Hello r/Poland,
I will be travelling to Poland with my parents in a little over a month via Canada. We are planning on staying within the country for a total of 28 days. While I am beyond excited about the trip itself, my anxiety about successfully making it through customs without any trouble is starting to grow due to a prescription medication I will need to bring with me.
Long story short: I have a spinal deformity for which I’ve been prescribed codeine phosphate. Although it is considered a weak painkiller, I need to take 5-6 tablets per day. This has been the case for the past 12 years. Unfortunately, leaving the medication behind in Canada and relying on over-the-counter substitutes is simply not an option.
According to this website, I will need to submit a form (via mail) explaining my circumstances to the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector and have it approved 15 days prior to travelling.
Has anybody here ever been through this process? How long did it take to receive approval? What was your experience a Kafkaesque bureaucratic nightmare or were you pleasantly surprised?
My parents say that I worry too much and that I should simply keep a doctor’s letter on hand. I wish I could simply do the latter. All the same, I'd hate to jeopardize our entire trip over something as silly as medication.
by copaxa