Travelling abroad with a pituitary condition and medication
Health insurance
Medications
Flying with medications
Travelling with hydrocortisone
Growth Hormone
Medications that need to be kept cool
If you have medications that need to be refrigerated, the following are suggestions on how to keep medications cool during travel:
- It's important to get adequate insurance cover before you travel. You'll need to find insurance that covers pre-existing conditions.
Medications
- Ask your GP or endocrinologist to write a letter describing your condition, along with your medication and the doses prescribed. This letter will be helpful should you become unwell and have to see a doctor abroad. It is also useful for you to have this letter whilst going through airport security, in the event that they question your medication. If you have a repeat copy prescription this can also be shown. It's a good idea to keep a written record of any medical conditions affecting you and a list of all the medications you are taking (both proper and trade names). Most importantly, ask your GP or consultant and the treatments you are taking.
- If you want to take any sort of medicine with you (either prescribed or bought from a pharmacist) find out if there are any restrictions on taking it in and out of the UK, or the country you are visiting. This is particularly important for patients on growth hormone (GH). Ask the relevant Embassy or High Commission or telephone the Home Office for advice (0207 035 4848).
- Always carry medicines in a correctly labelled container, as issued by the pharmacist. The letter from your doctor, repeat prescription script and personal health record card giving details of the drug prescribed will help you in case you need it to get you through Customs. For further useful information, please visit the Gov.UK website.
Flying with medications
- Needles and syringes will be confiscated if you do not have documentary proof of your medical need to carry them. Again, obtain a letter from your GP or consultant. Declare your needles at the check-in desk and at security check points. Be prepared to show your letter or other documentation - carry it in your handbag or wallet for easy access.
- Well in advance before travelling, contact the airline that you are using for advice on their policies regarding medication and what policies apply at the airport.
- Upon return travel, if you are involuntarily removed from a flight you may wish to explain to airline staff that you use life-critical medications and need to return as soon as possible if your stocks are low. They will generally be very co-operative about getting you back on your scheduled flight.
- Make sure you take enough medication to cover the duration of the flight and your time in the airport.
- Make sure you take enough medication with you to cover the duration of your stay. It is sensible to take extra with you in case of any illness abroad or delayed return.
- Split your medication between your hand luggage and suitcase – this will ensure you have medication with you during the flight and will have enough medication when you arrive if your suitcase is lost. Don’t put liquid medication in your suitcase - the low temperature in the hold could affect it. All of your medication should be labelled with your name and kept with you at all times during your journey, as part of your hand luggage.
- If you need to take medication in containers over 100 ml, this is possible. However, you will need permission from the airline and airport, and you will need a certificate from your doctor.
Travelling with hydrocortisone
- Always carry sufficient hydrocortisone in your hand luggage.
- It is wise to take an extra 2 weeks supply of hydrocortisone tablets with you in case you need to increase your usual dose whilst away.
- It is suggested that you have a 100mg injection kit whilst you are travelling abroad, in case of emergency. If you are to travel to an area where your emergency injection kit may be subject to sustained temperatures exceeding 25°C, then it should be placed in a small cool bag.
- Emergency injections come in two types:
- Solu-Cortef 100mg - this is in powder form and it has to be mixed with sterile water prior to injecting. It is not as easy to use as the pre-mixed injection but it does have a long shelf life.
- Hydrocortisone sodium phosphate 100mg - this is a pre-mixed version and is easier to administer.
- It is a good idea to ask your GP to prescribe an extra vial of hydrocortisone.
- It’s a good idea to complete and carry the Pituitary Foundation's Patient Care Card (for a copy, contact [email protected] or phone 0117 370 1320).
- You may wish to wear a medication identification tag or bracelet which you can show to airline or airport security staff to ease your route through check-in and security. More info
Growth Hormone
- GENOTROPIN MINIQUICK 0.2 mg Powder and solvent for solution for injection. A two-chamber cartridge with a white powder in the front compartment and a clear solution in the rear compartment. Comes in a pack of 7 one-use syringes.
- Before reconstitution: store in a refrigerator (2°C – 8°C). Do not freeze. Keep the syringe in the outer carton in order to protect from light. Providing the syringes are left in the box, the product may be taken out of the refrigerator for a maximum period of 6 months at a temperature not above 25°C.
Medications that need to be kept cool
If you have medications that need to be refrigerated, the following are suggestions on how to keep medications cool during travel:
- Purchase or borrow a small cool bag with two freezer blocks. During travel, place your medication into cool bag with both frozen blocks - the blocks should keep cool for around 12 hours.
- Before you travel, call your accommodation (hotel, motel, bed and breakfast etc) and ask if they have refrigerators in the rooms or, if not, if one can be hired for your room. If they do not have refrigerators, ask if they have a freezer where they can place your freezer blocks on a rota in order that you can keep your cool bag cool.
- If you need to use the hotel's freezer, on arrival, give them one block labelled with your name. Twelve hours later swap the blocks to ensure you continually have a frozen block to use both day and night in the cool bag.
- For long haul flights, you can request dry ice packs from cabin crew (they can refuse this request). Dry ice packs will quickly refreeze your ice blocks. It is important to be very careful while handling these packs. Cabin crews may also refrigerate your medications for you on the aircraft (again, they can refuse this request). Be sure it is properly labelled and be certain to retrieve your medications before leaving the plane!
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