Jump to content

Auto-Injector- TSA and Cruise Security


musik07
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am about to start using a recently approved migraine medication that comes in an auto-injector form. I will administer it once a month and it seems increasingly likely that I will be required to give myself a dose on our cruise. It is fine out of the fridge for 1 week and I will keep it in my carry on bag and then in the cabin, however I am concerned with carrying a auto-injector pen, particularly one that is basically unknown (my insurance thought it was a fertility medication until my neuro schooled them) through both TSA and cruise ship screening. Will I be likely to have an issue? I have given my self injectable medications before and my father is a T1D so my mom is also experienced with helping him so I am not at all worried about giving myself the injection onboard. I am more worried about getting it to the ship. I am assuming it will be in a pharmacy box with a label on it (I am not 100% sure how it is packaged yet).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

is it the kind where its a rather pudgy looking cylinder where you position it and push a button? and it automatically retracts afterward?

 

if so 98% sure you will be fine. My Humira was the same way and all I needed was the little card that came with the carry case filled out by the doctor listing medication and dosage.

 

when you are done just bring it down to the medical office for proper disposal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use multiple medications that use a pen style delivery system and needle ends and I had no trouble bring it aboard. I wasn’t even questioned about it when I boarded.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I honestly have NO idea what it looks like because it is that new. People are just starting to get it. It is all going to depend on when my first does arrives if I need to give myself a dose on the ship. Right now they are saying about 2 weeks which puts me giving my self a does onboard 4 weeks later! Glad to hear it shouldn't be an issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have googled it but I have seen multiple images of what it looks like. There are also syringes (which I said I would prefer not to have) I have been waiting for something like this since I was a teenager. And I have had migraines since I was even younger and was told I had 'sinus trouble' as a kid. So I am unbelievably excited for this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will ask for a copy of the RX when I go to do my first injection. It was sent through the companies Ally program for their bridge program to help with insurance approval so it is coming from a mail order pharmacy and I don't have it. But I am sure I can get a copy, plus the prescription label.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forgot to mention the other thing I use is MedicAlert bracelet. It identifies my ailments and I have a printout from them with my list of medications. It serves 2 purposes as it speaks for me in a medical emergency should I be unable to do so and it’s another source of officialness confirming my medical mess. Finally good friends of mine say it says toxic ingredients do not cremate :).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am about to start using a recently approved migraine medication that comes in an auto-injector form. I will administer it once a month and it seems increasingly likely that I will be required to give myself a dose on our cruise. It is fine out of the fridge for 1 week and I will keep it in my carry on bag and then in the cabin, however I am concerned with carrying a auto-injector pen, particularly one that is basically unknown (my insurance thought it was a fertility medication until my neuro schooled them) through both TSA and cruise ship screening. Will I be likely to have an issue? I have given my self injectable medications before and my father is a T1D so my mom is also experienced with helping him so I am not at all worried about giving myself the injection onboard. I am more worried about getting it to the ship. I am assuming it will be in a pharmacy box with a label on it (I am not 100% sure how it is packaged yet).

 

See my reply to another question on this sub-forum:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2647164 Reply #10

 

Double check which ports will be visited, but this med isn't "controlled", although the "injectible" aspect might be.

We figure it's better safe than sorry, and just bring the Rx copies and letter from physician.

 

TSA has never been a problem.

I was once searched by TSA (will never know what "triggered" the search), and I was mighty worried because of my little traveling pharmacy... but they pawed through things (in my presence and in my full view), and pushed aside the meds, and... then thanked me and said I could go. I asked for more time in the private room (which *I* had insisted upon), so that I could re-arrange things in the order I prefered. One of the agents stayed with me; the other left.

Point is, they seemingly couldn't have cared at all about any of the meds.

Maybe it was truly random; maybe I fit some sort of profile? I'll never know. It took just a few minutes.

 

But *IF* they had questioned anything, I had all of the documentation handy.

