Travelling with Humira

[Edwards667]

So I am going abroad from the UK to Canada for 3 months and will be traveling with 8-10 injections and it's safe to say I'm nervous as hell about traveling with Humira. My travel day will last around 15 hours.

I purchased a Medigenix Medicube which is supposed to keep them between 2 - 8 degrees for 24 hours. However realistically after testing it, it keeps them cool for around 12 hours. My nightmare is that I'll arrive and all of the medication will be dead essentially.

Has anyone traveled with Humira that can offer advice on this thread?

 

[Maya142]

We have taken Humira on a 14 hour flight (which means a much longer travel day - probably 18-20 hours) and it survived. We used an insulated bag and ice packs. Security will let you take ice packs through if they are well frozen (solid) and not soft/liquid. It also helps to have a note from your doctor.

When you're traveling for that long, the ice will melt. So we took ziplock bags and asked the flight attendants on the plane for ice. They would fill up the ziplock bags and were happy to do so once we explained it was for medications. But you don't want Humira to freeze either, so make sure it's not getting too cold.

Our insulated bag had a pocket for the ice, so it wasn't directly touching the Humira and that worked. It was pretty much melted by the time we landed, but we went straight to where we were staying and put it in the fridge.

It was fine and we enjoyed our trip.

Good luck!!

 

[Edwards667]

Do you mind me asking which insulated bag you used? The one I purchased states it's meant to stay frozen for 24 hours between 2 - 8 degrees (it was over £50 and they now charged £80 for one). I've linked it here: http://www.medigenix.co.uk/medicube.html

 

[Maya142]

I honestly can't remember what we used back then. We haven't traveled back to India in 5 years so I just can't remember.

But it was a simple insulated bag with a pocket - not specifically for meds. It might even have been one of the lunch bags I used for my daughters when they were younger!

We later used one that came with Enbrel which is a biologic that is used specifically for arthritis (before my daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's). I don't think that had a pocket though, so I worried about the medication freezing.

Humira does provide one, I think, if you ask. Or you can call the helpline and see what they suggest.

Sorry I can't be of more help...but it was a simple bag, nothing fancy.

 

[Layla]

The one Humira supplies only does about 4 hours so no good for long flights.

I travelled to Europe with about 6 syringes and used a better one that I got from Australia. Can't remember the brand and it didn't quite manage 24 hours but kept it cool enough. I booked a stopover in Asia with a hotel with a freezer in the room so I could refreeze the cold pack mid trip, the lenghts you go to!

I had no issues with customs or airlines btw, customs didn't even want to have a look and never asked for a GP letter, but better safe than sorry so I suggest you get a letter to explain why you need this.

Good luck!

 

[thike1966]

The Humira website states it will be safe for 14 days of travel as long as it stays below 77 degrees and not exposed to sunlight.

 

[2inthehouse]

Not sure if you still need this info but my son travels a LOT ...traipsing thru China and Russia and the trans Syberian railroad ..... takes up to 6 months (12 doses) of humira with him at a time. Traveling from the east coast of the United States. Uses an insulated canvas bag with shoulder strap --and we stack freezer packs that come with his delivered humira with his humira in the middle....like a sandwich .... and he has a thermometer he puts in the bag close to the humira (which is still in boxes...mush 3 to a box) and put all the boxes in a thick ziplock with the thermometer in the ziplock... and he keeps another thermometer that reads the temp of the thermometer in the bag with him at all times so he can keep up with the temp. Easily stays within range for upwards of 22 hours .... looking at getting a yeti hopper tho to replace the canvas bag ...so hard to zip up the canvas bag chock full of humira and ice packs.

 

[Anna's Bandit]

My niece just flew to Japan this week with her Humira.

 

[Jag23]

Ask the flight attendants to fridge or for you on the plane to which they’ll say they can’t do then ask them for dry ice which they should do.

I flew from Manchester to Mexico (with a 9 hour delay) and I was fine.
I used FRIO.

Also don’t forget your letter explaining why you need them.

 

[2inthehouse]

Agree with Jag23. Often, for long flights, if he asks the flight attendants, they will gladly refrigerate his humira. Also, if you have a long layover in an airport, you can ask the sky lounge for the airline you are flying if they will hold onto your medication in their refrigerator (and your ice packs in their freezer). He has done this too. And yes! a letter from your doctor is key. He was in the south of Russia at some obscure airport flying to China and a supervisor was called in because the security people were suspicious. He says if it hadn't been for the letter from his treating physician, he's not sure they would have allowed him on the plane with his meds.