Please help me.. I need your answers :(

[babydoll]

Hi all,

I am a 23 years old mtf ts and have been on hormones since 21 years old(previously only on anti androgens to avoid any further masculinization). Now after about 2 years I can say that I can pass if Im not passable. Anyways back to my question.. I have created this account just to be able to interact with all you but also to ask you some questions for which I got too sick, worried and upset the last days. Now I am in the third year of my studies in Economics, I have one more year left to get my bachelor's degree and next year Im planning to go to the USA to do the MBA.

Talking with some friends that study in the USA I came to realize that during the journey from Cyprus(Europe) to USA, or even once you arrive at the USA airport there is luggage check(I am not talking about the ones that you hold with you in the airport, but the big ones-luggage that you carry everything inside including clothes, etc), using machines that the luggage pass through to see if there's anything suspected inside them or even airport policemen may stop you for random check and may ask you for opening your luggage. This scared me as I was planning to take with me to USA when I will go to do my MBA in one year, one year supply of my medicines(pills: cyproterone, casodex, dutas, and progynon depot that I inject. Note: I am self medicating and Im still using anti androgens since I want the male hormones levels to stay very low) as I will stay there for one year before coming back to my country for holidays, and so I was scared if they would take them from me after checking my luggage.

After so many thoughts(too many to keep inside..), I realized that what I thought sounds crazyyy about bringing 1 year supply of my meds... What I though is right, is to bring only a small quantity of my meds, just to spend the first few months(and my doctor's prescription to avoid things), and then order while being in the USA.


What worries me now, are the following questions, that I would like your opinion or answer to them:

1) In the USA the post office customs do they need any prescription for meds ordered from inhouse pharmacy or adc? If they do, then a Cypriot(international) prescription is acceptable? Do also customs need prescription for syringes bought from online or local pharmacies, while being in the USA?

2) Do you also know what is the maximum limit of meds you can order in the USA(If I recall correctly I have heard that you have to order only three months of meds in the USA, if I am not mistaken, but if it's so then how do they know the dose you take?)?

Thanks so much for taking your time to read my message. I would be grateful if you could answer my questions, from you all that you are experienced in these situations or that you know.. because the last days hearing this I got too sick and upset since w/o the hormones my life is nothing. I hope I will see at least some answers from you to feel better and to be again optimistic.


Please help me, I need your help
<3, Cheryl

[justmeinoz]

I can't offer any direct info as I am in Australia, but have you contacted the US Embassy about this? That would be a good first step.  The US Customs should have something on their website too I'd guess.

Karen.

[babydoll]

I can't offer any direct info as I am in Australia, but have you contacted the US Embassy about this? That would be a good first step.  The US Customs should have something on their website too I'd guess.

Karen.

Hey Karen. Nice to meet ya..

Nice idea.. Something that I haven't thought about. I will call them this week to see if they can help....


tnXXXX,
Cheryl

[madirocks]

Cheryl, like Karen said the best thing to do would be speak to the embassy. However, so long as they're prescribed, and you bring the doctors note with you I can't imagine there to be problems. My suggestion though would be to bring as a carry on. That way if issues arise you can present documentation and not have your medication and luggage held in customs. Again though, talk to the embassy. Good luck!

[Sarah Louise]

All bags coming into the United States will be examined by Customs.  Do not carry Any medications you do not have prescriptions for.

We will not answer any questions dealing with HRT that are obtained by Self Medication.  That is against the rules of this site.

[babydoll]

All bags coming into the United States will be examined by Customs.  Do not carry Any medications you do not have prescriptions for.

We will not answer any questions dealing with HRT that are obtained by Self Medication.  That is against the rules of this site.

Hi Sarah,

I have prescriptions from my doctor for the meds I take, but Im just wondering if a prescription writing eg:  "25 mg casodex 2x per day" is sufficient or is it better to have a letter describing the reason I take them(to show it to the US airport customs, if needed)?

Something that also worries me and something that I have also asked madirocks is:
Do the US post office customs accept an overseas/non-US prescription, when I will buy from an online pharmacy, while being in the US?


HuGs 'n kiSSes,
Cheryl

[babydoll]

Cheryl, like Karen said the best thing to do would be speak to the embassy. However, so long as they're prescribed, and you bring the doctors note with you I can't imagine there to be problems. My suggestion though would be to bring as a carry on. That way if issues arise you can present documentation and not have your medication and luggage held in customs. Again though, talk to the embassy. Good luck!

