The Traveling Pharmacist – Travel Medicine Kit

Did you know falling coconuts kill more people each year than shark attacks? 

But if you’re hit in the head by one of those falling coconuts when you’re traveling, you’ll need something in your Travel Medicine Kit to help that headache. What do you bring along? As a pharmacist, it’s my job to know what medicines do. As a traveler, it’s my job to pack them up in as small of a package as possible.

Much of what we’ll bring along depends on where we’re going…the kit for ten weeks in remote South Africa is quite different from a week in Florida Keys. Most places you visit will have a few items for sale at the local pharmacy, but they may not be exactly what you’re used to or may have foreign names. If you have any specific medical conditions, your travel medicine kit will, of course, contain your prescription medicines and any favorite supplements. However, for travel basics here are a few we don’t leave the country without:

Travel Medicine Kit

*Imodium (loperamide) – anti-diarrhea medication, for stomach upsets that threaten to upset the entire trip

*Hydrocortisone cream – anti-itch cream, because itchy mango rashes can creep up anywhere!

*Aleve (naproxen sodium) – an anti-inflammatory, because sometimes we still think we’re 20!

*Benadryl (diphenhydramine) – anti-allergy medicine, doubles for allergy relief and a sleep aid in noisy hostels

*Wet wipes – so many uses; cleaning scrapes, wiping down airplane trays, sticky hands, etc.

*Bandaids (assorted sizes) – because Lisa falls down a LOT!

*Neosporin (triple antibiotic) first aid cream – see above

Your own kit doesn’t have to be very large, just a few of the medical necessities. It’s often much cheaper and convenient to have a small over-the-counter medicine supply with you than to be searching for a store in an unfamiliar place. Be sure to check expiration dates between trips (as I’ve been known to forget).

What do YOU pack in your Travel Medicine Kit?

Happy, HEALTHY Travels!

Get more great travel health tips as well as spa & wellness destinations on our partner site The Traveling Pharmacist.

Learn more about the Travel Pharmacist Team – your Travel Health & Wellness Experts!