Quick question…I’m taking a month vacation and will bring 4 Enbrel auto-injectors along. I’m concerned they won’t stay as cold as they should during the trip (they’ll be in a suitcase for at least 10 hours from the time we leave home until we reach our final destination). Two doses will be used within two weeks, which is fine because Enbrel can be at room temp 14 days. It’s the other two I’m worried about.
Can anyone tell me what they do to keep their Enbrel cold during a trip (I don’t want to add too much bulk to my belongings—we have a refrigerator at the hotel).
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In Aus, you just call the Enbrel support line and they will send you fancy cold packs for travel for free, including ice bricks to put in the freezer. Supposed to keep them cold for 24 hours. Can you do that there too?
Also here I was told 4 weeks was ok, as long as they remain cool (Like 25 deg C or less) in transit (though that was a long time ago, so may be wrong now). I had a 44 hour transit time, and they still seemed to work for me on week 3!
Hope your vacation is fabulous 
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Thank you, Jen, I have some of the ice “bricks” that come with my Enbrel shipments. I don’t want to pack styrofoam around it though, but hopefully wrapping it in a towel with the ice brick will do the trick.
I have an insulated medi-bag that the ice bricks go in to along with the syringes/autoinjectors. Belt and braces I always wrap my syringes in bubble wrap as well. Ha ha I even store mine like this in the fridge (minus the ice bricks. Think I got my medi-bag on Amazon. Have a good trip!
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What I meant was that Enbrel send you a custom-made insulated travel bag with Enbrel branding and ice bricks that fit inside zip compartments, probably easier if you have to go through security than a towel, if you have the time to call them. I’d be surprised if a towel is not fine though if you’re driving.
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I had to travel with it. Reused the cold packs. They should be good for ten hours in your travel bag Enbrel should have sent you at start of treatment. I always carry quart storage bags. That way you can ask for ice on airplanes if you need it for meds.
Hi @Grandma_J! @Jen75 is correct that patient support will send you a travel pack–a pouch with the right sized ice packs for your meds (so they won’t freeze or get too warm). Carry them in your hand luggage (in case your suitcase disappears). And put the meds in a fridge ASAP when you get to your destination. I did this on a trip to China and the meds were OK. I was able to refreeze the ice packs and use them on the shorter flights between locations. And yay you for the month-long vaycay!!
Hi everyone!
Sorry I didn’t get back to this discussion sooner! We’ve been on vacation now since March 1. It’s been a busy 10 days as a couple of our kids and several grandkids were here with us for the first 6 days…since then, we’ve been doing all kinds of stuff—enjoying this island and other places close by.
I ended up putting a box of 4 Enbrel autoinjectors between two ice packs in a plastic baggie wrapped in a towel in the middle of my checked suitcase. It was still cold when I opened my suitcase in the hotel 11 hours later!
All is well!
Thanks for the great suggestions!
Still. You should order the travel kit when you get home anyway. It’s really nice. I don’t use Enbrel anymore, but I do still use the pack for my other bios anytime I need to travel. Super handy and super free.