Traveling can be hectic enough without the added problem of worrying about your medicines. So when you’re on-the-go, it’s important to make sure your medicine travels safely with you.

Here are the top ten tips to keep your medicines safe while traveling:

1. Pack your medicines safely. When packing for a trip, keep your medicines in their original child-resistant containers, not baggies or pill organizers that can be easily accessed by young children.

2. Keep out of the heat. When packing your medicine, keep them in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight. Never store medicines (tablets, capsules, ointments, patches, eye or ear drops, etc.) in your car's glove compartment or trunk, even if packed inside luggage.

3. Keep medicines in your carry-on luggage. If flying, always pack your medicines in a carry-on piece of luggage and bring it with you on the plane. Consider bringing more medicine with you than you need in case of flight delays that may extend your travel.

4. Keep medicines in their original labeled containers. Never combine different medicines in the same container. People often think they can rely on the color and shape of the medicines to tell them apart. However, the possibility of an error is much more likely to occur when medicine is not stored in its original container.

5. Use caution when traveling to warm climates. If traveling to a warm destination, keep the following in mind:
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• Use caution when wearing medicine patches in extreme heat. Wearing patches while sunbathing or in hot tubs can cause the medicine in the patch to release too quickly causing a dangerous reaction.
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• Some medicines can make you more sensitive to the sun. If you take a sun-sensitive medicine and are exposed to too much sun, your skin may burn easily, even if you use sunscreen. Be sure to know if any of the medicines you are taking can cause you to be more sensitive to the sun.

6. Keep a list of all your medicines on hand. Bring a complete list of your medicines (prescription and over-the-counter), including both generic and brand names, the reason you take it, the dose, how often you take it, and important phone numbers (your pharmacy and doctor). Also list any medical conditions or allergies you may have. Keep this list somewhere safe (like your wallet). Tell those traveling with you about the list and its location. Hopefully you won’t need it but if you do it could be a lifesaver. Should you need emergency care your healthcare team will have an accurate medicine list available.‍

7. Medicines may be different in other countries. When traveling internationally keep in mind that the brand name of the medicine you take at home may not be the same in another country. Some of these medicines may treat the same condition, but actually contain different ingredients. If you need a refill while traveling in another country, give the pharmacist the generic name of the medicine you take. As another safeguard, always tell the pharmacist the reason you are taking the medicine.‍

8. Set reminders to take your medicine. Whether your travel schedule is hectic or relaxing, one thing for sure is that your daily routine is changed. When your routine is changed, it may be easy for you to forget to take your medicine on time. You may find it helpful to set an alarm (for example on your cell phone) to remind you when to take your medicine.

9. Take a supply of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines with you. For example, an antidiarrheal, a pain reliever, or an antihistamine (for allergic reaction) are a few that are commonly needed while traveling. You never know what you may encounter on vacation and this way you will have what you need on hand.

10. Adjust schedule to new time zone. If you take a medicine more than once a day and will be traveling to another time zone, you will need to plan ahead. With certain medicines you may be able to develop your own schedule of when to take your doses. For other medicines, such as insulin, you should discuss with a doctor how to adjust your medicine schedule to the anticipated time zone.