Traveling with Enbrel | Arthritis Information

 

Hello all....  My husband and I are going on a 7 night cruise in December.  With all the new security rules about flying with meds (especially liquids and needles), I'm wondering how I can get my enbrel safely to the ship.  I assume once it's there it can be kept in the infirmary's refrigerator until I need it.

Has anyone any experience with traveling with enbrel, or other meds such as this that must be kept refrigerated?

Thanks so much!

I am going on a 6 day trip to California next week, and I am on Humira. I just changed my day of taking my Humira so I would not have to travel with it, but I only changed the day because I had been off my Humira for a couple of weeks while taking antibiotics, so I just made my day Monday instead of Friday. That way I will get my shot the next day after I am back home.

I decided changing my day would work out better, so I would not have to go thru the scrutiny of security at the airport. Plus, I am going to be on a train overnight and did not know if they would let my Humira be in their fridge

Oh wait... you are taking Enbrel... my suggestion would not work for you...

Hummm.... well from what I read on the airline site, you have to declare your meds, and have them in their original packaging. And you should not have any problem, according the my airline website

Just make sure you take a new box that has never been open and still has your RX information on it. That should work. Also besure to use the handy cooler case Enbrel gave you, as it will make it more authenic, I would believe.

 

joonie39008.5151967593

hmmm... I don't have a cooler case.  I get my enbrel from my employer (I work at a hospital).  The pharmacy orders it for me and dispenses it to me monthly.  I just take it from their fridge to mine.  Maybe I can get a cooler like that from the manufacturer.

I only take enbrel once a week, so switching my day might work, instead of the hassle of trying to transport it.  I hadn't thought of that.  I take it on Wednesdays now, but we fly out to catch our cruise on a Sunday morning and return the following Sunday afternoon.  I'm going to call my rheumy and see if she agrees that I could hold off on today's injection till Sunday..then I'll be on A Sunday rotation when cruise time arrives.  That way I can do a injection on the morning we leave, and the night we return, and just have fun in between!  This just seems so simple...and I'm embarassed that it didn't dawn on me before.  But that's what forums like this are about!

Thanks!

I got an Enbrel cooler case from my RD when he was going to put me on Enbrel, but my insurance company would only approve Humira first then Enbrel. So, now I have a cooler case with Enbrel written all over it

I believe you can order one on the Enbrel website for FREE since you have not received one from them. I am not sure though, but worth checking out.

[QUOTE=Claire]

This just seems so simple...and I'm embarassed that it didn't dawn on me before.  But that's what forums like this are about!

[/QUOTE]

Truth be told... my hubby came up with the idea When I was on Enbrel, it was delivered to my door in a cooler with a couple of freezer packs inside.  I got a free cooler from the enbrel site and when I went on a plane to see my son, I took the enbrel (with one needle) in it's prescriptive box inside the cooler pack.  I packed it with those freezer packs.  The airport security wasn't a problem since I had the presecription with me.  You shouldn't have any problems.

Call En-Liven services and they will send you out a travel pack. I am sure you can get their number over the net.

 

 

Claire,

I've been on three cruises since I started using Enbrel.  On two of the cruises I kept the Enbrel in the ships infirmary but you need to notify them in advance (Holland American also requires you to fill out a document if the Enbrel is kept in the infirmary).  On the other cruise we got upgraded and our room had a refrigerator, so there was no problem keeping the Enbrel cool as well as a few bottles of wine. The ship will also provide you with a needle disposal unit free of charge, all you have to do is request it.

As others have stated, you can get a free cooler from Enbrel, just call their Enliven line (go to enbrel.com to get the number).  As far as airport security, you should have no problem as long as you have a note from your doctor and the Enbrel is in its original packing.  The cooler and a couple of gel packs should do the trick until you reach your destination.  Be sure to pack a thermometer in the cooler and check the temperature with some regularity.  Believe or not, a gel pack can freeze your Enbrel.

Have a great cruise!
Marianne

YAY!! Someone who had the same experience and could shine some real light on the topic!

 

Like the others, I've adjusted the day of my injection (Humira in my case) to fit with travel schedules. A day or two doesn't seem to bother me. But for one very long trip,  I had to pack it in a cooler and travel with it. The pharmacist suggested making up a cooler with ice/gel packs ahead of time and put a themometer inside as if it were the drugs. Then to let it sit on the counter for as long as the travel time would be. Check and adjust. (sounds like a baking recipe!) But it worked. It took a few tries to get it to stay the right temp for the 30 hours, but I got my needles to Australia without a hitch. Security - as others have said, just have to have your prescription labels. A note from your doctor is good too.

