Taking Insulin Abroad

Tubbycatsmum_

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi I’ve only been on insulin for 3 weeks now. Just wandering what are people’s experience of taking it through airport security and tips on how to store it. Do you recommend any cool bags, not sure if what you can take. Also do I need to arrange to have a fridge at the hotel or is ok out of the fridge?
I’ve got a generic letter from the DNS stating what medication I’m taking. Do you take spare insulin pens and do you put them in your hand luggage?
TIA x
 

urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
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Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Hi I’ve only been on insulin for 3 weeks now. Just wandering what are people’s experience of taking it through airport security and tips on how to store it. Do you recommend any cool bags, not sure if what you can take. Also do I need to arrange to have a fridge at the hotel or is ok out of the fridge?
I’ve got a generic letter from the DNS stating what medication I’m taking. Do you take spare insulin pens and do you put them in your hand luggage?
TIA x

Insulin must be in your carry on luggage. If it goes in the hold there's a risk it will become frozen and then it will be useless afterwards.

Most of us use Frio insulin pouches, you can recharge them in water, ( the sink in your hotel room). Once you've removed the insulin from your fridge at home the clock starts ticking and you normally only get 28days. Returning to a fridge won't help much unless the ambient temperature is greater than 30° or whatever the instructions on your insulin say the max is. The Frio pouch will probably be sufficient.

It's a good idea to take more insulin and needles than you'd normally get through. For extra caution, you might get a travel partner to carry half your supplies so if a bag goes missing you still have enough to get by.
 

Tubbycatsmum_

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Insulin must be in your carry on luggage. If it goes in the hold there's a risk it will become frozen and then it will be useless afterwards.

Most of us use Frio insulin pouches, you can recharge them in water, ( the sink in your hotel room). Once you've removed the insulin from your fridge at home the clock starts ticking and you normally only get 28days. Returning to a fridge won't help much unless the ambient temperature is greater than 30° or whatever the instructions on your insulin say the max is. The Frio pouch will probably be sufficient.

It's a good idea to take more insulin and needles than you'd normally get through. For extra caution, you might get a travel partner to carry half your supplies so if a bag goes missing you still have enough to get by.

Thanks for that. Have been looking online at the Frio pouches. I have 2 different pens (humalog & abasaglar) so will need to take 2 of each then in case they get lost. Do the pouches fit more than 1 pen? I’ve been looking at getting a mini fridge for home too as I don’t have enough room in my kitchen fridge.
 

EllieM

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9,208
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forum bugs
Once you've removed the insulin from your fridge at home the clock starts ticking and you normally only get 28days.
Just curious, as I normally get 3 months of insulin from the pharmacy and have happily stored insulin till its use by date, sometimes for over a year. Is it the journey from the pharmacy to my fridge an issue?
 

Tubbycatsmum_

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Just curious, as I normally get 3 months of insulin from the pharmacy and have happily stored insulin till its use by date, sometimes for over a year. Is it the journey from the pharmacy to my fridge an issue?

I was told it’s ok to transport home then put it in the fridge. Once taken out of the fridge it should be disposed of within 28 days.
 
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urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Just curious, as I normally get 3 months of insulin from the pharmacy and have happily stored insulin till its use by date, sometimes for over a year. Is it the journey from the pharmacy to my fridge an issue?

You really need to get home and get it back in the fridge before it looses it's 'chill factor'. A Frio pouch will reduce any tendency of the insulin to overheat when travelling, but it does not keep the insulin down at the correct long term storage temperature if the ambient is excessively high.
 
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Reactions: EllieM

urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Thanks for that. Have been looking online at the Frio pouches. I have 2 different pens (humalog & abasaglar) so will need to take 2 of each then in case they get lost. Do the pouches fit more than 1 pen? I’ve been looking at getting a mini fridge for home too as I don’t have enough room in my kitchen fridge.

Pouches are available in 2 Pen and 4 Pen sizes (other sizes may be available). I have one of each at the moment.
 
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I’ve been looking at getting a mini fridge for home too as I don’t have enough room in my kitchen fridge.
Do you have refillable pens?
Only the cartridges of these need to stay in the fridge so take up much much less space ... as well as causing much much less waste.
And only the spare cartridges need to be kept cool when you are on holiday.

Others have mentioned the advice to take twice as much as you need.
I always try to remember to take a spare battery for my meter too.
 

Tubbycatsmum_

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Do you have refillable pens?
Only the cartridges of these need to stay in the fridge so take up much much less space ... as well as causing much much less waste.
And only the spare cartridges need to be kept cool when you are on holiday.

Others have mentioned the advice to take twice as much as you need.
I always try to remember to take a spare battery for my meter too.

No don’t have cartridges, they’re kwik pens (100 units/ml). I also take genotropin injections which come as single use mini-quick syringes too & a boat load of tablets. Will be charged excess baggage at this rate x