Hi all! I just started taking Lantus, and I have to take a cross-country flight in July. Do you have any tips for how to keep my insulin cold, how to run insulin and syringes through security, etc?
Just put your stuff in your carry on. Never had a trouble with any of my diabetes stuf. I put my insulin with my diabetical supplies in a little pack, and put insulin that needs to be kept cold in a frio bag in that same pack. Mine are in vials so I keep them in their box.
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I carry my insulin in a small soft sided insulated case, mines from the pharmacy section at Walmart but it’s basically a miniature soft sided insulated lunch box with a frozen gel ice pack, which is inside by backpack. Needles are also in the backpack. Used needles are inside a water bottle inside the backpack. I’ve been through TSA hundreds of times and they’ve never said a word. I never mention any of it, they never bat an eye. When I get where I’m going and usually have to use mini fridges of unknown history I keep the two pens I’m currently using in a frio because those mini fridges can freeze things solid sometimes which could ruin your insulin.
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Really, you carry your used sharps in a water bottle and not a red disposal container? And TSA doesn’t mind?
I use a Frio, too, and put used sharps in a screw-top plastic peanut butter jar (for a longish trip). No problems!
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Yeah… For a long time all I had on job sites were paper coffee cups, so I’d just put used pen needles in those and then when they were half full I’d fold the tops over and staple them… Tsa doesn’t care. I’ve never in my life used a sharps container but do take care to ensure nobody gets poked with my used needles.
The few times tsa has felt necessary to open my bag they usually ask if there’s anything sharp in there and I say “yeah there’s insulin needles but they’re in the safety caps and in a container” the only time they ever commented on the water bottle was to say “that’s a good idea”
Frio is the best way to do it. It is an amazing product.
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Ok. I have ordered a frio wallet and will keep a water bottle handy. Thanks, everyone who responded!
I can’t imagine shlepping around even the smallest of “official” red sharps disposal containers I’ve seen! I use a very small plastic hinged box upon which I’ve affixed a home-made “Sharps” label.
What I do on longer flights if give the insulin to the air hostess and ask them to put it in the fridge and never had a problem. Just have your ticket handy as they use the ticket to mark your packet. They will bring it to you before you land. I normally do this while going to my seat so have it ready when you board.
After observing first-hand how easily a vial of insulin can shatter after being accidentally dropped onto the floor, there’s no way I’d go this route. But I’m glad to hear it has worked out for you. For longer flights, I just make sure to “re-charge” the inner envelope of the Frio wallet with cold water during the flight.
Just understand that the frio is absolutely not refrigeration… It will keep things a couple degrees cooler than ambient temperature, tops… It’s basically just a wet rag. It is no substitute for long term refrigeration… When I say I keep the pens I’m currently using in them, realize that they are no longer even supposed to be kept refrigerated once you are using them. I’d recommend getting a small little thermometer that you can slip inside the frio too, so you can learn about their benefits and limitations. I always carry a small thermometer with me when I travel anyway bc as I said I don’t trust fridges I don’t know.
I use a Frio when en route, but when I get where I’m going I always seek out refrigeration. Many times I’ve had to ask a hotel to bring a mini-fridge to the room (if it doesn’t have one already; some do, some don’t; law of averages). They have always been cooperative, without exception.
I always ask for one to be in the room when I make my reservation, and make it clear that it is for medical purposes. In some places where there is not normally a refrigerator available, but one can be rented, the fee has been waived due to it being a medical need.
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A real 6-pack cooler is also very helpful… With real enough real ice (available at pretty much all hotels) it’ll keep insulin the perfect temp with zero risk of freezing it-- unlike the mini fridge
Since using the mail order pharmacy I take the styrofoam coolers they send to work with me and use them while my thermometer sits in the mini fridge for a couple days, next to a paper cup with a little bit of water in it… I make the fridge prove itself before I opt for it over the cooler— then I have a place to dispose of the styrofoam cooler also…
This may be true I use pens so they a little more robust. I have them in a soft toolbox that has frozen pads inside. They remain frozen on a 8 hour flight. I travel with 4 months supply of Apidra and Lantus pens. Never had a issue of getting to my destination and the pens not been kept cold.
Also realize that, in theory at least, and also in practice insulin is stable for at least a month at room temp before it STARTS to degrade… So unless you’re going to be in extreme temps I would just make a reasonable attempt to keep it cool while traveling and keep it refrigerated when you get there, and ultimately not lose a ton of sleep over it
Foreign mail order pharmacies ship insulin to the USA every day and it spends 18-21 days in uncontrolled temps before clearing customs, and it still works fine… So really all of these things we are discussing are out of an abundance of caution
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