The Three Essential Medications to Take on An International Vacation
Apr 1st, 2007 by Nick
I am sitting at home tonight nursing a pulled muscle in my foot, and it got me to making a list: besides your normal prescriptions, what are the most important medications to take on a vacation to another country? I am not a doctor, just a guy on a computer, but I would never leave the country without:
- A good pain reliever. Last year, I managed to fall and sprain my wrist on the first day of a two-week vacation. While I was in downtown Singapore, and found the same brace I’d find at my local Walgreens, there was no Advil to be found. It turned out that ibuprofin required a prescription. Fortunately, I had brought a supply of about seventy of them with me. Advil, Aleve (what I’m taking this week), Bayer, whatever makes you happy.
- A prescription antibiotic. I might not bother with this for a weekend to London, but I’d like to have something with me for a longer trip. My doctor agreed with me, and gave me a prescription. The specific stuff you would take depends on you, your doctor, and the destination.
- Anti-diarrhea tablets. Yes, they have these medications in other parts of the world. But at 2am, do you want to find out that your small town in Tasmania doesn’t have a 24-hour pharmacy? I usually take at least strip of six tablets, which is enough for 24 hours. If I’m still sick at that point, I’ll be looking for a clinic.
I also take a first aid kit with me on trips longer than a week. I am a fan of the Adventure Medical Ultralight .5 Kit, which is small enough to toss into the bottom of your daypack. Everything else, I believe you can do without if you’re going to a big city in a well-developed nation. Going into a local pharmacy is good for you; it gets you a little further from the tourist traps.
The exception is when you have a recurring issue. For example, I always have Mucinex, a few Halls Vitamin C tablets, and some Prilosec in my bag, even for a short weekend a couple of hundred miles from home.
