Travelling to Australia with Humira

Moy17

Hi, I am currently in the process of moving to Australia from Ireland and I have to bring Humira injections with me which have to be kept between 2 and 8 degrees, I am trying to get them couriered but am having no luck I am wondering has anyone else travelled in similar circumstances??

manshay

Moy17 wrote: »

Hi, I am currently in the process of moving to Australia from Ireland and I have to bring Humira injections with me which have to be kept between 2 and 8 degrees, I am trying to get them couriered but am having no luck I am wondering has anyone else travelled in similar circumstances??

Speak to your pharmacist, Abbvie may supply equipment for this purpose. If that doesn't work speak to Abbvie directly they maybe able to offer advice.

Moy17

Hey I have got cooler packs to bring the medication with me from Abbvie I fear that this may an awful lot of hassle and was trying to get the couriered out thanks for the heads up!

fits

cant you get them out there?

might be better to ask on a more specific forum. i'll pm you link.

manshay

Moy17 wrote: »

Hey I have got cooler packs to bring the medication with me from Abbvie I fear that this may an awful lot of hassle and was trying to get the couriered out thanks for the heads up!

When they cost €1203.50+VAT per 2 injections I'd be scared they would expire whilst in the courier system or be prohibitively expensive to have a temperature controlled courier option!

Moy17

Yes because the cost is so dear that is why I need to bring them with me as it is equally expensive out there if not more, I thought if I could get them sent refridgerated it would save a lot of hassle besides trying to keep them at the correct temperature from Dublin to Perth! Im afraid if I cant keep the temperature controlled myself all my supply will be of no use :(

BrookieD

currently trying to sort something along the same lines, my son needs to bring 7 blister pack Enbrel sets with him keeping below 25c along the way to Oz in just over a week. We have just got a cooler bag from Smyths for €10 but using a CoolPax ice gel pack to keep them cool. Will bring on as carry on and then get airlines to place in fridge.

Only issue we have is a 8hr layover on HK but hoping the gel holds up as good for 30hrs

ProudDUB

BrookieD wrote: »

currently trying to sort something along the same lines, my son needs to bring 7 blister pack Enbrel sets with him keeping below 25c along the way to Oz in just over a week. We have just got a cooler bag from Smyths for €10 but using a CoolPax ice gel pack to keep them cool. Will bring on as carry on and then get airlines to place in fridge.

Only issue we have is a 8hr layover on HK but hoping the gel holds up as good for 30hrs

Have you checked to see if airport security let you bring that thru the security check point? Rules about liquids and all that.....

Moy17

ProudDUB wrote: »

Have you checked to see if airport security let you bring that thru the security check point? Rules about liquids and all that.....

If you bring zip lock bags can you just pack them with ice to replace the gel packs?? Yes I've been on to the airline just want to get a reply in writing... Its all very frustrating!!!!

anothernight

I asked my boyfriend, who is on Enbrel (similar medication to Humira).

He said he just gets a note from the doctor explaining that he needs to bring the medication on board with him and that solves the airport security issue. On the logistics side, he said he has used gel packs on shorter flights without issues, but they were still frozen so that might have made a difference. For transatlantic flights he packs the vials in a cooler bag with plenty of ice. If waiting at the airport for very long he asks a restaurant for more ice. On the plane he asks them to either put the medication in their cooler or just requests more ice, and so on.

He said it's not as much of an issue as it seems at first.

BrookieD

ProudDUB wrote: »

Have you checked to see if airport security let you bring that thru the security check point? Rules about liquids and all that.....

we have a doctors note and are allowed to bring these through and also allowed a frozen block as needed

BrookieD

Moy17 wrote: »

If you bring zip lock bags can you just pack them with ice to replace the gel packs?? Yes I've been on to the airline just want to get a reply in writing... Its all very frustrating!!!!

so bloody simple i never thought if that....................DOH!

Moy17

I needed to hear an answer like that so thank you !!! To ask a silly question how did he keep the temperature checked????

anothernight

Moy17 wrote: »

I needed to hear an answer like that so thank you !!! To ask a silly question how did he keep the temperature checked????

He says he hasn't found a way to be absolutely sure it's within the temperature range, but even when he did frequent transatlantic flights he never had his ice method fail. He only takes the injections sporadically (he's on an experimental non-standard schedule) so it would be very obvious if they stopped working. Just make sure you don't let the ice melt fully and it should be ok.

He also added that when he gets to the security area of the airport he prefers to state that he has injectable medication in his carry-on luggage before they ask anything about it. The security staff will then either look for it in his bag or ask for a prescription/doctor's letter. He never has a paper prescription but the letter will do. Sometimes they just check that there is a name on the Enbrel box and compare to his ID.

It must be a very fast process because I've been right behind him at security for short flights (which didn't need ice changes) and I never even noticed it.

sillysocks

No idea about the medication side of things but might be worth looking at whether you can get ice packs that are activated by squishing them/clicking a button on them. I know you can get heat pad alike that so possibly ice packs. Then you could bring a few and sporadically activate add a fresh one every few hours.

Pro Hoc Vice

Good advice here http://travelingwithumira.blogspot.ie/2011/07/traveling-from-california-to-australia.html?m=1

The Wireless thermometer is a great idea.

Moy17

Thank you for all your help I really appreciate it its great for me to hear of other peoples experiences and different ways to go about things!!!

Gael23

I'm on Enbrel so interested in this too. Someone mentioned gel packs but I can't find them anywhere?