WDW with injectable meds?

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I have already found some of the answers to my questions, but I still have a couple MORE questions!

My friend has recently started on medication that must be injected twice daily. The medication must be refrigerated. We are staying at AKL and our TA had them note that we MUST have a fridge for medical reasons so I think we have that angle covered no matter what.

I read on another thread that First Aid has a fridge. What sort of guidelines do they have for storing meds for guests? Guest Services really was clueless about this sort of thing.

I think we will be OK without a Sharps container. He has a travel kit for his supplies that has a little container, or he can use a plastic water or soda bottle like others have mentioned.

How do you go about bringing your supplies (syringes, etc.) through security into the parks? Or is that not allowed? He has a card from his doctor explaining that he needs these supplies to be accessible, and I am sure WDW sees thousands of diabetics or other folks with injectable meds, but I don't know anything about the procedure. We are hoping to be able to schedule his dosing so we will be at the resort, but I want to know all of the rules, just in case. If he does need to bring his meds into the parks what do we need to do? I don't want him to be embarrassed or get into trouble.

Thanks!

 

[SueM in MN]

I have already found some of the answers to my questions, but I still have a couple MORE questions!

My friend has recently started on medication that must be injected twice daily. The medication must be refrigerated. We are staying at AKL and our TA had them note that we MUST have a fridge for medical reasons so I think we have that angle covered no matter what.

All the deluxe resorts have had refrigerators added. I think AKL was one of the first to get refrigerators, so I don't think you will have a problem.

I read on another thread that First Aid has a fridge. What sort of guidelines do they have for storing meds for guests? Guest Services really was clueless about this sort of thing.

We have not stored medications, but from what I have read/been told, the medication has to be in a marked container. The First Aid CMs put medication in a paper bag marked with the guest's name and then put it into storage. When you come back, you give them the name and they give you the medication. Hopefully, someone who has done it can answer for you and give more details.

I think we will be OK without a Sharps container. He has a travel kit for his supplies that has a little container, or he can use a plastic water or soda bottle like others have mentioned.

I have seen people post that you can no longer arrange for sharps containers thru Special Reservations. I would still call Housekeeping to ask if they have any available after you arrive. They were the people who actually brought the sharps containers in the past and they are the CMs who would potentially be in danger if they stopped providing them.
If he takes any doses at the parks, he will be able to do it in First Aid (in a private room with a door and a sharps container).

How do you go about bringing your supplies (syringes, etc.) through security into the parks? Or is that not allowed? He has a card from his doctor explaining that he needs these supplies to be accessible, and I am sure WDW sees thousands of diabetics or other folks with injectable meds, but I don't know anything about the procedure. We are hoping to be able to schedule his dosing so we will be at the resort, but I want to know all of the rules, just in case. If he does need to bring his meds into the parks what do we need to do? I don't want him to be embarrassed or get into trouble.

Thanks!

You don't need anything. It's best if medications are in their original containers (less questions). There are quite a few disABILITIES Board posters who bring injectable medications to the parks with them. Hopefully one of them will post soon.

 

[Selket]

My 4 yr. old son is diabetic (type 1) and has to take insulin. He is on a pump but we carry backup supplies and you should have no problems getting into any of the parks with syringes, etc. They are very used to seeing such items.

I don't know if your friend is diabetic or on some other medication but you do not necessarily HAVE to leave it at First Aid. At least with insulin and insulin pens you can find portable coolers and keep it with you (some small enough to stay in a small bag). You also do not have to go to First Aid to inject insulin or other medications. My son pumps as I said, but when we did injections we just had to draw up the fast acting insulin at the table and give it to him. The wait involved if he was given the injection at First Aid then to get food and eat would have been too long. No one ever seemed to pay any attention to what we were doing.

Of course no problems taking care of everything in First Aid but your friend should not feel like he/she HAS to do it there....just wherever he/she feels more comfortable and fits into the medication schedule.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

This is all good to know! It is our intention to go back for a break each afternoon so it won't be necessary to carry meds along, but if we find that it is more trouble than it is worth we might change strategy. There are a couple of days where we have relatively early ADRs and it might be easier to bring his meds with us.

 

[SueM in MN]

It is our intention to go back for a break each afternoon so it won't be necessary to carry meds along, but if we find that it is more trouble than it is worth we might change strategy.

You will be able to tell better after the first day, when you know how much time/bother it is to return to your resort.
It might also make a difference how early of a start you get in the morning. It's difficult to get my DD (who is disabled) ready early in the morning, so we often don't get to the parks until midmorning and sometimes we plan to get there by 11am and then stay until the park closes. So, for us, a break in the day isn't worth the effort. But, especially if you are starting out early in the day, it may be well worth the travel time.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We are planning to be at breakfast by 7 AM each morning unless we have an ADR for 8 AM in the parks. From what everyone says, in the August heat we'll be ready for a break by about 2 PM. We'll go back to AKL and hang out until it is time to leave for dinner. Theoretically. DH has a very strange schedule at home (he works from 3 AM-1 PM) so he will need a nap each afternoon if we want him to stay awake through dinner. I am usually the one kicking and screaming that I don't want to go back for a break. I think I will enjoy AKL, and hopefully I won't mind going back midday. I am not fond of being rained on, so I bet if I get caught in one of those afternoon thunderstorms I will be much more passive about the break after that!

 

[ducklite]

My guess is that First Aid follows the standard procedures for administering medicine in regards to storage of it...

1. It has to be used/stored by/for the person it's prescribed for with a prescription label attached;
2. It has to be used for the condition indicated;
3. It can't be expired.

Anne

 

[My2Cinderellas]

Selket posted a link a couple weeks ago with specific information on storing Byetta. I don't know if this is the Rx your friend has, but it has very specific storage requirements. the link was a godsend for me, I had started this med a day or two before. I now have a small thermos and a stick thermometer and am ready for travel. I have the free storage from Lilly but it has to be refrigerated and takes up a lot of room. I am using the thermos/ice cube method even for shorter trips.

here's the thread link

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1129438

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Thanks! That is not the med he takes, but the storage tips might be relevant to him anyway. I am not terribly familiar with the drug so I don't know what temp it is supposed to be stored at or how long it can go at higher temps. My friend is on a business trip this week so he is getting his first experience at traveling with his new meds. I will send this thread to him so he can take a look - you never know when you might need to improvise and the thermos tip seems to be a great one!

 

[nanalisa]

Selket posted a link a couple weeks ago with specific information on storing Byetta. I don't know if this is the Rx your friend has, but it has very specific storage requirements. the link was a godsend for me, I had started this med a day or two before. I now have a small thermos and a stick thermometer and am ready for travel. I have the free storage from Lilly but it has to be refrigerated and takes up a lot of room. I am using the thermos/ice cube method even for shorter trips.

here's the thread link

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1129438

My2Cinderellas, I was the OP for your link and you're right,the advice was priceless. I bought my thermos yesterday and DH gave me a thermometer he uses to test the temp of air conditioners in cars. I'm about to give it a test run but I have to say I'm still nervous about it. Glad to hear the thermos method is working for you. It's rather heavy, I don't know if I'm going to carry it in a backpack at the parks or take it to first aid.