Hi was wondering if anyone could help. Hoping to go on holiday to dubai this year but can't find much information specifically outlining if it's ok to take insulin, blood pressure and cholesterol medication into the country. I know they are quite strict as to what medication you can take into the country and we would obviously have a doctors letter explaining why it is needed. If anyone has had experience travelling here I would appreciate your point of view/experience you've had. Also do you know if it's ok to take paracetamol over there incase of headaches etc without having a prescription for it (buying it from chemist or supermarket).
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
-
Diabetes UK staff will be logging into the forum at various times throughout this Bank Holiday weekend, however, if you require emergency medical assistance or advice please call 999, or if it is less urgent then please call the 24 hour NHS 111 service on 111. Alternatively, please speak to your GP or healthcare team.
Travelling to dubai
- Thread starter Wullie
- Start date
- Status
Hi and welcome to the forum 🙂
As long as you have a letter from your Doctor explaining that you are a type 1 and that therefore you need X,Y and Z medication then it shouldn't matter. When I travel I usually have the boxes of medication with me as the boxes have the stickers from the pharmacy with your name etc so they'll know it's yours. I never travel with loose insulin vials.
Enjoy your holiday !
As long as you have a letter from your Doctor explaining that you are a type 1 and that therefore you need X,Y and Z medication then it shouldn't matter. When I travel I usually have the boxes of medication with me as the boxes have the stickers from the pharmacy with your name etc so they'll know it's yours. I never travel with loose insulin vials.
Enjoy your holiday !
DeusXM
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Insulin, blood pressure and cholesterol medication will cause you no problems at the UAE border. The UAE's drug regulations are very simple - no psychiatric medicines, no opiates. None of your medications come under this category. Furthermore, something like 30% of the UAE population has T2 diabetes so these things will be extremely familiar to security officials.
Incidentally, if you are carrying codeine or Prozac, having a doctor's note will be no help. Psychiatric medications and opiates are regarded as akin to narcotics. Much as a doctor's note saying you need cocaine won't pass any muster with UK border police, neither will a note saying you need Prozac help you on the UAE.
You will have no trouble buying paracetamol or ibuprofen over the counter and you will be able to buy these in very large quantities (unlike in the UK). You will also be able to buy insulin over the counter without any problems if required.
One thing to watch out for that you might not have considered is when you go. Ramadan in the UAE is mandatory regardless of your religion, ethnicity or reason for being in the country. That means eating and drinking in public in daylight hours during Ramadan will get you arrested and fined, and depending on the official's mood and your conduct, jailed. Those with diabetes are legally exempt from fasting but explaining this to a police officer who already regards you as a disrespectful Westerner will be a lot of hassle. So don't go during Ramadan if possible - it'll be 50C, and everything fun will be shut!
Source: lived in Dubai with T1 for a few years
Incidentally, if you are carrying codeine or Prozac, having a doctor's note will be no help. Psychiatric medications and opiates are regarded as akin to narcotics. Much as a doctor's note saying you need cocaine won't pass any muster with UK border police, neither will a note saying you need Prozac help you on the UAE.
You will have no trouble buying paracetamol or ibuprofen over the counter and you will be able to buy these in very large quantities (unlike in the UK). You will also be able to buy insulin over the counter without any problems if required.
One thing to watch out for that you might not have considered is when you go. Ramadan in the UAE is mandatory regardless of your religion, ethnicity or reason for being in the country. That means eating and drinking in public in daylight hours during Ramadan will get you arrested and fined, and depending on the official's mood and your conduct, jailed. Those with diabetes are legally exempt from fasting but explaining this to a police officer who already regards you as a disrespectful Westerner will be a lot of hassle. So don't go during Ramadan if possible - it'll be 50C, and everything fun will be shut!
Source: lived in Dubai with T1 for a few years
Aoife
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
DeusXM
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Interesting - anecdotally, everything I'd heard suggested a doc's note won't help but this guidance clearly disproves my original point.
Watch out for cough mixtures, looks like some standard things like robutussin will put you on the wrong side of the law too.
Watch out for cough mixtures, looks like some standard things like robutussin will put you on the wrong side of the law too.
- Status