Syndol - codeine??

[carteruk1]

Hi, i suffer from migraines and take syndol for these which have codeine in them. Codeine as far as im aware, but i might be wrong is banned in dubai. We are connecting at dubai so will be in airport for 3 hours, does this mean i cant take it in my hand luggage and i also cant take it in my suitcase?? If this is the case i would like to know so i can see my GP and try get something else sorted for migraines before we leave. thanks

[Bunstar]

Hi,

I also suffer from migraines and was concerned about the medicine I was carrying when we passed through Dubai on our way to the UK. There's good advice here:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-...-arab-emirates

Scroll down to local laws and customs and there is a e-mail address you can contact to find out if your medication is on the controlled list and needs prior permission.

There is also a list of controlled drugs here:

http://www.uaeinteract.com/travel/drug.asp

I basically got a letter from my doctor with a list of the medicines I was prescribed and would be carrying. The letter said what the medicines were and what they were for. I didn't contact the above address but then none of my prescription drugs contained codeine.

HTH

[carteruk1]

Thank you so much for that, very very much appreciated, have contacted them by email. Claire

[James 1077]

Codeine is VERY much a no-no in the UAE as it is heroin/morphine derived (even poppy seeds are banned for that reason).

However if you are staying in the terminal and your bags are be checked through it is OK to put the pills into your checked luggage as they don't enter the country (they come off the plane, go into a secure holding area and then go back on the next plane).

If you think that you'll need some pills for flight itself and there are absolutely no non-codeine based alternatives then your choice is to take them in hand luggage on the Dubai leg and then take the pills before arrival in Dubai in the hope that they last you through ... or go through the rigmarole of getting permission to take them in (and UAE bureaucracy can be pretty time consuming!). I personally wouldn't transit without getting permission as your hand luggage bags will go through at least one scanning at the airport and, even if you weren't arrested, you could miss your connection due to the time it takes for someone to make a decision as to whether to arrest you or not!

[Tia Maria]

Yes, agree with James 1077, take them before Dubai if you can't get any alternatives.

Syndol is called Mersyndol in NZ:

http://www.onlinepharmacy.co.nz/inde...D/438/CatID/14

They are pharmacy only which means they will take your address and can refuse to sell them to you without a prescription, although I've never been refused.

Another thing to note though is they are more expensive than in the UK, (and Australia for that matter), with 20 costing between $10 - $14, compared to 30 in the UK costing about 5.50 GBP. Also I've never found any 'easy to swallow' ones here...although they may exist.

So if you use them on a regular basis it might be worth sticking some in the container.

[carteruk1]

thanx!! some great info. Ive put some in container as the price really shocked me in nz, wish i could find an alternative to help my headaches Anyways, it looks like i might just need to risk getting a migraine on the plane as i really dont want to start my new life in cells and arrive in nz months later. Thanx people, very much appreciated for taking the time to reply

[Tia Maria]

thanx!! some great info. Ive put some in container as the price really shocked me in nz, wish i could find an alternative to help my headaches Anyways, it looks like i might just need to risk getting a migraine on the plane as i really dont want to start my new life in cells and arrive in nz months later. Thanx people, very much appreciated for taking the time to reply

It might be worth starting a new thread about 'how to avoid a migraine on a plane without using codeine?'. I'm sure this forum will have it's fair share of migraine sufferers who might have some good tips if they've flown via Dubai or just how to deal with it on long distance flights.

[norma]

It might be worth starting a new thread about 'how to avoid a migraine on a plane without using codeine?'.

I've never taken codeine for a migraine. If I catch it early before my stomach goes off, I'll take a couple of soluble paracetamol first.

I was prescribed Maxalt Melts by my NZ doctor as they are quick to get down before the nausea kicks in. The active ingredient is rizatriptan:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100001582.html

The other drug I've been prescribed is diclofenac. Both of them seem to have a long list of side effects.

[Duncan74]

Ive put some in container as the price really shocked me in nz,

You need to be very very careful here, and expect some delays / investigation from customs.

Codeine is an ingredient to an illegal street drug which is very prevalent in NZ, yet virtually unheard of in the UK. It's made in 'home' kitchens / factories and one way of attempting to control that is to limit the availability of the ingredients by controlling the volume which you can buy the drugs at. So attempting to bring in any more than a couple of packets in teh container is going to be a problem. I got a phone call from customs as one box was labelled 'misc medicines' on the packing sheet - basically the half bottles/paackets of cough syrup, paracetamol that you have in the bathroom. Half an hour interview later, during which I eventuially realised what he was asking and confirmed that at worst there was 8 codeine tablets in there and he was happy.

So you may end up wasting your money, but whatever you do DO NOT LIE about what's in there.

[Jo Jo]

Codeine is an ingredient to an illegal street drug which is very prevalent in NZ, yet virtually unheard of in the UK.

P is actually pretty common in the UK, too, but is known by different names there, e.g. crystal meth, among others.