medication question
 

Hope someone can help with this. A friend will be traveling on Delta CLE/ ALT/DUS this October and needs to take two doses of the medicine she takes for MS with her for use while she is out of the country. They can be out of the refrigerator for 7 hours at a time but not more. How can she transport these with her on the flight?

You'll probably need a dr note regarding the medication that it must be kept cold, so that you are allowed to take a small cooler and freezer pak through TSA. Delta isn't going to be able to guarantee that they have space or capability to keep medications cold on board aside from providing a few cups of ice.

As checked baggage it can be done easily. A cooler with ice packs are not that uncommon.

A friend flew ATL-LHR and needed to carry meds requiring refrigeration. She had no issue taking a small lunch cooler with (frozen) ice packs through security. The prescription label on the meds made it pretty obvious it belonged to her.

Plus I'm sure when you go through security, the make sure those freezer paks are indeed freezer packs.

Have you checked the TSA website --- better to look there than ask on an airline specific forum where the info you get may be wrong.

See

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-informat...s-and-aerosols

Bob H

I had a relative with the same issue. She delt with it this way: Took a small insulated six-pack cooler-- empty-- through security. Got it filled with ice at one of the resturants and constantly kept it refilled to Europe. Very easy.

I'd recommend you print this out from the TSA website and get a doctor's note if possible. You never know when you come across some dummy that doesn't know the rules - best to have them printed ready to show them if that happens

DL also allows dry ice in carry-ons, in case you need it frozen.

just make sure you follow all the rules on dry ice transport...DOT regulations are pretty stringent on the type of container and labeling used.

I wouldn't recommend putting anything as important as medication in checked luggage. What would happen if the flight got delayed or the luggage got lost?

How large are the vials (I assume it's a biologic/injectable)?

If it is small enough, I would double-bag in small ziplocs and bring a small vaccum-insulated lockable thermos - I use a Zojirushi SM-KHE48AG which is slim & light and has a no-leak/"lock" mechanism (not a twist down - an actual lock. won't spill in your bag). I pre-chill the thermos with a cold water/ice slurry before I leave the house and put my meds in (small tube/vial). Once I get to TSA, I dump the "slurry" and go through. The thermos will stay cold. After I get through security, I refill with cold tap water and ice if available. Otherwise, I ask the FA for a few cubes when I board.

I have gone TPAC with this method, replenishing the ice halfway through the flight and put the thermos in one of those cheap "thermal" bags that you can buy at the grocery store - made of thin lightweight aluminum-like material.

Check an online diabetic supplier. They sell small cooling chests designed for purposes of keeping insulin and other medications cool and well preserved. They are small and can be put into an overnight bag and re-charged at the hotel by putting the gelpaks back into a freezer. Even though she may not be a diabetic, the cooling cases can be used by those with MS or others requiring injections to be kept under cool conditions.

I don't endorse or even know this company, but my patients like their merchandise: http://www.diabeticexpress.com/conte...CategoryID=156

Thanks,, All! My friend will really be happy to have gotten so many good tips. It is her first time leaving the country since her diagnosis so this was a big help!

It's always refreshing to see helpful threads like this one.