What to Pack in a DIY Travel Medical Kit
While it is impossible to be prepared for every situation we may find ourselves in while traveling, a well-packed medical kit is an essential item everyone should bring with them, regardless of where they’re going.
It’s one of the first things to go in our suitcases and is always kept readily accessible and stocked with items we never think we’ll need, but inevitably do. I tend to pack items I never use at home, but would hate to be caught off-guard without!
Be sure to scroll down for your free printable checklist!
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These relatively inexpensive items we buy at home can be ridiculously high-priced at resort gift shops or stores and pharmacies in tourist hot-spots, or perhaps not carry what you need at all!
This is a general list of what we bring – and depending on what activities you’re doing or where you’re going, you may find you need more or less of certain items. I am by no means a health expert, so please contact your doctor for any advice on health issues or on what medications are appropriate for you to take.
Medical Kit Items
- Advil (or similar): Absolutely the number one item I always have a large stock of. From headaches on the plane to dehydration headaches, it’s an absolute must!
Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer…
- One package of 80 Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer Liquid Filled Capsules, Pain Medicine for Adults with Ibuprofen 200mg for Headache…
- 200mg ibuprofen liqui-gels that provide faster and stronger pain relief than Tylenol Rapid Release Gels, right where you need it most, while also…
- New packaging will feature 20 percent less plastic to keep nearly 500,000 pounds of plastic out of landfills
- After-bite/Anti-itch cream: For any adverse reactions to bug bites or plants.
After Bite Itch Eraser (Pen) 14 ml
- #1 PHARMACIST RECOMMENDED BRAND Stop the itch with After Bite, the #1 brand pharmacists recommend for treating insect bites and stings, according to…
- INSTANT ITCH RELIEF Enjoy instant relief from itchy bug bites and stings for the whole family. After Bite stops the itch, pain, and discomfort for…
- ADVANCED FORMULA Rely on our powerful liquid formula to treat mosquito bites, bee stings, bed bug bites, and more! After Bite acts quickly to…
- Gravol: I tend to get car sick if I sit in the backseat, so usually the first thing I do just after leaving the airport is take one of these.
Gravol Motion Sickness Relief and Nausea Prevention, 50 mg Coated Tablets, 10 Ct.
- Don’t let motion sickness hold you back; live life uninterrupted with Gravol anti-nausea medication; 10-count tablets are great for carsickness, airsickness, sea sickness, and dizziness caused by virtual reality (VR) gaming
- Fast, Effective Nausea Relief: When motion sickness strikes, Gravol provides relief for vomiting, dizziness, and nausea on the fly; feel better on road trips, airplanes, cruises, amusement park rides, and beyond
- Prevents Motion Sickness: If getting queasy is something you can plan on, take Gravol at least 30 minutes before your adventure and kiss FOMO goodbye; safe for adults and children over two years old
- Pepto: Just because you never know! This covers a few bases, so if you are on a limited budgt and trying to decide which few items to pack, make this a top one.
Pepto Bismol ULTRA Caplets, Upset Stomach Relief, Nausea Relief, Heartburn Relief, Indigestion Relief, Anti Diarrhea Medication for Adults – 5 Symptom Relief, 24 ct
- 2X CONCENTRATED FORMULA*: Get the same relief as Pepto Bismol Caplets with half the dose. (*vs. Original Pepto Bismol)
- 5-IN-1 STOMACH RELIEF: Multi-use medicine providing nausea relief, heartburn relief, indigestion relief, upset stomach relief, and diarrhea relief – all in one product.
- ONE EFFECTIVE INGREDIENT: Contains one powerful active ingredient for effective stomach relief, whether you’re experiencing one symptom or several.
- Loperamide: More commonly known as Imodium. Trust me, this is one you definitely do not want to forget at home! Between different drinking water to foods we don’t normally eat (or sugary drinks!), your system may be turned upside down. Inexpensive yet effective, I always make sure I am fully stocked!
Imodium A-D Diarrhea Relief Caplets with Loperamide HCl, Anti-Diarrheal Medicine to Help Control Symptoms of Diarrhea Due to Acute, Traveler’s Diarrhea, HSA/FSA Eligible, 24 ct
- 24-count package of Imodium A-D Caplets with loperamide HCl to help control diarrhea symptoms for effective relief.
