Hey, friends!

I'm traveling to Rome on the 20th, and I'm worried about taking testosterone with me.  I really would hate missing a week, because I have my six week blood tests coming up very soon, and I don't want to get false results.

My testosterone is still in the original bottle with the correct prescription information on it, as well as my needles.  I've heard you can just pack it all into a clear plastic baggy, and as long as you tell customs beforehand that you're traveling with prescription medication, everything will be fine.  I'm worried about getting into and out of Italy with my testosterone, because it has my injections for about the next 4 months, and I don't know if I'd be able to get another prescription when I'm back. 

I've even considered doing the illegal thing and putting the needle in with its prescription, but putting the testosterone in a different container, like contact lens case, but this seems dangerous.  I don't want to get an infection because the testosterone is in a bad container.  I've also considered preloading the hypodermic needle, but that might get unsanitary too?  But that way I would just lose one weeks worth of testosterone and one needle??

I don't know, I'm worried.  Does anyone have advice or expereince traveling internationally (specifically to Italy) with prescribed T and needles??

Also, I got my prescription at Howard Brown in Chicago, but I live in Minneapolis, so it's hard to reach my doctor or get a note from him without having to make dozens of phone calls and getting faxes. 

As long as the medicine is in its original container with the prescription in your name you should be fine.  You could always call the airlines and ask what their requirements are.

In that case, what happens if my testosterone is taken away?  Has anyone had experience with getting another prescription for testosterone when something happened to your old stuff?  Will i just have to wait for a couple months until it's time for the next prescription?

I have traveled internationally several times with my T, never had a trouble. I always put my medication and syringes in my checked bag, and never taken away. Sometimes, they left a notice card in my bag telling that my bag had been opened for inspection, but even so, they did not take my medication or supplies.
I heard that Australia has a very strict policy about carrying prescription drug, but Europe is fine.

If you are very concerned about losing your testosterone, you can buy those sterile vials so you can carry only the dosage you will need.

Quote from: lilwesman on March 13, 2014, 01:23:35 PM
In that case, what happens if my testosterone is taken away?  Has anyone had experience with getting another prescription for testosterone when something happened to your old stuff?  Will i just have to wait for a couple months until it's time for the next prescription?

I don't know much about taking T internationally, but I do know that it should not be too hard to get another prescription if you need it. when I worked in a pharmacy (in the US) any prescription could be filled any time, but insurance would only cover it once a month (or whatever). So if you pay out of pocket, as long as you had a new prescription (or even a refill) it should be ok at the pharmacy.

I can't say so much by experience, but people have to take all sorts of injectable medications with them when they travel.  Think of all the diabetics the the world! 

I really wouldn't preload the needles.  I think that would be an automatic confiscation right there.   There is no way to prove its not poison or something.  I also wouldn't attempt to hide it.  That'll peak suspicion (and really who couldn't fill a vial with who knows what and slap a "Testosterone" label across the front). 

I travel with insulin and needles all the time and have never had a problem.  The flight rules say it has to be in the original container with your name on the prescription.  When I used to travel internationally I had no problems with customs either.

I've not travelled internationally with my T yet, but live in Australia and have been told by others who did travel with their T that as long as you keep it in its original container with your prescription details clearly marked (as the others here have said), you shouldn't encounter a problem.  Again, as has been said, keep it in your checked lugggage and not your carry on. 

It's also not a bad idea to have your doctor actually write out a "letter of passage", as it's sometimes called.  It's essentially just a letter from your GP/endo/psych stating that you are undergoing medical treatment under supervision for transsexualism and may be carrying your authorised presciption medication.

I'm on weekly injectable T in California and I am traveling to London and Athens for 10 days in May. I'm concerned about the same thing.  T is a controlled substance and I've got friends who have gotten felonies for bringing T from Mexico in the USA w/o a prescription. 

To add to this, I would get a more general letter from an endo stating it's treatment for hypogonadism and not transsexualism. That can be used for any place you may travel. It's not a lie and it will avoid conflict or bigots doing something to your stuff, "accidentally" smashing the vial or making life difficult. I'm going to Jamaica for example and there's no way I'd go there with a letter explaining I'm trans!

Hey everyone!

Just an update:  I had no problems whatsoever.  I kept the needles and their prescription in my checked bag, because I figured that's most likely the reason anything would be taken away, and I'd be able to get needles in Italy if they had been taken (Italy's pharmacies are mostly everything over the counter.  You can just be like, I need hypodermic needles, this size blah blah, and they'd give it to you!)  The testosterone vial wasn't even questioned as it went through security, at all.  Both going into Italy and back to the US was easy-peasy.