Help with Humira

[GregD]

Hi Everyone,
I have a problem that I was hoping somebody here could offer some advice on. I am currently in Iraq doing work for the US Government. I wasn't supposed to be here very long, so I only brought enough Humira with me to last through my time here. However, I just found out that I now have to stay for an additional 2 months. My GI really doesn't want me to go off Humira, but it is near impossible for me to get out of this commitment.
My pharmacy won't ship Humira internationally. I can have it shipped to somebody in the states who can send it to me here in Iraq, but the fasted shipping service I can find takes 5 days. Does anybody know of any way to keep the Humira cold for that long? Or does anybody know of a company or service that specializes in shipping medical supplies? I assume that there are lots of medications and vaccines that need to be refrigerated that get shipped to remote areas of the globe. Or for anybody who lives in Europe/Asia, do you have a name of any pharmacies that might ship directly to Iraq?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[Rosemarie]

http://myhumira.com/
1-800-4-humira is the number that humira patients are supposed to call if they have any problems... I called and explained my situation (no insurance) and they offered to send me free med. directly to my house... maybe if you call and talk to them they find a way to get your meds to you.


In Australia
Abbott, ABN 95 000 180 389
32-34 Lord Street
Botany NSW 2019
Phone: 1800 225 311

In New Zealand
Abbott Laboratories (NZ) Ltd
4 Pacific Rise
Mt Wellington, Auckland
Phone: 0800 73 72 71


if you dont have any luck with that I would call the company directly (numbers above)... either they will help you or they will just say no... so what can it hurt to call and ask? The least they can do is tell you how to ship it and recommend a company to use.

 

[Kev]

hey Greg... Has either Humira or your doc expressed any concern about 'falling' off schedule? Has either expressed any fears that going off it shorterm, even if just a few days... poses the risk associated with it's close counterpart, Remicade?

I know, I know.. you're here looking for help, and I'm being no help, just asking a lot of foolish questions. Hope you'll overlook my barging in with those just the same..

All the best... hope someone on here, or the Humira folks, can help you out OK

 

[BWS1982]

Not sure if you're a soldier or something else, but this is why I dislike the policies of certain unnamed politicians....if we want to spend decades more in a place we aren't handling efficiently, vote for 'em. This is my opinion, it's not right nor wrong, please don't be offended.

I wish I had an answer for you. I'm not familiar with international protocol such as that. I grew up a sheltered midwestern boy who barely left the midwest. Good luck.

 

[GregD]

Thanks for your responses. The people at MyHumira haven't been too helpful so far. I don't believe that going off Humira has the same effect as Remicade. I think my doctor is more concerned about me having a relapse while I am out here. Right now, I think my best bet is shipping it to family in the States and having them figure out some shipping method involving dry ice. If that fails, I am going to try some pharmacies in Europe or Australia.

At the risk of starting a political debate, BWS, I'm not a soldier, but I do work for the government. I didn't believe the war was a good idea from the start and actively protested against it. However, I do believe in cleaning up our own messes and not letting the Iraqi people suffer for our mistakes. That is why I am here right now.

-Greg

 

[Kev]

Well, good luck with the dry ice idea, hope it works. As for political stripes, NEVER see a politician on the front lines.. Without getting in to whether troops should or shouldn't be there; fact is they are... and they, and everyone else associated with their deployment... deserves our wholehearted support. The treatment that some veterans of former conflicts received on their homecoming was, N remains, a black mark. Anyone, at home or abroad, who puts their life on the line in the performance of duty SHOULD earn all our 'collective' respect.

 

[BWS1982]

Don't misunderstand me, I actually think the situation needed to be addressed, but at this stage looking back, it was addressed in a way I don't agree with; but ultimately I give my utmost respect for anyone involved with the "mess" over there who's actually there, soldier or not.

 

[Kev]

Well, someone stepping into the Mideast WAS long overdue. I'm not sure how it'll look from some future, un-biased, non emotion involved, point in history. A lot of Canadian troups have died fighting the war in Afghanistan. Problem is that a lot of the conflict there isn't based on politics, nor religion, but more along lines of war lord, drug rich, economics. Some folks are fighting the 'west' out of sheer economics... they 'think' they are fighting for their 'survival', and that's a sad state of affairs. Most are not (in that particular region) 'soldiers' of Osama. They couldn't care less about him... many are not religious fanatics. Its a case of they live in a region controlled by a drug lord, and they have 0 options.

 

[BWS1982]

The second sentence in the original post contained the word "Iraq", we should have known it'd venture off in this direction. lol

I've wondered about what you mention Kev, about the pending opinion by unbiased people generations later.

 

[Kev]

well, I distinctly avoided Iraq for a reason. No one has shown any connection to 911 and Iraq. And there have been absolutely zero WMD's ever located there. I like that they got that little cave dwelling so N so... he had it coming. not crazy that the 'publically expressed' reasons for going there were either erroneous OR blatant mis-representation. I suspect, but can't prove, it was the latter, a shame.