Sure.. I will do that this week. Its a v.good idea and something that I haven't thought about.:DDD

So you suggest to bring the meds with me when I will go to USA, together with a prescription by my doctor, right? Do you think a prescription writing eg:  "25 mg casodex 2x per day" is sufficient or is it better to have a letter describing the reason I take them?


I am also just wondering if the US post office customs accept an overseas/non-US prescription, when I will buy from an online pharmacy, while being in the US.


ThanXXX so much,
Cheryl

[babydoll]

**********TO Irish Janet**********

Hey Janet!!

I couldn't reply or send you an email to your message that you send me. I hope that you see my reply on this topic.
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. Your response gave me so much courage!!! =D

I have some questions for you:
1) You want to say that not even a prescription is required(for meds order in the USA), right?
2) Outside the package/parcel that I get from alldaychemist.com(online pharmacy from India), there isn't the amount that I pay for the meds, not even on the invoice paper that it is inside the package. This isn't considered suspicious: "budget cuts"?
3) Do you also know what is the maximum limit of meds that you can order from alldaychemist.com, when I will be in the USA?

I just got too sick these days due to this issue and I cry all day long cuz I have no idea how to figure this out. Please if you have time answer my questions above.

HuGs 'n kiSSEs,
Cheryl

[Janet_Girl]

Replied via email.

[madirocks]

Yes, a carry-on would be easiest if you can fit them. So long as you have the prescription, and explain your situation, they should be able to allow you through customs. But don't quote me on that!

Also, it might be easier to see a pharmacist rather than order online. But, know that we can't say specifics on ordering, or companies on these forums. It's not allowed. And yes, you absolutely must have a prescription.

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry yourself much over it. If anything, you just probably won't be able to bring as much as you'd like.

[babydoll]

Yes, a carry-on would be easiest if you can fit them. So long as you have the prescription, and explain your situation, they should be able to allow you through customs. But don't quote me on that!

Also, it might be easier to see a pharmacist rather than order online. But, know that we can't say specifics on ordering, or companies on these forums. It's not allowed. And yes, you absolutely must have a prescription.

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry yourself much over it. If anything, you just probably won't be able to bring as much as you'd like.

Awww thanks so much madirocks... You have answered all of my questions and definitely to a big extent..

I wanna thank you for taking all this time to answer all these questions. Sorry for asking you so many questions and for being so boring.. I just wanted to clear some things up.


Thanks once again for all the help=D

Luv yA,
Cheryl

[madirocks]

You're welcome. You're not being boring at all, they're absolutely great questions to ask.

I hope the embassy can give you a more definitive answer.

[tekla]

I'd sure ask the embassy.  Your prescription is not valid here unless your doctor is licensed to practice in the US.  Syringes would be very hard, and would send all the wrong signals.

[chloe23]

Look it up the internet, allot of info out there.

[Janet_Girl]

Not necessarily true.  If they a licensed in another country and you have the written script, you can get them filled here.  As long as they can contact the doctor directly.

[tekla]

I'd sure check that out like 10 times, and get some sort of legal letter of understanding before you're standing in customs and they won't let you in.  Given any doubt, in post-9-11 America and all that, the default choice is to disallow entry.

[Janet_Girl]

Exactly.  CYA.

[Renate]

There is the added complication that cyproterone acetate (Androcur)
is not approved in the US by the Food and Drug Administration.
Spironolactone is the more typical anti-androgen in the US.

[babydoll]

I'd sure ask the embassy.  Your prescription is not valid here unless your doctor is licensed to practice in the US.  Syringes would be very hard, and would send all the wrong signals.

Hi tekla,
I agree with you that a European prescription is not valid in the USA. But the way I see it: Wouldn't a Cypriot(European) prescription satisfy because Im continuing a treatment that was started in my home country? Ordinarily, I think they'd want a US Rx, but wouldn't they take a foreign Rx since I started under the care of that doctor? Of course, how I interpret the regulations and how the government interprets the regulations could be two different things. I asked you all here cuz I wanted a definite answer on this, as I not sure how it works.
As for the syringes, I am planning to have the them in my luggage not in the bags that you carry on the airplane. The only info I found about syringes is from the following website: 
http://transequality.org/Issues/travel.html


Kisses,
Cheryl

[tekla]

If I were in customs and I saw syringes I'd tear apart the rest.  And remember there is no (NO) national law on a lot of this stuff, it goes state by state as to what they would accept, how and why.