Taking your 'shot' at traveling

It's interesting how sometimes things in your life that don't seem like they have anything to do with each other tend to overlap. I work as a copy editor on a magazine about the retail drug industry ... not really anything that is related to travel. And yet, the other day, I read a story by one of our writers about a Seattle-based regional drug store chain — Bartell Drugs — that has opened up travel clinics. ::Lightbulb:: That would make for a great post on a travel blog ...

Travel vaccinations are an important part of any preparatory international travel routine, especially if you're traveling to areas with high risks for contracting certain diseases (e.g., parts of Africa, India and/or eastern Asia, among others). Before I went to India, I visited a travel clinic in New York to get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B and tetanus, and procured a prescription for malaria pills to take throughout my time in India. True, it's very likely that you may never even come in contact with the diseases, but what if you somehow do? It's definitely much better to be safe than sorry.

But other than preemptive vaccinations, you also should prepare medications to take with you. If you take prescription medications, make sure you have enough with you before leaving to last the duration of your trip. Also see if your doctor can write you an extra prescription just in case you lose your meds or run out on your trip. Whether or not that is possible, make sure you have the generic name of your medication written in a safe place on you at all times (and it's also probably a good bet to leave a list with someone staying at home, just in case). The reason you should make sure you specifically have the generic name is because brands vary by country, and even somewhere as nearby as Canada could have a very different name for a medication.

The same also applies to over-the-counter medications, including such common ones that we take for granted as Tylenol and DayQuil. You should take common medicines with you (pill forms are better, especially if your luggage is carry-on) but also make sure you know the main generic ingredient in the medication, because it's highly unlikely you'll find Tylenol in Egypt, but you'll most likely find another medication with acetaminophen, the main pain-relieving ingredient in our popular branded drug.

When I went to Egypt, I had a mini medicine cabinet with me, thanks to my always-be-prepared mother. I ended up not only having medicine that I needed, but I was the supplier for many on my trip. When our tour leader's head hurt, I had the Excedrin; when other people in our group got sunburned, I had the aloe. Everyone loved me ;-). When I went to India, there was no convincing necessary. I had Tylenol, Immodium, DayQuil, Dramamine and more medications that I can't fully recall now with me. True, this time I didn't use most of them, but I certainly was glad to have them on me.

So before you travel, especially internationally, make sure you see what vaccinations are necessary and get vaccinated; have enough of your prescription medication to last the trip; have a list of your prescriptions by generic names on hand; and take any OTC medications you might need with you in pill form, along with a list of the main ingredients in those medications. Trust me, you'll be much happier and better off for it.

Did I miss anything when it comes to medication-related travel advice?