Hope you don't have to bother with any of that and can just have a great vacation! Enjoy.

I just got back from flying to Florida. On the departure from Syracuse. I told the security that I had a syringe and had a doctors note.   They had me take the syringe and doctors note out of the case and put them seperate through the x ray machine However on the way back the security people told me not to worry about it because the syringe would not show up in the xray machine..GO FIGURE

[QUOTE=Kathi M]I just got back from flying to Florida. On the departure from Syracuse. I told the security that I had a syringe and had a doctors note.   They had me take the syringe and doctors note out of the case and put them seperate through the x ray machine However on the way back the security people told me not to worry about it because the syringe would not show up in the xray machine..GO FIGURE[/QUOTE]

Really!  Wow...isn't it strange how security can be so vastly different from one airport to the next.  It's actually rather scary.

 

 

I flew from Monterey to Phila with enbrel packed in the refrigerator kit the enbrel people will give you if you call your hotline number and ask for the nurse. I wrapped my hypodermic box in bubble wrap and used a freezer block instead of the smaller cooler envelope they provide.I then wrapped the whole thing in a large ziplock bag which could be used in an emergency to hold additional ice. As someone already told you, you will need to have the origional prescription with you in the kit. Also, if you're carrying other meds too, it wouldn't hurt to have a note from the doctor explaining what you are carrying and why.When you put the enbrel in the ships refrigerator, or if you are lucky enough to get a small refrigerator in your room, make sure to keep the bubble wrap on the box to prevent possible freezing that can happen if the refrigerator is too cold, or if your box is too close to the ice compartment. 

On a second trip to Rome this summer, the doctor decided to give me an enbrel break for about 10 days. That's another possibility. With international travel the way it is these days, you might consider it. Have a great trip/

LindaK, when you took your 10 day break from enbrel, did you experience any break through pain or stiffness?  I've considered skipping that week's dose, but worry that I might regret it.  I'd hate to be in pain during a vacation!I travel frequently with my Enbrel. Hotels and the cruise we were on will often accomadate you with a tiny refridgerator if avalaible, when you make your reservations. As for airport security some will take away your gel packs, even ice at the security line. I have had no problems with this method: I pack my Enbrel in it's perscription box (box has the label info on it). I place this in  The Enbrel cooler bag and then add two small zip lock bags of loose ice. The worst that happened was my ice being taken but once through the check point I just went to Burger King and had them fill up two new bags. (Have extra zip locks in case). I get paranoid and have added ice during a long flight and even add more at the hotel.

One hotel didn't have propper disposal and told me to just replace the cap and throw it out. But most places will have special containers when you ask.

I have never had any others problems. :)
i have read all kinds of answers about refrigeration needs on the forums online, from "my pharmacist says you have 45 days to use it once it has reached 77 degrees" to "enbrel can stay out for 2 days, then it begins to die" to "don't leave out for more than 2 hours". 

now, if you leave your enbrel out, you can call enliven services and they will tell you about your specific case, and whether your enbrel is still effective, which i just did. but it is very irritating that they refuse to give any general statements about how long and at what temperature it will generally still be ok.  they will only take the facts of your specific incident and tell you if it's still ok to use.  they are very careful about their wording and would not even tell me, IN GENERAL, which form of enbrel is the most hardy, premixed or unmixed. 

in my particular situation, which is 25 mg non-premixed enbrel left out for ONE WEEK with temps reaching UP TO 80 DEGREES and THEY SAID IT'S STILL FINE TO USE. This is straight from the enbrel people themselves. i can't tell you how much worrying i have done over little situations here and there about my enbrel temperature while traveling through the years.  i would like to find out what the bottom line is about this stuff so i will know in general when to be concerned and not have to call them for every situation, bu it seems like they want to keep us in the dark about it, driving us nutty over ice packs melting during a 10-hour travel day when it's possibly just BS. When I was on Enbrel, we took a trip to Europe.  I had a note from my doctor and made several copies, leaving one in my luggage, one with my passport and one I left with mom at home.  I had the doctor not only explain the Enbrel, but also the MTX, my need for syringes and needles and the other drugs I was on as well.  I wrapped and packed my Enbrel, needles, syringes and MTX and packed with a freezer gel pack in a small thermal zip lunch type bag.  I took it as carry on so I could replenish the ice when necessary.  Every place I went was more than happy to help any way they could and I never had a bit of trouble in customs or security!  People are really wonderful when they understand the need.  The hotels we stayed in were more than willing to tuck it away in their fridge for me. 

My philosophy now is do what you can, go and enjoy!  Don't stress to the point of letting it ruin a wonderful vacation. 


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