dantm

My son needs to have medications that are refrigerated (but not frozen).

We are traveling from USA to Greece in about 2 weeks and were looking for tips on how to carry these on the plane, during travel in the car, etc., etc.

When we traveled last we used a small plastic container where we put the meds and then used freezer packs on the outside of this to keep everything cool but not frozen (since freezer packs were not touching the meds themselves - they were in a container).

But after about 4-6 hrs of travel things started to warm up - here we have up to 24 hrs of travel before we can get to a hotel with the refrigeration.

Separately, any tips on traveling with meds in the car? Assume it's really hot outside, would it be a cooler with ice packs?

There are some car coolers with a cigarette lighter but I am getting mixed reviews whether they work or not (some say they cool within only specific degrees from the outside temperature). Are there any 'portable refrigerators' or close to that?

Thank you

janisj

Others will have suggestions but while on flights you can always get ice from the flight attendants/galley.

NewbE

You don't say if you used an insulated bag--that is essential, IMO. I haven't transported meds, but I have transported cheese that stayed cool inside an insulated bag with freezer packs. This was on airplanes.

(Can your son's doctor provide tips?)

For the car, I think they make coolers that are better than the el cheapos most of us have for beer. I would invest in one of those, but you'd also be able to stop for fresh freezer packs and/or ice, so that seems less of a problem than the flights to Greece.

Good luck!

dantm

Hi sorry yes I used an insulated bag similar to what the meds come in - inside this bag, I used freezer packs and the meds were packed inside a plastic tube, such that the freezer packs would not touch the meds.

This was from the doctor's tips but I wanted to find out other feedback from veteran travelers as the doctor did not know how long this would last for.

During the flight maybe I can ask the attendants for ice and put it in a bunch of freezer ziploc bags? Any other thoughts?

Thank you!

suze

I'm sure the flight attendants would give you ice for your ziplock bags. But regular ice cubes aren't going to extend the cooling by very long.

janisj

I'd think a baggie of icecubes w/ the air squeezed out and in an insulated bag would be good for at least 3 or 4 hours - maybe more.

dantm

Yes, this would be backup to the freezer packs, insulated bag/cooler/etc. -- it can be replenished with the ice packs made from cubes + ziploc bags, then when at destination toss the entire thing (bag + melted ice) and repeat as necessary.

Once at a hotel or in a fixed location the issue goes away I hope.

suze

When you say "I hope", do you know that your hotel rooms have a mini frig?

dantm

Yes the rooms would have a fridge or the hotels have a means to refrigerate for us if the room would not have the fridge.

thursdaysd

"the hotels have a means to refrigerate for us if the room would not have the fridge."

You have confirmed this with the hotels?

janisj

>>Yes the rooms would have a fridge or the hotels have a means to refrigerate for us if the room would not have the fridge.<<

Unless it is an apartment, fridges in hotels rooms are not all that common. And it is not a given than a hotel will store your meds in their kitchen.

As thursdaysd says -- you should confirm this with every place you are booked.

MmePerdu

I've seen insulated steel bottles for hot & cold drinks advertised on TV that say they keep drinks hot or cold for 24 hours. Using the one I've got, I always start with it cold from the fridge and for the sake of airline security you could surround the meds with something solid, rather than cold packs which may not be allowed, like glass marbles which would be cold but not frozen. I should think something like that would do the trick for the plane ride. Find a good thermos an appropriate size, probably wide-mouth, & test it before you go.