thekittchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Privacy Statement
  • Recipes
    • breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizer
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
  • Home
  • Life
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Press
    • Press Page
    • Services
    • Speaking Engagements
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Privacy Statement
  • Recipes
    • breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizer
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
  • Home
  • Life
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Press
    • Press Page
    • Services
    • Speaking Engagements
×
Home » Travel

What Medicines to Pack for a Trip Abroad

Published: Sep 28, 2017 · Modified: Apr 13, 2018 by Kit · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

I have a little bag of over the counter medicines that I bring with me when I travel abroad. I learned the hard way. There is nothing worse than getting sick when traveling and not being able to find the medicine you need. Medicines can be harder to find abroad, and language barriers add extra challenges. Today I am sharing a list of what medicines to pack for a trip abroad.

Advil or Alka Stelzer – I like to be prepared to treat a hangover. Sometimes a casual happy hour drink can turn into a night of partying. And aren’t those the best nights?

A Sleep Aid– This will help you fight jet lag. Sometimes even if you fall asleep easily, you won’t stay asleep. I struggle with this when I travel to Asia. For the first two nights I will take a sleep aid to help me sleep through the night. This helps me adjust to the time zone. I also take a sleep aid during the flight to help me adjust to the time zone before I even arrive at my destination. You can read more about tackling jet lag here.

Allergy Meds – My go-to is Allegra. Just because you don’t have allergies at home, it doesn’t mean that they won’t start bothering you when you travel. I always have allergy meds on me when I travel because some of them make me super loopy, and I want to have one that I like with me.

Sudafed – Buying medicine in foreign countries can be challenging. There can be language barriers, and in general, things like cold medicine are easier to find in the US because we have so many pharmacies, bodegas, convenience stores, and grocery stores that stock those types of things. Often times something like cold medicine is only sold at a pharmacy abroad, and if you are in a small town, there might not be a pharmacy. In the US, we are used to larger hotels selling basic convenience items, but this is less common outside of the US. I was so happy that I had packed Sudafed with me when I was in Serbia because I suddenly came down with a nasty cold.

Pepto Bismol, Immodium, and Tums – This is a "better safe than sorry situation". You can buy Pepto in tablet form, and a sheet of the tablets takes up the tiniest amount of space in my bag. I also bring a mini roll of tums with me. You might try some new foods that might not agree with you when you travel, and I like to be prepared for the worst.

Cough Drops – I came down with a terrible cough when I was in Serbia and Bosnia and had the hardest time finding cough drops – even pharmacies and grocery stores didn’t have them. From now on I am adding a small package of cough drops to my travel bag.

Plus a few essentials that aren’t really medicines:

Airborne or E-mergenc - Charles and I like to take this after a long flight.

Tissues – I always have a couple travel packs of tissues with me. Sometimes I unexpectedly get a runny nose on a flight. I always have some tissues in my purse since I have been at rest stops and tourist sites that don’t have any toilet paper in the bathrooms.

Tampons – This falls into the category of something that is really easy to find in America, but it can be slightly challenging if you are in a remote area.

Contact Lens Solution and Extra Contacts – I ran out of solution while we were in Croatia and it was surprisingly hard to find. It isn’t sold at grocery stores or stores that sell other health products – you need to go to a pharmacy instead.

And as a sidenote, if you are on any prescription medicines, do your research before traveling. When I had an emergency tooth extraction 4 days before flying to Japan I was prescribed a narcotic. I didn’t take it, but I almost brought it on the trip just in case. Thank goodness I didn’t because you are not allowed to bring narcotics into many Asian countries. I am not expert on this topic, but bringing a narcotic into a foreign country probably isn't the best idea.

Do you have some go-to meds that you bring when you travel? I know that this might sound like a lot – but I do take the pills out of their boxes and just bring one sheet of the tablets with me. They take up the smallest amount of space in my bag.

More Travel

  • Casa Beatnik - A Charming Boutique Hotel in Galicia
  • Kennebunkport Travel Guide | Things to Do in Kennebunkport
  • Nantucket Itinerary for Kids
  • Milwaukee Itinerary for Kids

Welcome!

Welcome! I'm Kit and The Kittchen is all about my two biggest loves: Food and Travel! Here you can discover delicious and practical everyday recipes, plus travel destinations to feed your wanderlust. Thanks for stopping by!

More about me

Recipes

  • The Best Chicken Chili
  • Brisket Enchiladas 13
    32 Favorite Freezer Meals
  • Easy Recipes for Beginners
  • Buffalo Chicken Dip | Classic buffalo chicken dip served in an edible bread bowl.
    Best Game Day Recipes

Travel

  • 200 Things to do in Maine
    200+ Things to do in Maine | What to Do in Maine
  • A Weekend in New Buffalo - A Mom's Retreat
  • Covent Garden 7
    Best Things to Do in London with Kids
  • Things to Do in New Buffalo, Michigan

Home

  • The Rooftop Patio Design
  • Upgrading Doors on a Budget
  • Cottage-Core Inspired Entryway Design
  • Chicago Balcony Design Reveal

Footer

↑ back to top
thekittchen
About
First Time Here?
Contact
Press

Copyright © 2025 The Kittchen. Disclosure and Privacy Policy

  • 3