- The proven formula of this anti-diarrheal medicine works with your body to slow down your gut & helps restore its natural rhythm and balance. Pack this travel essential in your carry-on, purse, or backpack for traveler’s diarrhea relief on-the-go.
- Suitable for adults and children ages 6 and up, each anti-diarrhea medicine caplet contains 2 milligrams of loperamide hydrochloride to help control symptoms of diarrhea due to acute, Traveler’s diarrhea.
- Alka-Seltzer: As someone who is prone to getting heartburn, I never leave home without these. It doesn’t stop me from enjoying spicy meals though!
Alka-Seltzer Lemon Lime Heartburn Relief tablets, Fast acid Indigestion Relief, Antacid with Lemon Lime Flavor 36 Ct
- Fast Heartburn & acid Indigestion Relief: Alka-Seltzer Lemon Lime Heartburn Relief Effervescent Tablets have you covered with fast relief of acid indigestion and heartburn
- Nothing Works Faster: Quickly dissolves and instantly starts working to neutralize 99% of excess acid
- Portable Sachets: This travel-friendly pack includes 36 individual packets of antacid tablets. Designed for easy storage, so quick relief is always within reach
- Easy To Use: Fully dissolve 2 lemon lime tablets in 4oz of water, fizz it and drink it. You do not have to drink any of the residue that may be on the bottom of the glass. Alka-Seltzer’s Lemon Lime medicine is in the water
- Does Not Contain Aspirin: These effervescent antacid tablets contain the active ingredients Anydrous citric acid and Sodium bicarbonate
- Claritin/Benadryl/Aerius: One of my worst fears is having an allergic reaction to food or the environment I’m on. I’ve never had to take one of these fortunately, but this is one of those key items I’d be sorry not to have on hand.
Claritin Liqui-Gels 24 Hour Allergy Relief, Non-Drowsy Allergy Medicine, Loratadine Antihistamine Capsules, 30 Count
- 24-hour allergy relief
- Easy-to-swallow, liquid-filled capsule
- Non-drowsy relief against pollen, mold, dust and pets
- Temporarily relieves runny nose, sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and itchy nose or throat
- Dayquil/Cold and Flu medicine: I don’t know how many times I get sick on vacation, and it isn’t fun, especially when I lose my sense of taste and smell! Having these on hand can help quell your symptoms. I prefer the packs that contain nighttime pills, so they help me sleep more comfortably.
Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Day & Night Caplets Combo Pack for Multi-Symptom Cold & Flu Symptom Relief, Cough, Sore Throat, and Headache Relief, Acetaminophen Pain Reliever, 24 ct
- 24-count combo pack of Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Day/Night Caplets for multi-symptom cold and flu symptom relief. From the #1 doctor recommended pain…
- The Daytime relief caplets are formulated to reduce fever, loosen phlegm and relieve headache, body aches, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and…
- The Nighttime relief caplets help reduce fever and relieve runny nose, sneezing, headache, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, sinus congestion and…
- Sore throat drops: Having a sore throat can be miserable. Easing the discomfort, even temporarily, can go a long way in improving your mood.
HALLS Cough and Throat Relief Mentho-Lyptus Cough Drops, Value Pack, 80 Drops
- One value pack bag of 80 HALLS Cough and Throat Relief Mentho-Lyptus Cough Drops
- HALLS throat drops for sore throat and cough relief with a cooling Mentho-Lyptus flavor
- Cough drops made with 5.4 mg of menthol per drop to act as an oral anesthetic or cough suppressant; no synthetic dyes
- Sore throat drops that provide temporary cough relief and soothe sore throats; use as directed
- Individually wrapped cough suppressant lozenges in resealable bags for on-the-go convenience and accessibility for whenever symptoms strike
- Aloe-Vera: We’ve all been there – spending our first day in the sun soaking up the rays, only to pay the price that night after not applying enough sunscreen! The natural aloe vera options may be a bit more money, but there is no dye in them.
Banana Boat Aloe After Sun Gel for Radiate Health
- Will leave your skin radiating health
- Soothes dry sunburned skin
- Formulated with aloe vera
Note: Since most places sell aloe vera over 100 ml, you will have to put it into a reusable travel bottle if you are travelling with a carry-on only!
- Antibiotic Cream: For any cuts or scrapes along the way.
