Traveling with Refrigerated Meds

[Oca]

This is the first time we are having to travel with a medication that needs refrigeration. My concern is not on the ship but on how to get to the ship! We are booked to fly from Boston to Copenhagen via Newark. I have a travel case for the med that will keep it cold for 10 hours but obviously this trip exceeds that time limit. If everything goes in a timely way, we will be OK up to the time we board our flight in Newark. I am hoping that the airline (Continental) will be able to put the medication (it does not take much space) in a refrigerator on board but I will also need to put the freezer packs that go into the travel bag into a freezer since we are estimating that there will be another 6 hours after landing until we are on board and the medication again will have to be kept cold in the travel pack with the freezer packs (well frozen) for that period of time.

 

Has anyone traveled with refrigerated meds and how has it worked for you? I will call the airline and see how/if they can help us but I wanted to touch base here first as this is always such a helpful board and I want to have as much information as I can get before speaking with Continental.

 

We would appreciate any help you can give us.

 

Thank you in advance!

[Toto2Kansas]

This is something you need to call the airline about. As I don't think I have ever read a post here on the Princess board about the airline freezing freezer packs for a passenger during a flight. You might also check on the 'cruise air' board located here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128 to see if anyone else has managed to have this done. I do know they make cold packs that are chemically activated, no freezer needed. You might also look into some of those. Good Luck!

[cdngrl]

i was going to say the same as toto, pack cold packs that you 'crack' to activate. i googled 'chemically activated cold packs' and lots came up. that should help you travel with less stress!

[hillslife]

I used to use refrid meds (now, thankfully done with that for the time being:p), but I pack the medications and several freezer frozen packs in a small styrofoam ice chest. I leave it open for TSA to inspect, then have packing tape (the clear heavy kind) to immediately seal the ice chest. My medications have stayed cool for a flight to Amsterdam from California- the ice packs were melted by the time I opened the chest, but the inside and medications were plenty cold to meet the requirements.

 

Just leave everything in the freezer/fridge til heading out the door - and seal immediately after TSA and you should be fine. Obviously, CARRY ON, not checked baggage....

 

Our hotel in Amsterdam had a fridge - so I put them in there and then the ship cabin had a fridge, so no issues.

 

I seriously doubt the airline would refridgerate your medications - they would be liable for breakage and don't have that kind of space. If you are concerned, you could ask the flight attendant - once on board for some extra ice to add to your container....but I really don't think you will need it if you keep the chest sealed.

 

Good luck - I was worried my first time out cause my injections were $1800 per shot and I didn't want to waste any, but it all worked out...no worries.

[dedosr]

I am not sure if there are restrictions on dry ice on aircraft. If there are not, they last much longer than traditional ice packs and can be purchased in small sizes to fit in small styrofoam coolers. Hope this helps.

[tequilasunrise]

Be sure to check current travel regulations before showing up at the airport with frozen gel packs or any kind of ice packs. They might not be allowable, but there are exceptions for medical needs. Check out the latest at tsa.gov sorry not sure how to post a link but that's the address. Your airline may also be able to tell you what you can do.

 

Good luck!

[paul929207]

My wife had a med for a whilethat required refrigeration. She had a small insulated box that fit into a larger one. There were two frozen blocks to put in with the med. It lasted over 24 hours.

[Majkman]

Try this out, we got one just for this very occasion for my daughter who has Type 1 diabetes.

 

website is: http://www.coolerconcept.com

Many sizes and types to choose.

 

Good luck and have a GREAT day,

 

 

Andy

[lafngas]

Don't forget to have your physician provide you with a note on letterhead stationery describing your requirements for refrigeration of your medications so the --- TSA goons don't screw you up! If you get pushback at the security area,demand to have a supervisor intervene-remember you are dealing with thugs,thieves and felons when you have to deal with the TSA.

[duck addict]

Frozen material for your meds are OK...just declare them

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1059.shtm

[dides]

Try this out, we got one just for this very occasion for my daughter who has Type 1 diabetes.

 

website is: www.coolerconcept.com

Many sizes and types to choose.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Yes, I have just ordered a FRIO wallet as I have just started using insulin for Type 2 diabetes. It needs to be soaked in water for 15 minutes to activate the gel and you get 48 hours worth of coolness before you re-use. Reviews are all positive.

