carrying several months of exogenous testosterone aboard while cruising?

[KetoNomad]

I can't be the only one here who takes exogenous testosterone. Since possession of it is so contentious in places what does one do if planning to cruise for six months or six years? I have a prescription but would that be enough? Do I need to get it translated into the major imperial languages?

Realistically I'll​ go for six months and attempt to bring enough with me. Most likely I'll be heading from UK to Cape Verde Via France, Spain, Portugal etc. But I'll have to fly there from Canada first. Getting arrested would be a bad start to the trip.

[UNCIVILIZED]

I suggest to all sailors that they get a letter from their physician (in several languages) stating their medical conditions, along with any medications used to treat them taken by the patient. Using both the medicine's trade (proprietry) name, & it's generic names.
Keep it with your vaccination records, & passport.

You should do the same for allergies, etc. And ensure that everyone onboard knows of said letters & conditions, if you're not comfortable with them knowing from the start. Though with some conditions, disclosure is mandatory. Such as food allergies, reactions to bee stings, etc.

It's a matter of your safety, as well as outfitting the boat; in terms of both say food stores, & medical supplies. What if someone put peanuts into some stir fry not knowing you were allergic?

Also, from my perspective, if one has a moderate to serious condition & will be staying in a place for a while; say a couple of months. Then it only makes sense to get estabished with a local physican. And the above letter(s) will help with this.


EDIT: Much of this stuff can be researched in advance, country by country, prior to your visit. And as with most things (in life) the outcome depends upon how you approach/breech an issue, & handle things from there.

For example if you have controlled substances in your ship's medicine chest, as many vessels do. Then when & if some needs to be administered, the reason why, time, date, etc. are all entered into the ship's log, the medical log, or both. And what constitutes a "controlled substance", along with the rules governing it, vary from country to country, & even region to region. Witness the laws on cannibis in the US, or regarding distilling liquor in various countries. Differences abound.

[Sea Life]

Different part of the world but...In Colombia the prescription has to be by a local doctor. They will not take prescriptions from outside the country.

[sapient sue]

Hi from Australia. We are about to go overseas - so saw my GP - he advised that I must take all my meds in the original packaging as prescriptions from Aus are not valid over seas. He used what is called a reg 24 to allow me to purchased all the required meds in one purchase.

Talk to your medical practitioner.

[barnakiel]

Try to look up local health service / customs websites.

Maybe if you keep it in the kitchen drawer it will be less of an issue for some less experienced officers here and there.

Is it difficult to buy outside your home base?

b.

[BenFranklyn]

I travel with a large amount of Androgel (Testosterone gel) as I was issued 6 months supply when seeing a physician in the Netherlands. If in doubt always claim the medicine when entering a port. I have never had a problem when doing this. When returning to the US the law states a limitation that may be brought, I think it is 30 or 60 days supply so you will need your prescription to prove just what that amount actually is. I always wind up leaving some behind on the boat just to be safe.

Ben

[onavegador]

Hi
I'm an old salt and have to take seven different pills every day. I have normally stuff for 180 days with me and never had a problem with that. Taking with in the aircraft when flying to NZ, Australia, ZA, Brasil, Trinidad, US,Canaries, Portugal. My Medecine is not close to narcotics. For reasons if I loss some, may be by neglection or by burglary I have a Prescription from my Physician with me in English and Spanish.

So far during 12 years nether a problem with customs. May be as I allways look to be into the rules: just reasonable alcoholic drinks, reasonable tobacco in the time when I was smoking and well prepared for immigration and entrance to country in question. Previous arrival information if asked for (eg. Fiji, NZ, Australia).

Fair winds
James

[Aeolus6]

AndroGel (Testerone gel 1%), 30 unit dose packets per box is 5 Grams of testosterone in isopropyl alcohol. It's gel form precludes administration by other means. I'm a retired Med school professor with a PhD in pharmacology. Laminating a copy of all prescribed medications aboard has served me well.
I declare Rx medicines in a photocopied list along with all other ship's supplies, weapons, flare guns and provide a copy to the customs and immigration officer whenever I clear in.

[toddster8]

I don't carry a lot of medications (yet) but have carried some, well, unusual materials across borders. Even with official letters from governments of both countries, sometimes a local official will confiscate or deny boarding for no particular reason. Just one of those little speed bumps that we hit from time to time.

It does help if everything is in an abundantly-labeled commercial-looking package, with a separate page of documentation (prescription) for each item in your "official papers" folder. Turns out, it also helps not to have long hair or very casual clothing when meeting officials. Unless you like spending an afternoon having your toothpaste squeezed out and the linings of your clothes cut open.

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by toddster8

I don't carry a lot of medications (yet) but have carried some, well, unusual materials across borders. Even with official letters from governments of both countries, sometimes a local official will confiscate or deny boarding for no particular reason. Just one of those little speed bumps that we hit from time to time.

It does help if everything is in an abundantly-labeled commercial-looking package, with a separate page of documentation (prescription) for each item in your "official papers" folder. Turns out, it also helps not to have long hair or very casual clothing when meeting officials. Unless you like spending an afternoon having your toothpaste squeezed out and the linings of your clothes cut open.

Haha I feel for you. I had long hair when I was younger and yeah, it created lots of problems.

Now I shave my head or have short hair and, well, you can see my photo. Never any issues.

I will just have to remember to get a note from the doctor explaining the need for the stuff. Should be fine.

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Try to look up local health service / customs websites.

Maybe if you keep it in the kitchen drawer it will be less of an issue for some less experienced officers here and there.

Is it difficult to buy outside your home base?

b.

Humorously, it's treated the same as heroin by authorities in the USA. Well, not quite the same, one cannot obtain a prescription for heroin to save themselves jail time haha.

It's all in an effort to prevent abuse as it is an anabolic steroid.

[basenay]

Having spent 1997-2002 circumnavigating & 2010 to present cruising east & west sides of Central America & northern South America I have never had any trouble with customs either flying in or sailing in. Never declare personal items. I am a physician but never point out that fact out of habit as that usually just leads to higher prices or free consultations. I simply walk into pharmacies and ask for what I want without a prescription. Unless is strong narcotic no problema although recently as we move farther north into gringo land part of Mexico they sometimes request a prescription for antibiotics. Most commonly they only have 5-7 days supply on hand & don't know when will get more. At large pharmacy (Walmart, Costco, grocery chains) I have bought a year's supply of several items which sometimes gave one month free for every 3 months bought. Several times had to buy injectable form of meds as no topical or oral forms available, again with no prescription. Best to follow Jimmy Buffett's advice if a problem-plead ignorance & beg forgiveness. When speaking to official's I try to follow advice a lawyer once gave me. Speak like each word you utter is a $20 bill that you are throwing in the trash

[Petros13]

Have traveled from Oz for the past nine years with doctors prescription for andriol tabs. Generally I try to carry six months supply to see me through to the next source in our travels. This you have to research in advance. I found that in SE Asia you could buy it over the counter without a prescription . Also the same in Greece. Ìn Hungary you needed the prescription.
On one occasion when close to running out, I had to make a dash to Thailand to buy a years supply. The short stay in the tropics made a pleasant change.
Good luck. Peter

[CaptsWife]

Interesting thread. I take bio-identical hormones in both cream and pill form (including testosterone) I just had this conversation with my doctor as we plan on leaving the country in after the 2017 Hurricane Season. He's going to send me on my way with 6 months of "meds" and a lab sheet. Wherever we are 6 months from when we leave, I'll ask about getting labs done.

Good advice on getting scripts in both English AND Spanish.