Has anyone kept medication in med center freezer?

[cr8tiv1]

One issue resolved.  Even if they charge you, you should be able to get reimbursed via Princess Vacation Protection (insurance).  Be sure to get that much needed medical history document.

 

Now for your travels.  I was at a big box store today and saw wide mouth thermos.  Immediately thought about you.  Hope you can get your meds on the flight.  So many more things to pack as we get older.

[Arizona Wildcat]

On 8/18/2024 at 1:18 PM, PescadoAmarillo said:

Yes, there’s been much discussion around here about how to do that, especially since we’re flying out several days early.  But they can be re-frozen if thawed as long as they are kept cold. Just have to get them through security in a block of ice and then I can keep them in an insulated water bottle packed with ice until we board the ship. 

I take medications through airport security often.  Use a Styrofoam cube and put the meds in side with a frozen cold pack.  As long as the cold pack is at least partially frozen AND they can see it is a RX goes through just fine.  Loose ice won't pass security checkpoints.

[PescadoAmarillo]

1 hour ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Loose ice won't pass security checkpoints.

But will a small block of ice in a ziploc bag pass through?

[cr8tiv1]

9 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

But will a small block of ice in a ziploc bag pass through?

There is a fine line between liquid and solid water.  I believe, not sure, what the percentage is.

Take a container.  Fill it with ice cubes. Insert medication in the middle. Freeze.  This will assure med stays in center.  Then add water and refreeze to create “Block of Ice” that should pass through security. Store in a small insulated lunch bag.  
 

Do not wrap in foil. It will not pass through TSA. Do double bag container/zip lock bag.   Better yet, use a vacuum sealer bag.  
 

Make sure you have printed prescription label with you. Cargo hold is colder, but I wouldn’t trust airline to deliver luggage on time. 

Edited August 27 by cr8tiv1

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

But will a small block of ice in a ziploc bag pass through?

I have been told no.  Needs to be a sealed pack.  Was once made to throw the ice out.  They did then assisted in my getting ice after the security checkpoint.

Thus a soft cooler pack like blue ice and my meds came in a styro cube.  A kids insulated lunch box would work fine.  I froze my cooler pack to fit the cube.

No issues with the medical center.  Just let them know ahead of time.  Celebrity had an officer meet me as I boarded and took my 8" cube and gave me details on times for getting my medication

The TSA rules are posted online and really pretty clear.

[PescadoAmarillo]

11 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

I have been told no.  Needs to be a sealed pack.  Was once made to throw the ice out.  They did then assisted in my getting ice after the security checkpoint.

Thus a soft cooler pack like blue ice and my meds came in a styro cube.  A kids insulated lunch box would work fine.  I froze my cooler pack to fit the cube.

No issues with the medical center.  Just let them know ahead of time.  Celebrity had an officer meet me as I boarded and took my 8" cube and gave me details on times for getting my medication

The TSA rules are posted online and really pretty clear.

Thank you for that info. I was under the impression a block of ice was passable. I will use a small blue ice pack in a zip loc bag to get through security, then place the blue ice and eye drops in a metal water bottle and add ice cubes from the airport lounge. I really don’t want to carry a cooler for such a small item, and the insulated water bottle should work well. 

[cr8tiv1]

I freeze a bottle of water and it will pass through TSA security.

 

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/ice#:~:text=Frozen liquid items are allowed,-1-1 liquids requirements.

 

There is a red triangle disclaimer, but I've never had a problem.  But then again, I've only done it at smaller airports.

[Coral]

On 8/18/2024 at 4:12 PM, paddingtonbear said:

DH has medicine that has to be refrigerated (not frozen) 24/7. The doctor gave (free!!!) a tiny insulated bag for travelling with 2 freezable blocks that fit the bag perfectly with insulated baffles in between so the medicine doesn’t freeze. It gets accepted as medical equipment (so not included in passenger weight allowance). It has a subtle medical name on top and we breeze thru airports with it so they must know them. 
 

if you aren’t seeing your specialist before your cruise maybe ring the medication manufacturer and see if they give them away or sell them. 
 

it won’t solve your problem onboard the cruise though. 
 

Do you have a brand on this?

[paddingtonbear]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

Do you have a brand on this?

https://www.humira.com/humira-complete/support-resources
 

scroll down to “travel case”. I think you can buy them but the doctor gave it to DH. His is navy blue. 
 

it has “AbbVie care” logo on it so that might be another channel to buy it through. 

[cr8tiv1]

Another thought. My son-in-law briefly worked for a company doing Covid tests and other pharmaceuticals.  He gave me lots of grade AAA ice packs that were used to ship medicines a long distance.  
 

Don’t know where you would begin finding these, but try asking around.

 

CVS/Walgreens pharmacies.  They may have to return them.

Check with hospitals.

Blood banks

Dialysis centers

 

Amazon sells “Nordic” ice packs.

 

 

Edited August 28 by cr8tiv1

[paddingtonbear]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Another thought. My son-in-law briefly worked for a company doing Covid tests and other pharmaceuticals.  He gave me lots of grade AAA ice packs that were used to ship medicines a long distance.  
 

Don’t know where you would begin finding these, but try asking around.

 

CVS/Walgreens pharmacies.  They may have to return them.

Check with hospitals.

Blood banks

Dialysis centers

 

Amazon sells “Nordic” ice packs.

 

 

 

The great thing about the bag shown above is that it looks like medical gear and is recognised as such and so you breeze through the plane security checks and it doesn't get included in your luggage weight allowance.  

 

But, yes, there are other options.

[Coral]

8 hours ago, paddingtonbear said:

https://www.humira.com/humira-complete/support-resources
 

scroll down to “travel case”. I think you can buy them but the doctor gave it to DH. His is navy blue. 
 

it has “AbbVie care” logo on it so that might be another channel to buy it through. 

Thanks. I just started Dupixent and need to travel with it. It can survive 14 days away from refrigeration but can't go above 77 degrees. It can't be frozen though either. Finding that weird in-between with ice bags.

[paddingtonbear]

32 minutes ago, Coral said:

Thanks. I just started Dupixent and need to travel with it. It can survive 14 days away from refrigeration but can't go above 77 degrees. It can't be frozen though either. Finding that weird in-between with ice bags.

Yes just like DH. This setup keeps the meds at a perfect temp 35*F - 45*F) for 24 - 48 hrs or more. Amazing. Here is a photo. You freeze the freezer blocks that are a special liquid that stays cool a long time. The bag and inner sleeves (the silver things) are an excellent thermal material to separate the meds from the freezer blocks. It’s 5.5 inches high x 6 inches wide x 8 inches long overall. 
 

We were so thankful to have this for a trip glamping in Africa without access to regular fridges. Because we were away for longer that 14 days it couldn’t go above the 45*F mark. 

Edited August 28 by paddingtonbear

[Coral]

9 minutes ago, paddingtonbear said:

Yes just like DH. This setup keeps the meds at a perfect temp for 24 - 48 hrs or more. Amazing. Here is a photo. You freeze the freezer blocks that are a special liquid that stays cool a long time. The bag and inner sleeves (the silver things) are an excellent thermal material to separate the meds from the freezer blocks. It’s 5.5 inches high x 6 inches wide x 8 inches long overall. 
 

We were so thankful to have this for a trip glamping in Africa without access to regular fridges. 

Thanks so much! I have a month to figure this out! 🙂 Thankfully I don't have to go as far Africa. I am just afraid of getting stuck on a plane and the temp being over 77 degrees. I will reach out to doctor also.