Hello All.. I hope this isn't a repeat thread as I did a search and couldn't find much.

I'm Epileptic and take Carbamazepine.. I'm taking a flight to Oz on Feb 14th and wanted to know what I should do about the transport of my medication. I'm taking some on the plane as i'll need to take it, but i'm also bringing about 3 months worth.. The Australian Embassy are completely aware of my Epilepsy as it was all declared in my medical.

Should this go in the suitcase or my hand luggage? Will there be a negative reaction if I walk through "nothing to declare" and get searched?

After being granted PR, the last thing I want to do is get into an issue with an Immigration Officer over my medication...

Any help would be greatfully received.. Thanks

The easy answer to that is, don't walk through Nothing to Declare. If in doubt, declare it.

Personally I wouldn't put anything in the hold that was valuable to me, especially something on which my life might depend. I'd put it in hand luggage, along with a doctor's letter.

Hi, my daughter is also epileptic. Carry all your medicine with you, don't risk it in your hold luggage in case it gets lost. To be on the total safe side, have a letter from your Dr. and declare it on the immigration landing card. There should be no problem at all with prescription medicine. My daughter bought 6 months worth with her on her last trip. Hope this relieves the stress for you and good luck.

Many Thanks

My daughter has insulin and other drugs and she has a letter from her doc and keeps all the meds with her. She carries a pen and never has a problem.

Both my boys take controlled drugs. I declared them on the form & went through the red channel, no problems at all & it was a much shorter queue than the green channel, bonus!
You will find that they are much more interested in wether your shoes are clean or if you have an apple in your backpack, than prescribed medications.

Hi Martin,
Just another thought, I think it's Epilim by it's other name. If you need a further prescription while you are in Australia,it's ok don't panic it's available, but my daughter has the slow release one, which wasn't available here last visit and also the dosage amounts were different, so a bit of re-adjustment had to be made. So give yourself plenty of time to see a Dr. in case that applies to you.

Sorry Martin, didn't mean any confusion. I realise it's not epilim.

Good, you confused me It's Tegretol.

Definitely carry a letter from the doctor. Customs don't care what you're carrying if you have the letter.

It is indeed Tegretol.. From what can see it's readily available there..

Cheers for the help.. Seeing the Doc next Monday so i'll get him to write something then.

Don't have epilepsy, but take other prescription medication.

I carried it about a year's worth in my hand luggage. I didn't want it in my suitcase in case that got lost or stolen.

I also had the repeat prescription printout thingy that you get at UK doctor's.

Didn't see any reason to declare it. None of it is a "controlled substance" in Australia (but one of them would have been a "controlled substance" in Dubai and Singapore - hence we stayed air-side in Singapore in transit).

As long as Carbamazepine/Tegretol isn't a "controlled substance" in Australia, there is no need to declare it.

I'm stopping in Singapore early Monday morning on my way to Sydney.. When you say "we stayed air side" what do you mean by that? As in you stayed the terminal side of Customs waiting for the connecting flight?

Airside means you don't pass through Customs & Immigration, thus you do not actually enter the country. If you are staying in a hotel in the city you will be going "landside" rather than staying airside.

I can't see you having any problems in Singapore. It's certainly not like Dubai where (legal) drugs are concerned; they get dished out very liberally.

-Cheers..