I’ve got all these holiday toiletries but still somehow have nothing!

Most of the tablets you're talking about don't cure the illness, a cold is a virus, nothing will cure it, paracetamol etc alleviate the symptoms

You can totally wake up with a stomach bug during the night.

I've never been so suddenly severely ill on holiday, with no warning. I'm in my 40s. Even a stomach bug doesn't come out of nowhere. Certainly a flu or a cold you can feel them coming too, enough warning to drop by a pharmacy on my way to the hotel. I'm sure it does happen but not frequent enough to justify carrying all that with you.

It’s a really fine and normal list for a holiday.

Oh, and DH said to pack immodium...because of a rather trying trip (with his ex-w) up the Nile...💩

So patronising. Adults about it? Why are you so anti medication? Each to their own.

If someone wants to do anything they can to feel a bit more comfortable on a trip away when ill then it’s totally normal and up to them!!!

Bloody hell, that's a whole suitcase full!
Basics - san pro, shower gel, shampoo (2 in 1 with cond if you need it), one moisturiser, deodorant, sun cream and after sun, toothpaste/brush/floss, paracetomol/ibuprofen, antiseptic cream, plasters and a nail file.
I presume you'll have a comb or hairbrush in your hand luggage.
Make up and perfume are entirely up to you - I'm v low maintainance.

Darling please pass the lavender oil....I have a sting

We'd be adults about it.

Most illnesses burn themselves out in 24/48 hours.

You don't need to medicate everything.

Exactly! I take a first aid kit and meds, it’s the lightest part of my whole luggage.

Yeah there are pharmacies but the local one isn’t always open. They are sometimes on a rota and the on call one is a taxi ride away.

@AliasGrape ypur examples are all sensible though. Most people would take some sort of painkiller/temp control medication, antihistamine and any specific sun products that work for them where there are allergies etc. it’s just the massive lists and quantities of things for events that are unlikely to happen which seems excessive.

It's hilarious - so what if someone wants to take a tube if itch releif cream or a few extra plasters?

Mine is like this, prides himself on his incredible ability to travel light, insists he doesn't need anything, and then gets there and it's all 'did we bring shampoo' 'have we got after sun', 'don't suppose there's a beach towel for me?' etc. Drives me mad, though he has got better as I started just replying 'no sorry' every time until the penny dropped.

The biggest argument on here seems to be 'you can get stuff there' - which is true I guess, but I don't particularly want to.

Last year we were in Iceland for quite a short time, DD and I both were unwell - we carried on but had quite a packed itenerary and having to stop/ plan routes via the pharmacy, negotioate opening times etc is just a bit of a pain. Not insurmountable (and in fact I did have to do it in the end) but I'd rather just have the stuff there. If DD spikes a fever in the night, I'd rather have calpol to hand rather than having to find a 24 hour pharmacy.

I'd rather get the cheap as chips generic antihistamines over here and take a sheet from the box with me, since I know I'm going to get prickly heat and these help.

I'd rather buy the suncream that I know works for me, as well as the stuff that suits DH and DD, here at home as and when I see it on offer, and take it with me than have to go shopping for what's being sold at huge mark ups in the touristy shops if we're going on a beach resort type holiday. I like to put the once a day stuff on in the morning for DD and DH needs it as well as he'd burn as soon as you'd look at him otherwise. Still top up, but they both do best with this on first. We ran out on holiday last week and there was no once a day stuff to be found anywhere - DH burned with the other stuff we bought there, despite it being factor 50 and applying it liberally. DD was ok but she had the UK suit/ swim hat etc anyway.

Plus there's just the fact that I quite like holiday shopping and get weirdly excited about miniature anything including toiletries, so it's part of looking forward to going away for me.

I don't think wanting to go prepared/ pack more than a bar of soap for 2 weeks necessarily means you have travel anxiety.

I've never found it so overwhelming or impossible to work out what I need though, but perhaps there's more going on for OP and this is just one more thing and a bridge too far.

Why are people getting so passionate about others taking a first aid kit, so weird!!!

This site is becoming full of people who will just argue about absolutely non important details, it’s exhausting to read!!!

I think it's really useful to have a little medicine pouch with painkillers/antihistamines/Dioralyte/electrolytes/plasters etc. I love nothing more than mooching round foreign pharmacies, but I totally get that if you're on your own and get taken ill, then it helps if you are prepared. I find it helps to take medicine strips out of their box, so it takes up less space. I also used electrolytes for the first time in Greece as I got too much sun and felt ill and they were helpful.

I have eczema prone skin and need to take various potions which again I decant into smaller pots. My husband has much worse skin than me and has to take heaps of ointments in larger quantities, so I get it.

Well, one antihistamine would have replaced the last two of those…
And you really don’t need anything to treat a nettle sting. Wait 10 mins and it’s gone.

DH scoffs at my first aid & medicine packing! However since we arrived yesterday evening he’s needed a painkiller, lavender oil for an insect bite and anti itch cream for a nettle sting! 🙄

you took a covid test on holiday with you as well?