Traveling with Insulin

[Shebba]

Dh is diabetic and uses insulin pens. The pen is supposed to only be used for 28 days once it is removed from the refrigerator. He uses a pen faster than that 28 days, which means he will have to take two pens for our upcoming cruise. We will be flying from Seattle to Venice--a total of 17 hours travel time. He is concerned about keeping one of the pens cooled while we travel that 17 hours.

Do any of you have experience with this or any ideas you can share with us? Personally, I think it would not harm the insulin to be out of the refrigerator for that travel time. Isn't the luggage area pretty cold on an airplane?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[sherilyn70]

You should not check it in your luggage. The extreme temperature changes could damage it.

 

Here are the TSA guidelines for carrying it with you through an airport.

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/passengers-diabetes

[NMLady]

Dh is diabetic and uses insulin pens. The pen is supposed to only be used for 28 days once it is removed from the refrigerator. He uses a pen faster than that 28 days, which means he will have to take two pens for our upcoming cruise. We will be flying from Seattle to Venice--a total of 17 hours travel time. He is concerned about keeping one of the pens cooled while we travel that 17 hours.

Do any of you have experience with this or any ideas you can share with us? Personally, I think it would not harm the insulin to be out of the refrigerator for that travel time. Isn't the luggage area pretty cold on an airplane?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

I would ask a flight attendant if they could put it in the galley refrigerator for the flight.

 

I definitely would not put it in checked luggage.

[pv girl]

I take a medication that must be refrigerated. I went to K-mart and bought a small insulated lunch bag that has a pouch for an ice pack. It has lasted many trips, and was about $7. I put a frozen blue ice in it and it was fine for TSA etc. You put the lunch bag in the tray with your little baggie of liquids and state that it is medicine. Most of the time, they don't even look in the bag. Then on the flight, the flight crew can, and will, put the bag in the frig for you, so the ice still stays semi frozen. Then in the hotel and on the ship, it goes in the mini-frig in the room. The last day, I took the ice pack to the medical center and they put it in their freezer to re-freeze for the trip home. I was to pick it up from them when they opened at 8am. At about 7am, a knock on the door, and someone was delivering it to me - what service!

 

The medical center will store the meds for you, but then you have to go during the hours they are open to take your daily dose - gets tedious. I found the mini-fridge in the room kept it cool enough.

[goleta]

Dh is diabetic and uses insulin pens. The pen is supposed to only be used for 28 days once it is removed from the refrigerator. He uses a pen faster than that 28 days, which means he will have to take two pens for our upcoming cruise. We will be flying from Seattle to Venice--a total of 17 hours travel time. He is concerned about keeping one of the pens cooled while we travel that 17 hours.

Do any of you have experience with this or any ideas you can share with us? Personally, I think it would not harm the insulin to be out of the refrigerator for that travel time. Isn't the luggage area pretty cold on an airplane?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

 

Go to this site and see if you can find the type of insulin he takes. This is a guide for keeping insulin stable and the temperature range to do so. At the least, you should speak with a real pharmacist (not the person answering the phone) and verify storage recommendations to be on the safe side.

Do not pack any medication in your checked luggage, ever. Carry all valuables on the plane, including all of your medications. Luggage gets lost everyday. Have fun on your cruise.

 

http://diabeticradio.com/?page_id=1047

[Crew News]

Joanie travels with a Forteo pen (28-days dosage) that must be kept refrigerated so it goes in a small pouch with a gel pack that keeps the pen cold for at least 12 hours. That is time enough to fly and check into a hotel with a refrigerator or supply of ice. Some hotels will even keep the gel pack in their freezer the night before checkout.

 

As far as asking a flight attendant, our experience has always been a resounding "no" as they cannot be responsible for meds. I'm sure they would give us some ice that could be put into an outer Ziploc bag with the pen.

 

Since we receive the Forteo pen via overnight cold-pack mail, we just toss the accompanying gel packs into the freezer for later use when flying. The prescription is always carried and there has never been an issue with TSA.

[Shebba]

Thank you all so very much for your quick and helpful replies. You've solved our little puzzle!! :) I knew we would find the answers here. Now, we are ready for our next adventure!

Edited June 5, 2014 by Shebba

[Fog123]

We used the Frio insulin packs while traveling through Iceland and Mom uses hers when up at her camp where there's no electricity. Just keep the pack hydrated. She showed her doctor and a pharmacist friend of ours. Both approved it and are recommending it to others.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Crazy Gramps]

We used the Frio insulin packs while traveling through Iceland and Mom uses hers when up at her camp where there's no electricity. Just keep the pack hydrated. She showed her doctor and a pharmacist friend of ours. Both approved it and are recommending it to others.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

This is the best and easiest solution.

the insulin doesn't have to be ice cold to stay fresh.

 

Gramps

[kqcallahan]

I use something like this

 

http://www.amazon.com/Insulin-Protector-Case-Cooler-Blue/dp/B000VD3BX4/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1402001729&sr=1-3-fkmr0&keywords=Medicool+Protectall

[DrTee]

I also use FRIO packs for my Humira syringes. It stays cool a lot longer than they even claim.