Sudafed in Cozumel with prescription?

[rick00001967]

I'm not suggesting that anyone do anything.
I simply shared what I do.
Smuggling is what I'm most comfortable with.
The consequences of abiding by the law have been, on two occasions, extremely painful. Awful. Horrible.

perhaps finding an alternative medicine might be the best course of action in the future?

marie suggested flonase. i have had that given to me by a dr in the past during a bad sinus infection. i remember it did not help me much though. others may have had better luck.

i agree with others above that the wording of these advisories can be interpreted in different ways. maybe it gets lost in translation?

does anyone know if a resident of mexico or visitor can get sudafed with a presecription? in many cases with drugs, a substance can be "controlled" but still avail from a dr. in other instances a substance might be "banned" so it is not accessible for any reason.

that said, even if it is avail with a prescription in that country, "importing" it from another country might be against the law.

i think the reality is that in 99.9% of cases, if one of us was to bring some in, it would not be looked at twice by customs. but is it worth taking any chance at all? probably not. especially if there is an alternative that will work for you, and is safe enough to take when diving.

 

[Marie13]

perhaps finding an alternative medicine might be the best course of action in the future?

marie suggested flonase. i have had that given to me by a dr in the past during a bad sinus infection. i remember it did not help me much though. others may have had better luck.

i agree with others above that the wording of these advisories can be interpreted in different ways. maybe it gets lost in translation?

does anyone know if a resident of mexico or visitor can get sudafed with a presecription? in many cases with drugs, a substance can be "controlled" but still avail from a dr. in other instances a substance might be "banned" so it is not accessible for any reason.

that said, even if it is avail with a prescription in that country, "importing" it from another country might be against the law.

i think the reality is that in 99.9% of cases, if one of us was to bring some in, it would not be looked at twice by customs. but is it worth taking any chance at all? probably not. especially if there is an alternative that will work for you, and is safe enough to take when diving.

Flonase AND neti pot/sinus wash rinse bottle from Walgreens is what did it. Not just Flonase alone.

 

[mediumone]

perhaps finding an alternative medicine might be the best course of action in the future?

if there is an alternative that will work for you, and is safe enough to take when diving.

You indirectly answered your question.
"IF"
Unanimous recommendation by two internists, and several visits to two ENT's: Pseudoephedrine is the cream of the crop, the gold standard.

 

[rick00001967]

You indirectly answered your question.
"IF"
Unanimous recommendation by two internists, and several visits to two ENT's: Pseudoephedrine is the cream of the crop, the gold standard.

agreed

 

[drrich2]

perhaps finding an alternative medicine might be the best course of action in the future?

marie suggested flonase. i have had that given to me by a dr in the past during a bad sinus infection. i remember it did not help me much though. others may have had better luck.

Be careful when shopping alternatives. It's worth care to be mindful these different medications are often very different.

Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic; it acts on hormone receptors on cell membranes. Think of it like a key/lock, or push/button approach for a hormone to trigger a reaction. Medicines that work this way may take action quickly.

Flonase is a steroid medicine. Steroids are often slower acting, though their effects may last longer (I don't want to over-generalize). From the Flonase website:

"Most achieve relief within 12 hours of starting their FLONASE nasal spray. But remember, it’s important to keep using it every day during allergy season as it takes three to four days before any FLONASE nasal spray builds up to full effectiveness—which means once a day allergy symptom relief."

So someone used to taking a pseudoephedrine product 'morning of' might better start Flonase days before.

Pseudoephedrine doesn't seem bad about rebound effects when taken continuously in the way some nasal sprays such as Afrin can be.

Phenylephrine doesn't have a good reputation as a decongestant; it's been likened to placebo.

 

[nippurmagnum]

Pseudoephedrine is a meth precursor, but realistically only if purchased/transported in vast quantities. Which is why in the United States its sale does not require a prescription, but pseudo is sold behind the counter, requires presenting an ID, and is limited to no more than a couple of boxes. The notion that a U.S. tourist bringing 10 tablets of pseudo into Mexico might be supplying those tablets for drug manufacturing is just laughable. It seems very much like a petty "reciprocity" (i.e., payback) thing -- if Americans are going to hassle Mexicans travelling north and treat them all like potential drug mules, the Mexican government will repay the favor in kind.

I did a dive trip to Los Cabos 2 years ago and had 10 pseudo tablets in my toiletries kit, which I usually take everywhere, and had no idea that these were illegal. I'm going back to Los Cabos in January for a Socorro liveaboard, and I will certainly leave the pseudo at home. Not worth the risk, however small. Plus I'm sure that if I need pseudo on the boat, some of the other 24 divers, most of whom will be blissfully ignorant of this law, will almost certainly have a ton of it.

 

[BRT]

perhaps finding an alternative medicine might be the best course of action in the future?

marie suggested flonase. i have had that given to me by a dr in the past during a bad sinus infection. i remember it did not help me much though. others may have had better luck.

i agree with others above that the wording of these advisories can be interpreted in different ways. maybe it gets lost in translation?

does anyone know if a resident of mexico or visitor can get sudafed with a presecription? in many cases with drugs, a substance can be "controlled" but still avail from a dr. in other instances a substance might be "banned" so it is not accessible for any reason.

that said, even if it is avail with a prescription in that country, "importing" it from another country might be against the law.

i think the reality is that in 99.9% of cases, if one of us was to bring some in, it would not be looked at twice by customs. but is it worth taking any chance at all? probably not. especially if there is an alternative that will work for you, and is safe enough to take when diving.

There is no alternative that works. For some of us it is the difference between diving and not diving.

 

[Marie13]

There is no alternative that works. For some of us it is the difference between diving and not diving.

Then either sneak it in, taking the chance you might get caught by MX customs or go elsewhere to dive that allows pseudoephedrine into the country.

I’ve got bad allergies. I’m always congested. Have been since I was a kid. I wasn’t willing to take the chance on getting caught, so I did the Flonase/neti pot combo.

 

[BRT]

Then either sneak it in, taking the chance you might get caught by MX customs or go elsewhere to dive that allows pseudoephedrine into the country.

I’ve got bad allergies. I’m always congested. Have been since I was a kid. I wasn’t willing to take the chance on getting caught, so I did the Flonase/neti pot combo.

I use Flonase, I use a nasal rinse system. All very good, but it is not safe for me to dive without pseudoephidrine.

Edit: This is much like the argument about seasickness. A lot of people who do not have a real problem have solutions that work for them.

 

[rick00001967]

I use Flonase, I use a nasal rinse system. All very good, but it is not safe for me to dive without pseudoephidrine.

Edit: This is much like the argument about seasickness. A lot of people who do not have a real problem have solutions that work for them.

yup. everyone has to find what works for them. my wife doesn't have much luck with sudafed. but it always works for me if/when i need it.

if it is allowed in with a prescription and following all those rules that go along with it, maybe you could get a dr to write one for you? at least if you did get some cowboy at customs, it would look like you were doing everything you thought that was required.

i find this to be avery interesting conversation. funny i have never heard any talk online about this before. our dive shop runs trips to coz every year too, and sometimes to the cancun area as well for the whale sharks. no one at the shop has ever mentioned it either.