference since it isn’t regulated, it works well, and the generic is very inexpensive.

 

First-aid

I like to keep just the basics on hand. If something requires more than a band-aid/gauze you should probably have it checked out by a doctor.

• My kit contains:
  • Band-Aids of assorted sizes
  • Antibacterial ointment (Neosporin)
  • Hydrocortisone Cream
    • It helps with inflammation and itching.
    • Works great for bug bites.
  • Vaseline
  • One pair of latex gloves
  • Adhesive tape
  • Gauze pads – you only need a couple
  • Alcohol Swabs

 

Miscellaneous

These are just a few things we keep but don’t really fit into a category

• Chapstick with Sunscreen
• Sunscreen for daily use- I really love Olay SPF 15 daily moisturizer
• Q-tips- these are extremely multi-purpose
• Eye drops for dryness

 

A few other things to keep in mind

• If you have any symptoms that last longer than a few days……see a DOCTOR!!!! Doctors exist everywhere and you should get help if you need it.

• DO NOT take the medications out of their original packaging. You may be tempted to do this to save room in your kit, but those packages contain a lot of drug information and instructions on how to take the medication.

• Medications do not need to be thrown away the minute they expire.
  • Manufacturers have to put an expiration date on each item. This date signifies the time when the manufacturer can no longer guarantee the potency of the medication.
  • If the medication looks the same, smells the same, etc. then it won’t harm you.
  • Over time the medication will become less effective. In most cases, my rule of thumb is to use the medication for up to 1 year after the specified date.
  • It may be effective longer than that, but when I take a medication, it’s because I NEED it and I want it to work well when I need it.

• Traveling with liquids is difficult.
  • Keep this in mind when stocking your medicine kit.
  • Everything in my kit that I take by mouth is in a tablet or capsule form.
  • I have ZERO liquids in my kit (besides eye drops)

• Drink lots of water!! Water is good for everything 

• Combo product (products with more than one active ingredient) can be tempting to buy to save space.
  • Why wouldn’t you just want to use one pill for multiple ailments?
    • Because your symptoms probably won’t match exactly with the active ingredients in the medication = taking unnecessary medications = increased risk of side effects.
  • It is safer to treat each symptom individually

• Try not to keep your medicine kit in the bathroom
  • The heat and humidity can break down the medication more quickly and eventually make it less effective.

• Drink lots of water!! Water is good for everything – I meant to put this twice……it is important 

 

Hopefully, this helps you figure out what to pack in your travel medicine kit. It is important to be prepared so you don’t have to spend your valuable trip time being sick and searching for a pharmacy.