 

GC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The good news is I won't be needing to travel with it. The bad news is a whole bunch of insurance snafus delayed treatment so I won't be starting until two weeks before we leave. I am just glad I won't be toting extra stuff along and having to deal with that. Gives me awhile to get used to this and figure it out before traveling with it. Thanks for all of the information!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know you said you won’t need it on the cruise, but I had to cruise once with multiple injectable medications in different forms, pens, syringes, etc. I had them in my carry on and went through security with no issues whatsoever. My bag was never checked by security at the airport or on the ship. I also got a sharps container from the steward, though if it was only one needle during the trip I would have just tossed it in the sharps in the infirmary or in one of the bathrooms (I remember seeing sharps containers in most public restrooms on the ship)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My DD started Humira (injector pen) a few months ago, and will need a dose on our Jan 2019 cruise (if she's still on it). I'm debating if we need to ask for a medical refrigerator -- it will only be the 1 dose, but it won't be given until 5 days in, and I'm not sure if the room fridge will be cold enough. Some people say they're only cooling, but on Adventure in May, any food/drinks we kept in there seemed cold enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My DD started Humira (injector pen) a few months ago, and will need a dose on our Jan 2019 cruise (if she's still on it). I'm debating if we need to ask for a medical refrigerator -- it will only be the 1 dose, but it won't be given until 5 days in, and I'm not sure if the room fridge will be cold enough. Some people say they're only cooling, but on Adventure in May, any food/drinks we kept in there seemed cold enough.

 

About the "cooling":

 

When we recently took our little vials (that need to be kept *cold* for up to a week, otherwise frozen - that's a real trick, but we have a "second best" for lengthy trips) to a hotel for several days, we just kept requesting several ice buckets full of ice, please ;)

 

We had the vials in a tiny ziploc, and we put that in a slightly larger ziploc with a few marbles so the bottom of the outer ziplock would hit the bottom, keeping the rest of it fully submerged in the ice/water combo.

 

I kept adding/combining the remaining ice, draining most of the water out (but always keeping enough water so there was no air between the cubes where the vials were).

 

A good ice bucket with a good seal on the lid (important for length of time) worked very well. We needed to open it several times a day to use, so that sped up the melting, I'm sure.

 

Once we explained, room service would bring a trolley with about 6 ice buckets each time!

It turned out that twice a day was sufficient with that much ice.

A lot would depend upon how insulated the ice buckets are, of course.

 

If you aren't opening it (except to check if more ice is needed), it should be even less trouble for a few days.

 

(We wouldn't have trusted a "hotel mini-fridge" to stay cold enough. The times we've requested one for, say, baby food for the grands, it "chilled" things, but it wasn't *cold*.)

 

By the way, would they be able to provide a "medical" refrigerator?

 

For air travel, we had a separate zippered bag with several frozen ice-gel packs. We stepped aside at Security, explained what we had, and there were several inspections, plus the regular x-ray, they were very polite, and then we were on our way.

 

GC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It says you can request one, just not sure if I should

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Forums mobile app

 

Good to know!

 

It never occurred to us to ask about that.

I wonder what "qualifies" as a "medical" fridge.

(Would they have a medical freezer? I'd assume that was pushing it, but maybe...!??)

 

Thanks.

 

GC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My DD started Humira (injector pen) a few months ago, and will need a dose on our Jan 2019 cruise (if she's still on it). I'm debating if we need to ask for a medical refrigerator -- it will only be the 1 dose, but it won't be given until 5 days in, and I'm not sure if the room fridge will be cold enough. Some people say they're only cooling, but on Adventure in May, any food/drinks we kept in there seemed cold enough.

My daughter takes Humira. It can be stored at room temperature (77 degrees) for up to 14 days, with protection from lifht. You cannot refrigerate it after its warmed. If you contact Humira, they can send a travel pouch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aimovig is 7 days out of the refrigerator so I could take a dose on a future trip. Unfortunately having to take a course of antibiotics put me a week back so I will be taking my first dose this Friday, exactly one week before we leave for our trip. A full month after we had hoped I would. I am really hoping that I won't have anything crazy happen as far as side effects but I am figuring nothing can be worse than the chronic migraines than I have been living and traveling with for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...