[sandysu]

Yes, I have just ordered a FRIO wallet as I have just started using insulin for Type 2 diabetes. It needs to be soaked in water for 15 minutes to activate the gel and you get 48 hours worth of coolness before you re-use. Reviews are all positive.

 

Hubby also uses insulin for Type2 diabetes and we can vouch for the Frio wallets. His insulin lasted perfectly well through a 13 hour flight from Sydney to Los Angeles - and counting all the waiting around time it was probably close to 20 hours - and a couple of weeks on a summer-time coach tour around California / Nevada / Arizona. There were refrigerators in the hotels we stayed in, but there were still some very long hot days where the Frio was all that we had to keep the insulin cool, and there were no problems at all.

We were concerned that there could be problems with TSA etc - because the little cooler pouches are clearly gel based and bigger than the limit for carry-on gels and liquids. Paul carried a doctor's letter about his medication including mention of the Frio's, but in the end no-one even asked about them.

One thing to think of if using freezer-type arrangements - some medications that need to be cool can't be frozen - you'd need to check that out.

Hope this helps!

[commonguy]

Have you asked your pharmacist if it has to remain refrigerated the entire time? I get a drug through the mail and once during an Ice storm the delivery was delayed. When I spoke to the pharmacist she said that that particular drug could go 36 hours above 40 degrees.

[jlp20]

We have only had one cruise where medication was required to be kept cold.

 

Issue #1 Pre cruise hotel, was told by housekeeping that anything not listed on “mini bar list” found in the frig was to be thrown away when discovered. Solution, packed in ice in ice bucket with a big sign “DO NOT TOUCH”.

Issue #2 Princess insists on putting frig inside cabinet and connecting cabinet door to frig door. Very poor ventilation and frig door never closing all the way gives a dark cool box-not cold at all. Solution, “Leatherman Tool” and five minutes to separate doors and leaving the outside door ajar while in the cabin. Contents of frig truly cold by end of first day.

[Oca]

Thank you, everyone, for your helpful replies. My problem with Frio wallets is that they unfortunately aren't appropriate for the medication I am taking which must be kept cooler than insulin and yet cannot be frozen. But all of your answers were helpful and have led me down different paths to find other things that might work in my case.

 

From the input of all your answers and from continued searching and conversations with the pharmaceutical company and pharmacy and doctor's office, I feel confident that we will patch something together that is going to work for us.

 

Once again, thank you for your help -- what a great resource Cruise Critic is!

[c-to-sea]

Even with all the checking and all the letters from Doctors, etc., be prepared to have

difficulty with security somewhere. It may not happen but it could. DW carries insulin

and freezer packs. The packs were taken from her leaving Heathrow a couple of years ago.

No amount of explanation, even to the Supervisor, made any difference. Fortunately,

the flight was not too long and we bought new ones when we got home. IT's not just the US TSA

that can be difficult.

We also ran into problems on Holland America when our booked refrigerator for the cabin

was not provided. Thankfully, we had a great cabin steward who ran her insulin

and her freezer packs back and forth to the staff freezer every day.

Just a heads up!

[worldtraveller]

I have traveled through the US and internationally and with a letter from the doctor and the medicine in the original container I have never had a problem once I showed it to TSA.

 

I have used gel packs that last overnight on international flights. You can also get ice from the flight attendant and add that to your gel pack.

[rja4969]

Thank you, everyone, for your helpful replies. My problem with Frio wallets is that they unfortunately aren't appropriate for the medication I am taking which must be kept cooler than insulin and yet cannot be frozen. But all of your answers were helpful and have led me down different paths to find other things that might work in my case.

 

From the input of all your answers and from continued searching and conversations with the pharmaceutical company and pharmacy and doctor's office, I feel confident that we will patch something together that is going to work for us.

 

Once again, thank you for your help -- what a great resource Cruise Critic is!

 

You never stated what your medication was. If it is Byetta, a non insulin med for type 2 diabetes, it only bhas to be refrigerated prior to using the pen for the first time. After that it should be kept below 75F.