Traveling with refrigerated medications like Wegovy can seem daunting at first. You might be wondering, can you fly with Wegovy, or how do you manage such injections and needles under TSA guidelines? Can you cross international borders with semgalutide? Or, maybe you're concerned about keeping your Wegovy pens cold while traveling or on the move.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this! Our guide is here to help. We’ve gathered expert advice to answer these important questions, ensuring you can travel safely, with confidence and keep your medication effective, no matter where your journey takes you.
Related article: Does Wegovy Need to Be Refrigerated? How to Store Your Pens?
Curious to learn more? Check out the video below!
Traveling with Wegovy: Pre-Departure Checklist!
Before you pack your bags and head out with your Wegovy pens, it’s always best to make sure you’re fully prepared for a hassle-free journey. Traveling with Wegovy involves thoughtful preparation beyond just packing your medication.
Here is your essential predeparture checklist to consider before you travel with Wegovy:
- Wegovy refrigeration and travels: The primary challenge when traveling with Wegovy is ensuring your injection pens are transported at the right temperature. Whether you're traveling by car, plane, or train, keeping Wegovy refrigerated if it's still sealed, or cool if it has been opened, is crucial.
- Consult Your Doctor: Before departure, discuss your travel plans with your healthcare provider. They can answer questions about your fitness to travel or may help adjust your injection schedule, particularly with time zone changes.
- Travel Documentation: Depending on your destination, you may need to carry essential documentation like a doctor’s note explaining your need for Wegovy, along with any prescription labels, especially if you’re traveling overseas.
- Packing Essentials: Make sure to compile a comprehensive list of all your medications and essential supplies for Wegovy, including needles. Always bring enough for the entire duration of your trip, plus a little extra in case of unexpected delays or extensions of your stay. Double-check your medication supply before you leave!
- Wegovy Diet Plan: Sticking to your Wegovy weight-loss diet plan can be tricky when traveling. If you have time, investigate local food options and restaurants before departure, to ensure you continue managing your weight effectively while away from home.
- Travel Insurance: Before traveling with Wegovy, it's wise to secure travel insurance that covers medical treatments and medication loss. Ensure that your policy includes coverage for Wegovy and any related health care needs, especially when traveling to foreign destinations.
- Local Drug Regulations: Research the legal regulations concerning medication transport and use in your destination country. Some countries have specific restrictions or requirements for bringing prescription medications across borders, although semaglutide is generally accepted in all countries.
- Backup Plan: Before traveling with Wegovy, it’s also good to have a back up plan for your medication. Know where you can get additional supplies if you lose yours or if it’s gone bad because of heat exposure or incorrect storage. Have contact information for clinics or pharmacies at your destination that carry your medication. Carry a list of emergency contacts, including your doctor and pharmacist’ s contact information.
- Be Prepared for TSA Screenings: Prepare for security screenings at airports. Have your Wegovy pens packed properly (more information below) and any travel documentation you may need.
- Local Language: Learn or note key phrases in the local language related to your medication and medical condition to ease communication if needed.
Now, don't worry—we'll cover these points one by one below!
Related article: A Step-by-step Guide to Injecting Wegovy the Right Way.
Wegovy Travel Cases
Keeping Wegovy cool when traveling isn’t just a good idea—it’s absolutely essential. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in your Wegovy pens, can lose its effectiveness if it’s not stored properly, and that’s the last thing you want on your travels!
That’s why having a medical-grade travel cooling case is necessary. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about protecting your health. In the next few sections, we’ll walk you through the best travel cases and tips for keeping your Wegovy perfectly chilled, whether you're crossing cities or continents.
Related article: How To Travel with Semaglutide: Your Complete Guide!
Wegovy Refrigeration and Travels
Before we dive into how to keep Wegovy cold during travels and what travel case to choose, let's review the storage instructions provided directly by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer:
- Storage Instructions: Unopened Wegovy pens must be refrigerated at temperatures between 36°F and 46°F (2°C- 8°C). Once opened, they can be stored at room temperature, but not exceeding 86°F (30°C), and must be used within 28 days.
- Temperature Excursions: Temperature fluctuations should be avoided when traveling. Short-term excursions outside the recommended storage temperatures can compromise the medication's efficacy.
