I have a question about carry on medicine

[avatheps]

Hello everyone. This is my very first posting so please bear with me. My wife and I have just started planning our first cruise. The forums here have been very helpful in so many ways I can't even begin to tell you. Our first time is most likely going to be on The Explorer of the Seas out of Port Liberty sometime late 2013 thru early 2014. We plan on getting a room with a balcony. My wife has RA and takes Humira which needs to be refrigerated. Do the rooms with balconies all have refrigerators? Thanks for the help.

[paul929207]

We found that the refrigerators on Princess did NOT maintain a constant temperature to keep medicine when my wife had one. We talk to the medical center and they have a real refrigerator and our med was stored there.

 

Again, this is on Princess, but I would think you would have the same problem if you have a frig on RCI

[zookiebird]

Sounds like Paul's idea of keeping the refrigerated meds with the medical center is a great ideabut I'd confirm it with RCCL up front to be sure of no problem. BTW, have a great first cruise!

[avatheps]

Great advice. Thanks for the help. It is nice to know friendly help is so quick and easy.

[kitty9]

Those in cabin frig's don't keep medication cold enough to keep it safe. We asked on RCI if they would refrigerate my mom's meds and they said they could not as it was against the rules. You could bring a small cooler from home and keep it constantly stocked with ice.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It is the same thing on HAL - the refrigerators are really coolers and do not keep medications cold.

[xxoocruiser]

What I did when carrying meds that required refridgeration, placed them inside a ziplock bag than that bag went into another ziplock bag to be certain of no water could get into the bags. Than packed the meds in a nylon thermal cooler bag and requested the cabin attendent bring a bucket of fresh ice in the morning and the evening. Never had an issue. Even if the cruise line permitted the meds to be stored in the medical center , I would still store the meds in my cabin in my own cooler.

[Ashland]

You can contact special_needs@rccl.com (underscore_between special_needs)...This is the department at RCI that can answer any questions you might have..

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'm now on some medication that needs to be kept refrigerated so I've been thinking about this same thing. I'm planning to go with a plan to keep it in a small bag with an icebag in the fridge, and hope for the best. It's eyedrops so at least it's a tiny package. Since we're about an hour's drive from the port, and on Princess, once we get on the ship, we can go to our cabin (which has a mini-fridge, such as it is), it won't be out for several hours.

[kinghippy]

How long is your cruise? I take Humira. It is every two week injection so unless your cruise is over 14 days long you can just adjust when you take your medicine. For instance, I started taking the medicine every 13 days until I got to the point where my humira injection wouldnt coincide with the cruise. i took it three days ago. 7 day cruise so I am golden.

 

I know this much: although 40 mg is the regular dosage, doubling up won't kill you. In fact, my rheumatolgist sometimes has me take a double dose. Humiras half life is two weeks. So if you take 80 mg instead of 40, two weeks later your blood concentration will be 40mg, giving you another two weeks before you drop below where you should be. The bottom line is that by doubling up you should get roughly a month. Obviously check with your rhuematologist before doing that, but it might be a viable strategy if your cruise is over two weeks long.

[MilliesMom]

My only concern for you would be the hours of the medical center if you needed the medication, and it needed to be taken at a specific time.

 

When we were on Mariner of the Seas, my husband had an allergic reaction around 10 pm and we were told the medical center was not open (unless emergency and then they would have to call the staff). Also we were surprised that the ship store didn't carry any type of allergy med (Allegra, Benadryl etc). Fortunately, I had allergy meds with me so my husband used one. We were surprised at the short hours each day the medical center was open. I guess we felt it would have someone there 24/7 if needed.

 

Definitely contact special needs to get all the details before hand.

[spookwife]

Hello everyone. This is my very first posting so please bear with me. My wife and I have just started planning our first cruise. The forums here have been very helpful in so many ways I can't even begin to tell you. Our first time is most likely going to be on The Explorer of the Seas out of Port Liberty sometime late 2013 thru early 2014. We plan on getting a room with a balcony. My wife has RA and takes Humira which needs to be refrigerated. Do the rooms with balconies all have refrigerators? Thanks for the help.

 

she needs to request a MEDICAL refrigerator from special needs. not even the suites on Royal have fridges that are sufficient to keep Humira at Temp.

 

what's her regimen? it may be possible to inject early by a day or so and my doctor has even indicated that a day late is also acceptable.

 

does she have the travel kit that the manufacturer supplies? I love mine. great to keep it safe while in transit( also keep in mind that it could be after 2 pm before you can access the cabin to stash it)

[avatheps]

Thanks again for all of the great advice. Our cruise should be around 10 days so the off setting injection times should work for us. That way we won't have to worry at all.