Inside the medicine box

Has anyone ever told you to put a wet washcloth over your eyes to relieve allergies?

It sucks.

There is nothing in the world like appropriate medication. Allergy eyedrops allow me to continue on with my day, eyes open. Ibuprofen allows me to stand upright after hiking thirty floors of stairs the day before. Anti-diarrhea medication needs no accolade or introduction; it is simply the work of the gods.

Few things are less enjoyable than illness or moderate discomfort during travel, and many of these inconveniences can be treated with modern medicine. These are the few that I take with me on every trip (pardon brand preferences and substitute as you see fit).

1. Anti-inflammatory (I use Advil)
2. Anti-diarrhea (Immodium, one tablet in the original packaging)
3. Anti-allergy (I usually bring both Claritin and Benadryl)
4. Artificial tears (there are some sold in single use, tiny containers. These are excellent for long days, excess driving, excess plane time).
5. I don't suffer digestive woes, but I might suggest Gas-x or Tums, if you need them on an occasional basis.
6. Anything else that is clearly labeled and you use on a regular basis.

I like to carry with me anything that will enable me to get to a drug store to obtain the appropriate medication, or anything I might like to take in the middle of the night. If you need cold medicine, you'll likely know in time to get yourself what you need. The same is true if you need a second tablet of anything. These cannot be substituted with other products (there is nothing in a standard American hotel room that will treat diarrhea like Immodium).

Some travelers I know (who shall remain nameless) carry a pharmacy with them. I find this unnecessary unless one is traveling outside of the country or into a remote area where one will not have ready access to replacement medications. In this case, the medications should be carried on your person, particularly if they include antibiotics or injection medications.

Note also that this does not include prescription medications or vitamins, which I recommend you bring as one of the five travel essentials. Note also that this is per traveler. If you are headed to a location where all of your travel buddies are likely to need anti-diarrhea medication, you ought to recommend that they bring their own, or in the case of your family, bring one per mouth.

I keep all of these "emergency" medications in a small baggie inside my toiletry kit. Most of the pills remain in their original blister packs, with clear labels and expiration dates. Pills like Advil travel in a very small pill bottle (capacity of ten pills) in my purse. I don't travel with the labels and dosing instructions, because my intended use is "take as needed and get thyself to a drug store."