How do you pack Insulin Supplies??

[labfan]

Posted this on the Transportation thread first but figured I might get more answers here.
This will be the first time we have flown since 9-11 and all the security rule changes. We have to bring my son's insulin, syringes, tester, lancets, & test strips.
These will definitely be going in our carry on. Can not take a chance with them in the checked luggage as they are a medical necessity.

Any suggestions on how these should be packed? Would you bring the box of syringes with the RX on it or leave the box home? Would a note from the doctor be recommended?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Have your doctor give you a note for the supplies, as well as to be able to bring on juice, snacks, etc. We put everything in a bag that fit into my son's backpack, and put the note right on top of everything. We had his pump, extra pods, meter, insulin, extra syringes, test strips, glucagon, juice boxes, and crackers. Nobody in security for either flight ever batted an eyelash.

The only thing we had trouble with was getting my son (who was 2) to walk through the scanner by himself They had me go through, and then go back through to get him and walk through with him. They were afraid his pod would set it off, but it didn't

 

[SueM in MN]

If you follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, you will find that one link is about Air Travel and has links to the TSA site that back up what the previous poster wrote.
(Post #1 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread is an index that will tell you which post to find the travel information).

Remember it is your first time traveling with all these things, but the TSA agents see them every day (probably many times). Medical supplies are a necessity and there are rules that allow them to be brought along.

You are correct that you don’t want to pack any medical supplies in your checked baggage (unless you have so many that you can’t possibly carry them on). Medical supplies packed in a suitcase by themselves are not counted toward your baggage or carry on allowance by the airline. If you have a suitcase with mostly other things and a few medical supplies, that does not apply, but as long as it is all medical supplies, it will be OK.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I normally take at least five airline round trips a year.

I have one bag that goes in my carryon which has in it all my pills, sorted by day, for the entire trip plus a spare day. In that bag I also put in more than enough syringes and pen needles for the entire trip lus some spares as well as alcohol swabs. That bag always goes through the X-Ray and I have never been questioned about it.

I would suggest going to www.coolerconcept.com and looking at the Frio Cold Packs. There are several people in this forum, myself included, who use them.

These are gel packs that are water activated. They will keep the internal temperature at insulin-safe levels for over 40 hours. As the water evaporates you can just soak it in water for a few minutes to reactivate it. They come in various sizes.

For example, I have a "double wallet". Depending on what I am doing it will hold my Byetta pen as well as one or two insulin pens and two insulin vials. And I have never had any problems with TSA over it.

 

[daneenm]

We carried everything in our carryon bag and DS's everyday supply bag (a Small backpack that he carries at all times). Extra supplies were in the boxes with the Rx label. It was too much to fit on the quart sized bag, and that was OK. I was sure to alert the x-ray person to the fact that we had T1D supplies and they barely batted an eyelash. I also kept a copy of the TSA rules with me printed from their website right before we left, just in case someone questioned us - never needed it.

BTW, a great site for helping with the standard T1D in WDW questions is done by a member of these boards...

http://allears.net/pl/diabetes.htm

Check it out, I found it really helpful!

 

[knieriem]

I've never had problems traveling with supplies. It's kind of scary knowing they don't even bat an eyelash at it all!

 

[daneenm]

It's kind of scary knowing they don't even bat an eyelash at it all!

I think they can tell what they are looking at, and when you put it in context, it makes sense to them.