Travelling with Insulin

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victoriacwooldridge1976

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Hi all, after a bit of advice please. I am flying at the end of the month and know that I cannot pack my insulin pens in my suitcase, they have to travel with me in the cabin. My questions are:
1/ Do I need a cooling wallet or would they be ok in my luggage - I only anticipate that I will need two pens whilst away?
2/ Do I need a letter for the airport/security? Will they question my medication?

Thanks
Vicky
 
victoriacwooldridge1976 said:
1/ Do I need a cooling wallet or would they be ok in my luggage - I only anticipate that I will need two pens whilst away?
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Probably OK without a cooling wallet, but I'd use one anyway. The usual advice is to take twice as much as you expect to need.
victoriacwooldridge1976 said:
2/ Do I need a letter for the airport/security? Will they question my medication?
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They probably (almost certainly) won't question it, but you should have a letter just in case.
 
Insulin is fine out of the fridge for 30 days so you should not need a cooling wallet unless you are going some where very hot. The temperature on the plane will not be that warm.
I fly a lot and rarely take one. I was in Dubai last week and had no issues even though in was 35 degrees when I was sitting on a roof top terrace at the end of the night.

Regarding the letter, as @Bruce Stephens says, this is a good idea to have in case. I see it as a type of insurance. I would hate to get to the airport and have a problem with security because I don't have a letter and they won't let me take insulin with me.
If you visit a diabetes clinic, I would recommend asking them for the letter. GPs often charge. And the letter can be written in such a way that can be reused. Mine has lived with my passport for the last 7 years. It is looking a little tatty now.
 
Having just travelled with a stash of Dexcom sensors and transmitters which can’t go through the xray machine (and insulin pens etc), I can add that in some places it’s useful to have a letter - and more than that, a signed letter. Security staff in Delhi were very unhappy with my hospital letter as it was signed electronically and they wanted a wet ink signature and a stamp to prove it was official. So might be worth getting your GP/hospital to sign if you can.
 
Oh - and the Frio wallets are great - kept everything cool for our 24 hour journey and not all airlines will let you put things in the fridge
 
Fleetwood said:
Oh - and the Frio wallets are great - kept everything cool for our 24 hour journey and not all airlines will let you put things in the fridge
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I will NEVER put my insulin in any public fridge whether on a plane or in a hotel
Apart from not being necessary, I would not trust a stranger not to throw it out or move it.
My insulin has spent 3 weeks in Frio wallets whilst camping in India where I have no access to any fridges.
 
helli said:
I will NEVER put my insulin in any public fridge whether on a plane or in a hotel
Apart from not being necessary, I would not trust a stranger not to throw it out or move it.
My insulin has spent 3 weeks in Frio wallets whilst camping in India where I have no access to any fridges.
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I second this, fridge means lots of things to different people, I got my insulin back (in was in a metal box) after having been deposited in an ice bucket on a flight to Australia. It still worked thankfully!
 
Plus, doesn't insulin stop working if it freezes, which it may in some bits of an iffy fridge (mine sometimes grows frost at the back so i keep insulin at the front in the egg compartment)
I'd take what i need, a backup, and a backup of the backup....
 
Where I had to keep insulin cook in a fridge whilst away, I had it in a thermos, with a clear label on it and also made sure that I had seen where it was and how it was stored. Still concerned due to the uncertainty. We have now removed the problem by just going away for a max of 28 days.
 
I think to summarise what everyone else is saying, using a cool pack is a good idea, especially if travelling to a hot country. Keep it on you at all times, and get a letter from your doctor. I also carry a copy of my prescription sheets to match up with everything.

I’ve travelled through airports hundreds of times and have never been stopped but that’s not to say I never will. It’s always best to be prepared.

I’ve had my insulin case swabbed in security before (for illegal drugs I presume) and I think the security guy genuinely felt bad because he kept apologising, saying he had to do it because the system said so.
 
My main problem was not insulin when travelling (which I kept with me in Frio packs). It was persuading the security people not to put my Dexcom sensors and transmitters through X-ray - and not to put me through the body scanner. The printed letter from my hospital was electronically signed and the Delhi security did not think it was valid because not an ink signature or hospital stamp. They did let me through eventually but I still had to go through the scanner arch (not the full body scanner). I was really worried it would affect the Dexcom transmitter but it didn’t, thankfully.
 
Fleetwood said:
They did let me through eventually but I still had to go through the scanner arch (not the full body scanner). I was really worried it would affect the Dexcom transmitter but it didn’t, thankfully.
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I have always been led to believe that the metal detector arch is harmless to my diabetes tech. I have been going through it every flight for the last 8 years with pump and CGM. I have experienced no issues
On the other hand, I have avoided taking my pump into the full body scanner. When 8 had a tubed pump, I would disconnect it and go through with Libre. I only had Dexom for a short period and did not fly then.
 
My understanding is also that the metal detector arch is no problem.
It is the full body scanner that causes problems for our tech. Once through the detector I then ask for a pat down if they are using the body scanner. They often want to swab down my pump which is fine.

I haven’t used a Libre for a couple of years now, but I will take as a backup. I am uncertain what the position is with those. I think that they are fine going through the x Ray machine in my my hand luggage. Is that correct?
 
SB2015 said:
I haven’t used a Libre for a couple of years now, but I will take as a backup. I am uncertain what the position is with those. I think that they are fine going through the x Ray machine in my my hand luggage. Is that correct?
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I’m not sure what the official Abbott position is on that, but I’ve certainly sent my spares through the x-ray in my hand luggage, and they’ve been fine. A sensor on my arm has also survived the body scanner at Gatwick several times, I always seem to ping the metal detector archway there and get sent to the scanner, but not at other airports.
 
Robin said:
I’m not sure what the official Abbott position is on that, but I’ve certainly sent my spares through the x-ray in my hand luggage, and they’ve been fine. A sensor on my arm has also survived the body scanner at Gatwick several times, I always seem to ping the metal detector archway there and get sent to the scanner, but not at other airports.
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Thanks Robin. Good to have that confirmation.
 
Can anyone help me please? First time travelling to Dubai and having real issues declaring insulin on the UAE App! Won’t let me upload docs.

Assume I need permission for insulin?
 
MSH33 said:
Can anyone help me please? First time travelling to Dubai and having real issues declaring insulin on the UAE App! Won’t let me upload docs.

Assume I need permission for insulin?
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I have taken insulin on business trips to Dubai multiple times, never asked permission (I know nothing about the "UAE App") and never had any issues.
I have an insulin pump which the airport security commented upon but were happy when I explained what it is. So they definitely knew I was carrying insulin.
 
Thank you so much!

Have spent hours trying to sort, it’s not an illegal drug so hopes would be ok.

Daughter was only diagnosed last year and went on to pump in March so still getting to grips with travel!

Thanks again!
 
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