NO! Don't take that

[Rhone Man]

As you leave non-necessities at home, make a bit of room for your own travel meds. I will not do a trip of any kind to SE Asia, and especially a diving liveaboard, without my own little kit, which will easily fit in a quart-sized ziploc bag. 'Must haves' for me:

My own Rx meds: Goes without saying ... take them if you need them

Azithromycin (Z-Pack): Six mega-dose tablets of broad spectrum antibiotic that will knock out any infection, including ear infections, in record time. Lesser antibiotics just don't cut it for this purpose.
Ciproflaxin: Aka 'cipro' is the med of choice when your belly and/or digestive tract are not happy with your new diet or water supply.
Cephalexin: Generic for Keflex, good antibiotic for wounds/lacerations. Stuff happens ... be ready for it.
Benadryl: Old standby med for allergic inflammation, rashes, itching, etc. I use it only after dive day is over.
Sudafed, 12-hour dose: Sorry, I'm not going to give up my liveaboard dives with a stuffed head. Yes, I understand conventional diving wisdom about this.
Flonase or generic fluticasone: Steroidal nasal spray that reduces inflammation/swelling of tissues of nose and sinuses (start this before trip and every morning of dive days). If you have ANY issues with your ears, this is a tremendous help.
Advil or generic ibuprofen
Aleve or generic naproxen
Eye drops
Ear drops (for drying ear) Make your own, 50/50 alcohol and white vinegar, plus several drops of glycerin to prevent itchy over-drying

Optional: Cipro ear drops to attack an ear issue externally too.

Some of these will require a Dr's Rx. Hopefully you know your doc well enough, and vice versa, that they'll write an Rx for these preventive meds. In ten trips to Indo I've used all of these items, some repeatedly. I'm not going to assume that a boat on the other side of the world has all of these on hand, and liveaboard days and dives are way too pricey to risk sitting on the boat while your spouse/mate and/or friends splash.

I AM NOT MEDICALLY TRAINED. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE TAKING ANYTHING MENTIONED ABOVE. THIS IS WHAT I PACK FOR MY PURPOSES. YMMV

Big plus one on the meds: taking swim-ear, headache tablets, anti diarrhea and anti seasickness is very prudent. Small and light to take, but you can spend an awful week regretting it if you don't have them but need them.

 

[chillyinCanada]

My pharmacopia has saved me numerous times in numerous ways and it contains almost the esxact same items as Hightower's plus it has saved fellow divers too.