Travelling with Refrigerated Medication

[Maple_22]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone had travelled around with Cimzia or another medication that needs to be kept refrigerated? I am travelling for 2 months which will include planes and overnight buses - so I need to keep 3 cimzia pens cool while in transit which could be for over 12 hours at a time. Once I arrive I will have access to a fridge (and will carry a thermometer with me) - it's the travel part that's causing me issues. Any advice very appreciated!

Thanks in advance

[helixhelix]

I have something like this (not same brand, mine is Pfizer with more blocks)

medigenix.co.uk/medicube.ht...

I wouldn’t trust it for 36 hours, but have done over 12 with no problem.

[Monkeysmum in reply to helixhelix]

I have one of these as well - tested it before a trip to Florida (which included an overnight stay at airport hotel the day before) and it kept below 8 degrees until 24 hours no problem, but then temperature started to increase quite quickly after the 24 hours.

[Maple_22 in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you so much Monkeysmum & helixhelix - I have ordered one of these for the long journeys. Really appreciate your help!

[Paula-C]

I use one of these and found it to be very good, it's very small, if your taking anything larger you should be able to have an extra carry on bag in the plane, just email the airline.

medigenix.co.uk/medigenix-c...

I managed once to keep my cold for an overnight stay in a hotel, and then a twelve noon flight to the Caribbean to go on a cruise. I purchased extra ice packs which I froze before I left home, put them in a plastic box and the hotel kept them in their freezer overnight. Obviously as soon as I got in the hotel bedroom I put the case into the mini fridge, it was still well under 8 degrees the following morning. I swapped over the ice packs after we had gone through security at the airport incase they wanted to unzip the case. Don't forget, you should not have to pay the VAT on your purchase.

[Runrig01 in reply to Paula-C]

I have the same case, and has kept mine below 8 degrees on 12hr trips. Highly recommend it.

[Maple_22 in reply to Paula-C]

Thank you Runrig01 & Paula-C - I think this is sadly a bit too small for my meds but great to know these things exist! Thanks

[Amnesiac3637]

There are quite a few especially designed medical cool packs on Amazon - they vary in price quite considerably but most of them do the same job and have the same components.

[Maple_22 in reply to Amnesiac3637]

Thank you Amnesiac3637

[medway-lady]

I don't know if it's for anyone but was told by the dreaded Sciensus said they loaned freezer packs to take Abatercept abroad. So might be worth asking your supplier ?

[Maple_22 in reply to medway-lady]

They did mention this to me, but knowing Sciensus I thought it was safer to order my own so I have it for the future - great tip though thank you!

[Kgj2112]

Do u have cimzia in an epie pen prefilled or vial u have to draw up. I’m currently on injections of cimzia.works great but would like a pen for home injection

[Maple_22 in reply to Kgj2112]

Hi Kgj2112 - I have epi pens that are prefilled for home use. They are absolutely magical, it's made such a big difference for me and I am now in remission! If you do swap, little tip to inject into your stomach rather than your leg. Leg is very painful because of the muscle, whereas the stomach you barely feel it, gamechanger! Good luck

[Silverpixie]

I have a medigenix bag too. It was fine from home to Hong Kong but then the temperature rose quite quickly and was over 14 degrees when I arrived in Japan. I want to go to new Zealand. Any ideas?

[Paula-C in reply to Silverpixie]

If you bought extra ice packs, froze them before you leave home, would the airline out them in their freezer on the plane for you? If they would you could swap them over when the temperature starts to rise.

[Maple_22 in reply to Silverpixie]

Silverpixie it's so tricky isn't it. I looked into these: 4allfamily.com/collections/... because they can act as a flask and then a USB fridge which I thought was amazing. Unfortunately because my injections are so big I can only fit one per flask and I need 3, so this would have cost me a lot of money! But if your injections are small I think these sound great, you could use the frozen bit first and then plug it in on the plane for the rest of the journey. New Zealand is amazing, enjoy!

[Maple_22 in reply to Maple_22]

Also their customer service is amazing, if you are going to order one (I know they are very pricey!) they gave me a discount code so worth having a cheeky ask...!

[Silverpixie]

No. The only thing any airline I've been on is give you ice which is no good at all

[Chrissycl]

I used a frio bag m o start with it works by evaporation friouk.com/the-frio-wallet/

[Paula-C in reply to Chrissycl]

They don't keep the drug between 2-8 degrees though.

[Chrissycl in reply to Paula-C]

It was ok for my use .I used it for my Enbrel injections

[Paula-C in reply to Chrissycl]

But enbrel needs to be kept 2-8 degrees. Once it's gone out of that temperature range it can't go back in the fridge. The frio packs are okay if once you arrive at your destination and it's over 25 degrees you can keep them in the case and keep reacting the gel packs.

[Chrissycl in reply to Paula-C]

1 kept a frigde in with them and was always atva an ok temp for my enbrel until I got it in a fridge and this was in mexico on holiday

[Paula-C in reply to Chrissycl]

But the link you put up states that the temperature they are kept at is 18-26 degrees, once the drug gets over 8 it can't go back in the fridge.

Go Anywhere

The FRÍO® is an evaporative cooling pouch that keeps insulin and other temperature sensitive medications cool within safe temperatures of 18-26°C (64.4-78.8°F) for 45 hours minimum, even in a constant environmental temperature of 37.8°C (100°F).

[Chrissycl in reply to Paula-C]

All Incsn say that because its been a few years since I needed mine they have changed

[AndrewT]

Dear Maple_22,

Not 'cimzia' but 'Epo' (Epotin), that I was using pre-Dialysis, many years a go now. I had a Car Cooler, which was basically a small Insulated Fridge, into which I added some Freezer Blocks. This actually proved Very Successful indeed!

If you are going by Air, I would 'Speak' to the Airline.... you may, very well, be Pleasantly Surprised by their response. I was part of a Group, of Dis-Abled Passengers, flying into Tenerife some years back. The Whole Experience was Far Better than, any of us, expected. (Yes I have heard all the Horror Stories too.....)

So DO 'Speak' to the Travel Agent, if you used one, along with the Airline- a 'Word' with the Airport wouldn't 'Go Amiss' either.

Either way 'Good Luck' Maple, try NOT to worry- too much anyway- and have a Great Holiday.

AndrewT

[Maple_22 in reply to AndrewT]

Thanks so much for your lovely message AndrewT . I have decided to go with a combination of a cool box for travel and a Lifeinabox mini fridge for while I am staying in hostels, just so I can have control over the fridge and not worry about the temperature changing. I am going to drop the airline an email today - thank you for the tip. Take care!

[Maple_22]

Thanks to everyone for your really helpful messages- it's my first time using this forum and I was blown away by the amount of replies!

To anyone who is interested, I went for a mix of a medigenix cube (the only cube big enough for 3 bulky cimizas) and a Life in a Box travel fridge which will hold 2 x cimzia. amazon.co.uk/LifeinaBox-Por...

I am also packing a fridge thermometer for when I need to keep my meds in a minibar fridge.

If my cimiza injections weren't so big, I would be going for an All4Family USB flask - looks like a great option for those of you with smaller injections! 4allfamily.com/collections/...

Thanks again for all your help, it's so appreciated!