Travelling with Victoza doesn’t have to be daunting! Whether you’re off on a quick holiday break or a globetrotting adventure, it’s perfectly possible to keep your medication safe and effective.
But let’s be honest, Victoza pens can be a bit particular about their temperature requirements. That’s why we’ve compiled this friendly guide to help you keep your Victoza cool while you travel, and make sure you're complying with airline regulations across the UK and beyond!
How to Travel with Victoza
Good news: your Victoza pens can travel with you wherever you go! Diabetic supplies, including injectable medications like Victoza, are allowed through airport security and across international borders. A little preparation, though, goes a long way towards ensuring a stress-free trip.
Related article: Travelling with Diabetes: Your Checklist and All You Need to Know Before Departure!
Top Tips for Travelling with Diabetes
Travelling with diabetes might feel overwhelming, but millions of people do it successfully every day, be it within the UK or internationally.
The secret? Planning ahead. When you organise your medical supplies, travel documents, and healthy snacks in advance, you’ll set yourself up for a smooth journey.
Let’s face it, travelling can disrupt our usual diabetes routines, but with a bit of foresight, you can handle blood sugar management like a pro, wherever you go.
Related article: 12 Great Diabetic-Friendly Snack Ideas for Travellers!
Things to Consider When Travelling with Victoza
Managing Victoza while on the move adds a few extra considerations to your travel set up. Here are the key points to keep in mind:
- Keeping it cool: Victoza pens must be refrigerated before use and protected from heat once opened. A quality travel cooler can help you maintain the right temperature, no matter the climate.
- Time zone changes: Travelling across time zones? Speak with your GP or diabetes specialist about adjusting your injection schedule to ensure consistency.
- Airport security: Victoza pens and needles are allowed through airport security, but carrying documentation can speed up the process. More on that later!
- Border regulations: Most countries allow personal-use medications, but it’s always worth checking the specific rules of your destination when travelling abroad.
How to Keep Victoza Cool When Travelling
The biggest challenge when taking your Victoza Pens on holiday? Keeping your them stored at the right temperature. Here’s the rundown:
- Refrigeration: Before first use, Victoza must be stored refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C.
- Room temperature: Once opened, pens can be stored at room temperature, below 30°C for up to 30 days.
Whether you’re heading to a sunny destination or just out for a day trip, investing in a reliable cooling case is essential.
Medical-grade coolers, like those from 4AllFamily, are specifically designed to protect sensitive medications like Victoza while on the move.
Related article: How to Store Your Victoza Pens at Home: Refrigeration vs. Room Temperature Practices!
Controlling Victoza temperature on excursions
Carrying your Victoza pen at a safe temperature while on excursions or travelling can be tricky, whether you're jet-setting to distant lands or enjoying a local afternoon adventure. Picture a sunny day at the beach, a hike bathed in sunlight, or a leisurely stroll around town. Even unexpected scenarios like a sudden power outage can disrupt your refrigeration plans and ruin your Victoza injections in a few hours only, making you lose hundreds of dollars worth of medicine and, worst, putting your health at risk!
So, when travelling or away from home, protecting your Victoza pen from heat and direct sunlight, particularly when temperatures exceed 30°C, becomes crucial. Fortunately, there are several solutions available to address this issue:
- If your excursion is a day trip and your usual injection time falls in the morning, consider administering your dose before leaving. Leave your pen safely stored in a cool place, either at home or in your hotel room.
- But if you need to carry your Victoza pen with you, either because your injection time falls during the trip or you'll be away for multiple days, investing in a travel cooling case makes no doubt.
Related article: Camping with Insulin: Diabetes supplies, Insulin Coolers & Healthy Camping Foods.
Victoza Travel Case Coolers
When it comes to travel coolers to carry your Victoza Pens, you have options:
- Refrigerated cooling cases and mini travel fridges: Perfect for unopened pens that need fridge-level temperatures. These include the Voyager Mini Travel Fridge, the Explorer 3-in-1 Travel Cooler, and the Nomad Refrigerated Cooling Cases.
- Room temperature coolers: Ideal for opened pens that need to stay below 30°C. These include the Chillers Cool Pouches, The Rambler Small Pen Case, and the Companion Medical Cool Bag.
All our medical-grade travel coolers are approved for air travel within the UK, EU, and beyond!
Can You Take Victoza on a Plane?
Flying with injectable medications like Victoza might sound tricky, but it’s easier than you think.
Let's start with the basics: Can you actually bring Victoza pens on plane? Absolutely, yes! You can take Victoza or any medicine onboard with you. It's even super important to keep your medication and diabetes supplies in your carry-on luggage to avoid temperature fluctuations in the hold and loss of luggage issues.
According to the CAA, the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK, "Essential medicines are allowed in your hand luggage. If the medicine is a liquid, and the amount of liquid is more than 100ml, please carry either a prescription with your name on it or a letter from a medical professional confirming your need for the medical or dietary liquids".
While not obligatory when travelling within the UK, when flying with Victoza, you should get a letter from your GP or diabetes specialist to transit smoothly through airport security and customs. It is also good practice to take a copy of a recent prescription with you, especially when travelling abroad with medications.
You're also allowed to carry your needles (used and unused) on flights across the UK. However, unused needles must be sealed and accompanied by your Victoza pen (as proof of medical need), while used needles should be carried in a sharps bin or similar puncture-resistant container.
Related article: All You Need to Know About Travel Sharps Containers for Handling Used Needles During Travel!
Final Thoughts
Travelling with Victoza is totally doable with a bit of preparation. Invest in a reliable cooling case, plan your medication schedule, and don’t forget to pack extra supplies. Safe travels—you’ve got this!
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Share your experiences or questions in the comments below. Bon voyage!
