Medical Perscriptions and Shots

[lwaters]

I am going to Namibia and will be south of Windoek do the center for disease control recommends you take a measle and udate polio vac. Does anyone do this? Also they said to have your meds in perscription bottles and have a copy of your perscriptions with you. What have poster here done. Lenny

 

[James.Grage]

Prescription Med are left in Containers from Pharmacy with your name and dosage on them, that is all i have ever needed.

Take a look at the various shot and pill recommendations being offered to you and make an informed decision. Some areas i have opted to take all the recommendations and other if i get sick i will treat when home. Measles is still alive and well in Africa and i went with my shingles shot this year.

To be honest no one has looked at them, however i have never been to Namibia.

Also no one has wanted to look at my yellow card, even when presented, however when traveling between African countries you will need to have it and have all the required shots that they want you to have or you will be denied entry..

Everyone is concerned about your rifle and number of shells you have with you.

 

[Ontario Nimrod]

One thing you may find is recommended, at least in some areas of Namibia, is anti-malaria pills. Just be forewarned that some of them can cause some unpleasant reactions. When I went to Namibia, my wife and I both took Malarone. I had nightmares, she couldn't sleep. Once she stopped taking it (we weren't really in a mosquito area), she was fine.

 

[Bobpuckett]

James has pretty much covered it, the reason for having a copy of your perscriptions with you is in the event something happens to your perscription you have a written copy to have filled.

 

[Wolverine67]

I really dont know if there are any other areas than the Caprivi strip in Namibia you have to be concerned about malaria?

 

[spike.t]

as far as i know yellow fever is the only mandatory inoculation required for certain countries, and this is usually only needed if travelling internally in africa from an infected country to a clean country. tanzania used to need proof of inoculation on arrival from any where , but not sure if thats the case now. as tap found out zambia was put on the yellow fever list if you wanted to enter south africa from there, think it was last year. i think most of the time the only jab you need to have up to date is tetanus . dont know how the polio inoculation works in the usa but we are fed the vaccine from being children, and after having the adult sugar lumps dont have to take it. but get it if you havent gone through that. presumably your prescriptions come in bottles or packs so leave them as is. but the main thing is STOP worrying about such a minor thing , and go and enjoy your hunt.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Your travel clinic docs should be able to access the current (WHO) World Health Organization info on every country to see what is up currently.

Namibia is tagged as a Rabies area and my consult said to get Rabies shots if I was going to be at risk of exposure.
I did not and did not go around hugging stray dogs, cats, rats or Kudu either.

Time of year matters. Malaria map has most of Northern Namibia being Malarial.
No Malarial drugs for me, but I had the Rx in case.
I managed to see two Mosquitos and was bitten by one before he died with a shot right to the boiler room. July with minus 2 C nightly held them at bay.

Always take your copies or Rx with you any where you go. If your bag gets lost you should be able to get Rx's replaced. Not without a prescription though.

The only time I got hassled about medication was on my way to Namibia from RSA. I was not amused and looked at the guy and said it all has my name on it. Which it did. When you are on a long trip it looks like you are a drug dealer evidently.
He gave it up when my annoyance really showed. I had 3 hours sleep the night before.

 

[Packsy]

This is a great question.
Brickburn - I always keep my meds with me in my carry on because I have to take some in the morning and some at night, and I have to take them on time.
How many meds before they take you away and question you?? I only ask because I do take several and I don't want to have a big hassle when we get to SA.
Thanks lwater for bringing this up. I guess I thought of it, but really did not think to ask the people who would be in the know.

 

[BRICKBURN]

This is a great question.
Brickburn - I always keep my meds with me in my carry on because I have to take some in the morning and some at night, and I have to take them on time.
How many meds before they take you away and question you?? I only ask because I do take several and I don't want to have a big hassle when we get to SA.
Thanks lwater for bringing this up. I guess I thought of it, but really did not think to ask the people who would be in the know.

I just opened my carry on for inspection and with two sets of Rx it looks like a lot. There was no xray machine!
As long as you have your paperwork they should leave you alone. I carry anything in original bottles too. Names, etc.etc.
Have your Doc provide an original of the paperwork and keep another copy.

 

[saeng101]

Dosage and amounts are never an issue if the prescription is on the bottle with your name. I have written narcotics for 135 days if the request is reasonable, and I have history. I generally like to have 2 weeks in my carry on, too many cases of lost luggage. I have never seen Customs hassle a prescription but I suspect anything can happen. Don't think that they want the BS if the screw with a Cardio patients needs.

This is a great question.
Brickburn - I always keep my meds with me in my carry on because I have to take some in the morning and some at night, and I have to take them on time.
How many meds before they take you away and question you?? I only ask because I do take several and I don't want to have a big hassle when we get to SA.
Thanks lwater for bringing this up. I guess I thought of it, but really did not think to ask the people who would be in the know.

 

[lwaters]

Dosage and amounts are never an issue if the prescription is on the bottle with your name. I have written narcotics for 135 days if the request is reasonable, and I have history. I generally like to have 2 weeks in my carry on, too many cases of lost luggage. I have never seen Customs hassle a prescription but I suspect anything can happen. Don't think that they want the BS if the screw with a Cardio patients needs.

I doubt if anyone overseas would fill that chicken scatch that my doctor puts on a rx for me. Most of the stuff you could probably just walk in a drug store and buy. I know you could in the 70's in the Philipinees.

 

[saeng101]

Can't begin to tell you the kak I catch for my hand writing. Had a Sister accuse me of taking a class in bad penmenship. I lecture at a US Med school and was flat told that I had to type everything when doing rounds.

I doubt if anyone overseas would fill that chicken scatch that my doctor puts on a rx for me. Most of the stuff you could probably just walk in a drug store and buy. I know you could in the 70's in the Philipinees.