Polysporin First Aid Antibiotic Ointment Without Neomycin, Travel Size, 1 Oz Tube
- 1-ounce tube of Polysporin First Aid Antibiotic Ointment for care of minor cuts, scrapes and burns
- This topical antibiotic ointment helps provide effective infection prevention for minor wounds
- To use, apply a small amount of this wound care ointment on affected area 1 to 3 times daily
- Band-aids: All shapes and sizes. Enough to have you covered for burns, scrapes, or blisters.
Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandage Family Variety Pack, Clear, Tough, and Sport Bandages, Assorted Sizes, 30 ct
- 30-count box of Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandage Family Variety Pack includes sheer and clear bandages in 5 different shapes and sizes to help provide coverage and protection of both large and small minor wounds
- These first aid supplies feature a Quilt-Aid Comfort Pad designed to cushion painful wounds while you heal
- With Microvent Technology, the backing on these adhesive bandages offers superior breathability and the unique Hurt-Free Pad on these bandages won’t stick to the wound, allowing for gentle removal
- Eye drops: For any dryness or irritation from plane travel, wind burn, or general sense of eye tiredness.
Systane Ultra Eye Drops Lubricant High Performance,Two 4ml bottles, 0.14 Fl. Oz (Pack of 2)
- It is used for temporary relief of burning and irritation due to dryness of the eye.
- Eye drops offers the ultimate in high performance dry eye therapy.
- Formulated with a unique intelligent delivery system, it delivers extended protection that lasts.
- Extended protection means that your eyes feel comfortable longer, with fewer interruptions in your day to day life
If you are traveling with prescription medication, ensure they are left in their original containers and keep them in your carry-on baggage.
Here’s your downloadable checklist!
As you’ll see, many of these items are small and take up little space in your suitcase. Over time you’ll be able to pinpoint what items you really need and can customize your own kit best suited to you. I pack my liquid and cream items in a clear quart bag (so I can toss if something leaks) and so I can easily see what I need to grab. I tend to pack extra for family or friends – so it doesn’t hurt to be overstocked on some things! In my experience, the most-used items have been Advil, Loperamide, and Gravol.
What items do you pack? Let me know if you think of one I should be adding!
Traveling to an all-inclusive vacation? Be sure to grab your printable checklist for what you should (and shouldn’t) be packing!
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Oh, thank you so much for this post! This was super helpful! Love the checklist. And the ginger stuff for nausea was new to me. I’m going to pick up some of that and give it a try.
Thanks Amanda! I hope it helps you – I can’t go anywhere without it now since I get carsick and nauseous haha. 🙂
OH man, I am a carsick queen too. Funny is I can ride any rollercoaster or spinning ride but the back seat – no way. I need to get those pills!
Isn’t that funny!? I’m the same! 😂 They really help me – good luck!
I love the checklist. I do try my best to pack light so I tend to only pack a dose or two and that will get us through until I can pick up something where we are. In Europe I usually find there stuff is better.
Yes! When we go to the UK I usually hold out to buy stuff there because it’s so cheap (and sometimes even more effective than here!). I won’t chance it if we go to an all-inclusive – usually the prices are jacked way up!
We have a travel-sized first aid kit we take camping with us, plus a bag of pills for whatever might come up. Basically we have an extra bottle of everything we keep in the medicine cabinet for the road.
That’s great! a lot of people don’t do that. I’d hate to be caught short!
yes to all of this. I don’t knnow how many times I’ve been stuck without a bandaid for my kids
I’ve been caught short a few times too – I’d rather be overprepared!
Some meds I never thought to add. We always have meds for the kids. This is a very helpful list. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it useful 🙂
Oh man, I needed this with my kids. Even though we can’t travel right now, we’re going on LOADS of hikes and I totally needed to up my medical kit game! Thanks for the tips!
You’re so welcome! Glad you found it useful!
This is a great list, especially when traveling out of the country or on a cruise. It’s quite expensive to purchase these things once away.
Thanks! I thought so too!
I love this! You never know when you are going to need a medical kit! We have one in our cars and in our hiking bags at all times!
Exactly!! Glad you’re prepared!
This is such valuable information! We have an ER kit in each car and the camper. It’s a quick grab when we go hiking.
Thanks Annette! I’m glad lots of people carry these kits with them!
Great tips! I will consult this one again!
Thank you!
Hi. Just a quick thing…the aloe vera gel is a great idea, but the green ones have dye in them. Try to find the clear gel. Natural!
Totally agree! I always recommend the natural ones!