Injection pen in hand luggage?

[Elainegaler]

Hi,

Does anyone know whether I'll be allowed to take my methotrexate injection pen in my hand luggage on Ryan air? We are having a few dates break in Verona and wondered if it would be allowed.

Many thanks

Elaine

[helixhelix]

Yes it's fine. You are allowed to take medical things with you, and indeed they can't go in the hold as too cold. Take a doctor's letter with you (or healthcare at home) and should be no problems. I don't even bother to take them out of my bag now, but you can just pop the box in a clear plastic bag and have it scanned alongside your liquids and so on.

[Elainegaler in reply to helixhelix]

Excellent! Thanks very much.. I looked on the Ryanair website but couldn't find anything..

[helixhelix in reply to Elainegaler]

It's here....

ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-in...

[Elainegaler in reply to helixhelix]

Ok thanks

[sandybrown]

Please ask Boots the chemist for a clear plastic bag for your medication, this had to be shown at the security, like phone or lap top, out side of you hang bag.

[bradfordjoanna]

Travelled recently and there was no interest in the pen . Its only at security you need to show it and they just saw the prescription label thru the Tupperware box and said OK . Didn't take it out of the cardboard box. I did take a letter signed by my consultant but no one interested!

By the way when the check in person asked if I had anything sharp in my hand luggage I just said no

enjoy your trip

[Elainegaler in reply to bradfordjoanna]

Thanks so much everyone xx

[Paula-C]

I've travelled several times with Ryanair and had no problem at all, just showed them my letters about my drugs, the never even check to see if the person whos name is on the letter is the person that's travelling i.e. check passport. I've always been told that mtx is not allowed to go through the xray scanner. I always give it to them, tell them this and they swab it and give it my back the other side of security. Just wondering if the advice is no different. I use the syringe and not the pen. xx

[helixhelix in reply to Paula-C]

See my reply to thelmar below....I always cut it fine, so the extra few minutes to explain was risking me missing planes & trains.

[thelmar]

Has anyone else been told mtx cannot go through scanner? I have always left it in my hand luggage. I bought an insulated bag designed for babies' bottles and keep them in there. Am worried now that I should be keeping them away from the scanners.

[helixhelix in reply to thelmar]

My original letter from Healthcare at Home said that the Metoject should not go through a scanner as "it was unknown what effect it could have". Since at that point I was flying a lot - like once a week - it was endlessly irritating to have to explain each time. Anyway I got fed up and phoned the manufacturers of Metoject, and spoke to one of their pharmacists who was completely bemused about this. He said it was completely fine for MTX pens or syringes to go through scanners, and had been thoroughly tested.

Anyway that was about 2 or 3 years ago, and I have been putting my MTX though the scanner ever since with no bad effects.

[Paula-C in reply to helixhelix]

Thankyou, I am at the moment waiting for Healthcare at home to phone me back on this. I always find it irritating when I get to security having to explain this, I always start my saying...You've got a problem with me, I've got drugs on me...then I smile, I try to keep it light hearted, but I'm also on enbrel and have to explain about the ice packs. I've got people behind me in the queue and I do find it all embarrassing. I always thought the reason why it can't go through the scanner is because it is sensitive to light. x

[helixhelix in reply to Paula-C]

It would be interesting to know what HaH say, as I never had much joy with them...... Scanners use much shorter wavelengths than visible light, so it didn't surprise me when metoject man said scanners have no effect - and since his answer suited me I decided to have confidence in it!

[Paula-C in reply to helixhelix]

well they haven't phoned yet, will let you know what they say when they ring.

[thelmar in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks for this. I will continue as I have been doing.

[Amy_Lee]

I did not know that medication could be rejected at the check point when we take it along? I also did not know that they may not be suitable to go through the scanner?

What about methotrexate and arava in pill form? Can I take them along and let them be through the scanner? Do I need to get a letter from my doctor before I go to Korea coming Oct? Can anyone help on these?

[helixhelix in reply to Amy_Lee]

It's always a good idea to have a letter or prescription with you - that way you can be sure they won't be rejected. And pills can go through scanners fine. Enjoy your holiday!

[Amy_Lee in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks. I will get a letter from my doctor when I see her next in Aug. I went to Japan Apr 2015, I had no problem to go through the check point too without the letter and I put the pills in my bag to be scanned together.

[Elainegaler]

Hi everyone, just to let you know I arrived at Verona this morning. The security guy at stanstead was fine with the pen. I had it in its cardboard box and had put that in a sealed plastic bag. Carried it onto plane with other hand luggage - no problem. Thanks for all your help.

[Amy_Lee in reply to Elainegaler]

Enjoy your holiday.

[Gillian15649]

I have travelled by plane often over the years. I have Enbrel and methotrexate injections and pills. Always carry in hand luggage. As I understand it the biological should not go through the scanner and must be kept cold. I don't put any injections through the scanner and they are swabbed. I have an up to date letter from health care at home who supply Enbrel and my latest repeat prescription that has tablets and mtx injection on it. My hospital can give me a letter if necessary (when they supplied mtx) but I don't get that now. Never had a problem. I now ask for airport assistance which is great when it works! At some airports the distances are just too far for me to walk. I don't have to stand in long queues and get a ride to the plane and often a lift onto the plane so do not have to manage the steps when there is no bridge. my replacement knee sets of alarms but am usually getting a lift in a wheelchair anyway. I arrange it through travel agent when I book.

[Hobbits]

Perhaps not relevant to your airline but perhaps just of interest. In Canada we just get a letter from our Rheumatologist that says your required to take this drug. I’m on Enbrel and the pharmacutical company gives you a insulated travel pack. You take the syringes out of box and put them in the insulated pouch with the drug info and place a cold pack inside and zip it up. I keep mine on me and is never out of my sight. Show your letter and they opened my pouch and looked but didn’t touch anything. My Rheumy said my Enbrel could go through scanner just fine, so mine went through and drug worked just fine.

Ensure you bring a signed letter.