Medication/Medical in Nogales, Mexico (Tucson: prices, licensed, education)

[tijlover]

If you walk thru into Nogales with controlled substances you purchased in Mexico, or the U.S., and you have a previous prescription with you, no problem!

I've crossed Mexican borders in just about every city along the Border, over the years, and I've yet to have a guard check the contents of my travel bag yet. We're talking no less than 100X.

There's some guards that make me more nervous than others. And since I don't want to be accused of making any racist comments, I'm not allowed to say what race of people make me more nervous than others. But maybe you can figure that out on your own. Hint: those that are too fearful of losing their jobs!

I've done it a few times, when nervous, and I coyly asked, brandishing an orange or apple: I couldn't resist buying this apple or orange, it looks so delicious!

And? You'd think you were carrying a grenade or a bomb, as you can't take fruit from Mexico into the U.S., and then, any questions about what I bought was cast to the wind, due to the over-reaction to seeing the apple or orange.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by jimolson52

So, then, a newbie question arises: can I walk through the Nogales US border inspection station carrying medicines purchased in Nogales without the officers confiscating them?

This article is just one guide...

Are you planning on crossing the border with prescription drugs?

[Tulippsy]

One more question- is it worth changing money into pesos or is business conducted in dollars?

[tijlover]

In all the years I've gone to Border towns I've never went to a cambio to change dollars into pesos. Now! It could be that things would be cheaper if you did obtain peso's, but that would take a calculator to figure that out!

[2farsouth]

Having lived in Mazatlan for over 6 years I have to point out that Cambios, banks and places of business do not always offer the same rate of exchange. The place to start is a google search for current rates.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by tijlover

In all the years I've gone to Border towns I've never went to a cambio to change dollars into pesos. Now! It could be that things would be cheaper if you did obtain peso's, but that would take a calculator to figure that out!

Originally Posted by 2farsouth

Having lived in Mazatlan for over 6 years I have to point out that Cambios, banks and places of business do not always offer the same rate of exchange. The place to start is a google search for current rates.

Good points!

The above points apply almost everywhere.

Changing Dollars in Pesos can have an advantage in a major purchase, or your personal activities, but it just depends on a lot of factors. Shop carefully (Easy to say, difficult to do)...

[moved]

Originally Posted by jimolson52

So reading these postings tells me two things I did not know:

1. Mexican pharmacies don't accept prescriptions written by US doctors

2. For modest sums Mexican doctors will "convert" a prescription from a US doctor to a Mexican prescription.

So, then, a newbie question arises: can I walk through the Nogales US border inspection station carrying medicines purchased in Nogales without the officers confiscating them?

As long as it's either OTC or a prescription, you won't have a problem.

[stepka]

Originally Posted by jimolson52

So reading these postings tells me two things I did not know:

1. Mexican pharmacies don't accept prescriptions written by US doctors

2. For modest sums Mexican doctors will "convert" a prescription from a US doctor to a Mexican prescription.

So, then, a newbie question arises: can I walk through the Nogales US border inspection station carrying medicines purchased in Nogales without the officers confiscating them?

A thing I’ve read is that they really don’t like you going out with more than three months worth of meds.

[fluffythewondercat]

You might want to make sure that the drug you acquire in Mexico is the same as the U.S. version in all respects.

One of my asthma drugs, an expensive one, is only sold in the U.S. in a certain format (aerosol). The drug is manufactured and sold in a less-effective -- and cheaper -- format for the rest of the world. You can't get the aerosol outside the U.S.

Cheaper won't do me any good if it doesn't work as well as the U.S. version I currently use.

[tijlover]

^^

You should talk to my Licensed Practical Nurse in Tucson, who has bought meds in Mexico. She says some of the drugs you buy there are more potent/effective than the drugs you buy in the U.S., and that's a no-brainer.

The Asthma inhaler (Braseltec) I buy in Mexico is much more powerful than the Ventolin I buy here, to where I don't even use it anymore, even though my insurance covers it. It's a rip-off!

I stopped buying Salbutamol in Mexico, after a pharmacist warned me that CVS bought that company and diluted the dosage, where you need 2 puffs instead of one. Same with the watered down Ventolin that's prescribed to me.

Remember drug prices in any country are tied to the average national income of that country, and when I buy a Braseltec in Mexico @ $6-7-8, given the minimum wage, per day, in Mexico is around $5-10, they simply can't even afford the Braseltec, let alone Combivent ($35) or Symbicort ($40). Quite simply, they have to survive without it. It's all on a parallel! They complain about the high prices of meds, just like we do in this country!

I've been buying meds in Mexico for 26 years now and I've yet to run across any drug I buy there to be less effective than what you're prescribed up here.