If you’re like many people, you probably find it easiest to take your prescription medication at scheduled times during the day. But traveling across multiple time zones — especially when you’re traveling internationally — can create challenges for maintaining your medication routine.
With some medications, it might be fine to skip a dose or take your doses closer together or further apart than you normally do, allowing you to easily adapt to the time zone of your destination. But for other medications, this can be problematic.
Stay healthy and safe and make the most of your world travels with these tips!
1. Make a list of all the medications you take, along with the times you typically take them.
2. See your pharmacist as soon as you book your trip. It’s best to consult with a pharmacist at least a month before your travel begins. Depending on the medications you take and your medical conditions, your pharmacist may recommend that you meet with your doctor to determine the best way to stay med adherent while traveling.
This is especially true for patients taking heart, blood clot, blood pressure or seizure medications. In addition, a pre-trip visit with your doctor is highly recommended for diabetics. This allows you to work out a plan for timing insulin, meals and blood sugar testing when your schedule is out of whack.
3. If any medications are time-sensitive, be prepared to set an alarm. This will help prevent the confusion that can arise when traveling across time zones and will help ensure you take your medication at the right time. You can also set reminders through the My GNP mobile app. Download it today to get started.
4. Be sure you have enough medications to get through your trip without needing a refill. This is especially important when traveling internationally, since a prescription from a U.S. doctor may not be honored abroad.
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Script, June 2020
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