Can you take OTC medicines abroad?

[RainyDaysAndGlumDays]

Whenever we go on holiday within the UK, we take some general medicines (such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, travel sickness tablets, etc) as part of a first aid kit. What are the rules around this when travelling abroad in Europe? I know that there are rules to follow for taking prescription medicines and that there are some restrictions, especially with controlled substances such as codeine. I've tried looking it up online for things like paracetamol, but it keeps referring to bringing a copy of your prescription.

I know it will be possible to visit a pharmacy abroad if anything is needed, but I prefer to have things on hand to save having to faff around in the middle of the night. Am I just overthinking it?

Yes - stick it in your suitcase.

I take paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamines, etc without even thinking it's an issue so yes, I think you're overthinking about it

Yes just don't take hundreds of them

I went abroad recently (EU) and took painkillers, travel sickness tablets, and all my prescription medication. I had hand luggage only and nobody batted an eyelid.

You can take enough for personal use as long as it's not prescription only there, but specifically controlled (there's some odd situations). No one has ever questioned our otc or prescription meds

Yes you can take all those. The standard dosage for those medications tends to be higher in other countries anyway - until recently I could get 600mg ibuprofen over the counter where I am (EU, typical tourist destination), which is triple the single-pill dose you can get in the UK supermarkets etc.

That's great. Thank you.

This

I always take the usual ones in my hold luggage and some are in my handluggage like nasal spray and decongestant as I often have issues with airconditioning.

These things can (at least in Germany) bought without prescription in every pharmacy.

I took ivf drugs to Turkey including syringes in my luggage. No issues.

Be aware that 'normal' painkillers might not be available in some EU countries. I recently tried to buy ibuprofen in Athens and it is just not an off-the-shelf thing in Greece! Apparently it's not used as an anti-inflammatory/painkiller, its primary use is something entirely different and prescribed only. And of course, there are countries where they just don't sell bog standard paracetamol, aspirin etc in supermarkets - you have to go to an actual pharmacy (and often will pay a lot more). I still remember spending about 35 euro on a normal sized packet of paracetamol, a chloroseptic throat spray and a packet of Strepsils when I got Hand Foot and Mouth in a pharmacy in Portugal a few years ago! I still laugh about it.

I would definitely just take lots of what you would normally use. Codeine obviously not unless it's a prescription med and you have a letter and prescription to show. I take my HRT meds and a current prescription for them but it's never been queried. And any prescription medicine liquids you need to take in hand luggage can be in a separate clear bag with the prescription with them, no need to cram them in with your hand gel and lip balm.

There has been a lot of overthinking about customs issues since Brexit. I understand that a certain amount of worry can be induced by seeing foreign officials in uniform (with guns!) at the airport, but they really are not interested in pulling over ordinary holidaymakers and giving them a hard time for a couple of headache tablets or a jar of Marmite.

One way you can be sure of this is that if it had ever actually happened, it would be all over the tabloid media for months ("Heartless Spanish border cops PUNISH hard-working Brit families for Brexit by CONFISCATING their Panadol").

I recently tried to buy ibuprofen in Athens and it is just not an off-the-shelf thing in Greece!

I bought Nurofen last year in a pharmacy in Kefalonia. It was expensive, but I didn't need a prescription. It is also marketed directly at the public in Greece, e.g. https://www.nurofen.gr/proionta/enhlikes/nurofen-400mg-malakes-kapsoules-taxeias-drasis/

You might be thinking of Nurofen Plus, which has codeine in it. Codeine is highly regulated in Greece.

Alternatively, it could be that the person you were asking did not recognise the name of the molecule. Greek people buy medicines by brand name ("Dopen" is the top-selling paracetamol) and the pronunciation of "ibuprofen" might well be substantially different, even if they recognise it. You could have maybe tried "Advil" or "Nurofen".