Ochtend Flits

Before you leave, your Dutch pharmacy can help you put together a reisapotheek — a small travel kit with the medications most likely to save your holiday. BENU, one of the largest pharmacy chains in the Netherlands, recommends building it around three things: your destination, how long you are going for, and who is travelling with you.

For a week in Europe, a compact basic kit is enough. For further destinations — Africa, Asia, South America — bring more, and ask your pharmacist whether you need extra protection such as malaria prophylaxis (prescription only).

What goes in a basic kit

The kit should cover the four most common holiday problems: pain and fever, diarrhoea, motion sickness, and allergic reactions.

• Paracetamol 500mg — pain and fever; the universal starting point
• Loperamide 2mg — for diarrhoea when you genuinely cannot stop (a long bus ride, a flight). Not for every loose stool. Stop after two days, and stop immediately if fever or blood appears
• Cinnarizine 25mg — motion sickness by car, boat, or plane. Take it at least 30 minutes before departure. It can cause drowsiness — do not drive
• ORS sachets (oral rehydration salts) — useful in the heat and before physical exertion, not only when sick. Especially important for children and the elderly
• Cetirizine 10mg — antihistamine for hay fever, insect stings, food reactions, and plant contact

Your own medication

• Take enough for the whole trip, plus a reserve in case of delays
• Split it between your carry-on and a travel companion's bag — insurance against loss or theft
• Temperature-sensitive medications such as insulin must travel in hand luggage, never in checked bags
• Some countries restrict importing strong painkillers and sleeping medication — check before you go. See Medication in the Netherlands for what you need when travelling with controlled medication out of the Netherlands

Useful before you go

Log into Mijn BENU (mijn.benu.nl) before you leave — it gives you a full list of your current medications, which is useful when packing or if a foreign doctor asks what you take. If you use a different pharmacy chain, ask them for a medicatiepaspoort — most Dutch pharmacies can produce one.