Long haul travel with self testing machine

[Thom7]

Thom7

Hello everyone.Have recently done self testing INR at home with support of my hospital. I am travelling to Jamaica next month for 2 weeks cruise and will take my machine etc.with me.Has anyone had experience in this respect.

Do I put the machine in my hand or hold luggage and do I need a letter from hospital to show airport security and customs? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Hidden]

coaguchek.co.uk/content/int...

See page 13 of linked document. Roche recommend hand luggage and GP/hospital letter. I went to Spain with BA last year and had my warfarin prescription but no letter and was not anyway asked about my Coagucheck.

I suppose the lancets might be picked up. Next time, having read the advice from Roche, I will take a letter from my GP, avoids potential hassle

[Thom7 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much for your reply oyster. I will speak to hospital and ask for a letter and place machine etc in hand luggage

[Hidden in reply to Thom7]

It would be interesting to ask your doc if your coagucheck should be hand checked by security instead of going thru machine or 'wanded'. I have a coagucheck and remember vaguely someone mentioning quite a while ago re electronic security possibly being a problem. I'm in the US but we never know what type of electronics are used for security in other countries. As it has a computer chip I would err on the side of caution and hand carry it through security avoiding machines. Just a thought. And maybe your doc could suggest in his letter they allow you to do this. My opinion re the TSA in the US is that they can sometimes get very controlling and protective re their procedures!. Just sayin'!!! irina1975

[Thom7 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your advice.. I will ask the hospital re the procedure when carrying machine through security Always better to be safe than sorry.

[Hidden]

Hi,

I take mine to Australia and regardless of whether I stop over - usually HK - or not I keep it in cabin baggage, a copy of my latest prescription for warfarin and test strips. I load the finger prick device with a new lancet and maybe take a couple of spare. If they are confiscated too bad, I just buy replacements when I get to Oz.

Never had a problem yet either in HK or in Oz.

John

[Thom7 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much for your information. I feel happier now taking my machine to the Caribbean next month.

[BernardS]

Hi Thom7

I take mine to India every year in hand luggage. In my case my INR goes haywire possibility heat or and food. Regulate my dose myself. At home one and a half mg Warfarin daily gives me an INR of 2.5 however in India the dose has to be reduced gradually to 1 mg a day to reach the magical 2.5. There is a school of thought saying up to 5 INR is acceptable with a mean of 3.5. Never seen a definitive answer though.

Just relax and enjoy

[Thom7]

Thank you for your advice. At the moment I send my INR results by email to my clinic nurse and she advises dosage of warfarin so I suppose I will continue to do this whilst on holiday. Will have to ask the question.

[Sue5453 in reply to Thom7]

Hi I am on apixaban so you don’t have any check like warfarin been on a year and 3 months just take 6 in morning and 6 at night and that’s it .It is one off the new blood thinner

[Thom7 in reply to Sue5453]

Thank you for your reply. I have considered changing from Warfarin but as it does not give me any nasty side effects I will continue to use for the moment.

[Sue5453 in reply to Thom7]

I don’t get any side effects so I am glad I went on apixaban

[MarkS]

I've taken my Coaguchek in hand luggage to the US, India and many other places with no problem. I carry warfarin in my hand luggage and hold luggage, and also put spare lancets in the hold in case someone gets too eager. I do carry my yellow warfarin booklet but I've never shown it to anyone.

[Thom7 in reply to MarkS]

Thank you for your reply. I did wonder about the lancets in my hand luggage being confiscated so I will put some in my hold luggage.

[juneb75 in reply to MarkS]

Do you ever fly to the Gambia and do you have a fun and I take warfarin

[MarkS in reply to juneb75]

No I've never flown to Gambia.