These storage guidelines lead to two distinct temperature storage scenarios when traveling with Wegovy:
- Short Trips: If you're traveling for less than 28 days and can maintain your Wegovy pens at room temperature, ensure they are protected from heat, particularly if the ambient temperature might exceed 86°F (30°C). In that case, a medical-grade cooling case is recommended.
- Long Trips or Large Supplies of Wegovy: If you're traveling for more than 28 days, or have stocks of unopened pens that you won't use within that time frame, you need to keep them refrigerated throughout your journey. In that case, you’ll need a refrigerated travel case to transport your Wegovy pens.
Related article: Switching from Wegovy to Zepbound: What You Should Know.
Refrigerated travel cases for Wegovy pens
When you need to keep your Wegovy pens refrigerated while traveling, investing in a medical-grade refrigerated travel case is a no brainer. Here are some top choices:
- The Voyager USB Portable Travel Refrigerator can transport up to 5 Wegovy pens refrigerated between 36-46°F (2-8°C) indefinitely when connected to a power source like a travel power bank or a car’s cigarette lighter. If there's no power available, its alternative freeze pack function can keep your Wegovy pens refrigerated for up to 33 hours and cool below 80°F (26°C) for 52 hours. It's our most advanced refrigerated travel case, featuring an integrated thermostat and a temperature display screen.
- The Explorer 3-in-1 Medicine Travel Cooler is another great option for carrying up to 5 refrigerated Wegovy pens. It offers 3 different cooling methods (USB power, freeze packs, or both simultaneously). It keeps your medication refrigerated for up to 52 hours and cool below 80°F (26°C) for 72 hours.
- For more compact refrigerated travel cases for Wegovy, the Nomad Portable Cooling Cases are perfect. Using Biogel freeze packs (no electricity required), these cooling cases can store up to 5 Wegovy pens (Big cooler) or 2 Wegovy pens (Medium cooler) and keep them refrigerated.
- You may also like the Pioneer Travel Refrigerator for Medicines, which allows for the transportation of 2 Wegovy pens at fridge temperature indefinitely when plugged to USB power, or for up to 10 hours on battery.
Cooling cases to transport opened Wegovy pens
Now, as mentioned above, if you’re traveling for less than 28 days or only with Wegovy pens that will be used within this time frame, you do not need a refrigerated travel case. A simple cooling case that protects your Wegovy pens from heat and keep them cool below 86°F (30°C) is sufficient.
In that case, we recommend using one of the following travel case coolers to transport your Wegovy pens:
- The new Chiller Insulated Travel Pouches are ideal for keeping 1 to 4 Wegovy pens cold while traveling. These cooling bags utilize evaporative cooling technology to protect your medication from heat for over 45 hours. And all you need is water!
- If you need to carry up to 5 Wegovy pens, have a look at the Companion Insulated Medical Cooler Bag which work with Biogel Freeze Packs and keeps your injections cool below 80°F (26°C) for 14 hours of travel.
- The Rambler Small Travel Case Cooler is also a great compact storage solution to travel with one Wegovy pen. You’re in-use pen will be kept cool for up to 16 hours.
Should you have any doubts regarding our travel cases for Wegovy, feel free to contact us or leave a comment below. We're here to help ensure your medication remains safe and effective throughout your travels!
More Tips To Keep Wegovy Cold While Traveling
Beyond using a medical-grade travel case, the following tips can help you keep your Wegovy pens cold when traveling:
- Always keep your Wegovy pens in the shade.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
- Use a thermometer to keep track of temperatures.
- Only carry your medicine if you have no other choice. When possible, leave it at home or in your hotel room.
- Never place a Wegovy pen near a heat source (fireplace, barbecue, hot plate, oven, burner, etc.)
- Do not leave your injections in the car. The temperature inside can soar and quickly deteriorate your semaglutide injections.
If you suspect your Wegovy pen has been exposed to high temperatures, even briefly, or has been unrefrigerated for over 28 days, it’s safer not to use it. Replace it with a new one and consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist for guidance.
Related article: How to Travel with Ozempic: Travel Cases and Flying Tips!
Flying with Wegovy
Having covered how to keep your Wegovy cold while traveling, let's navigate another crucial aspect of traveling with your semaglutide injections: flying with it. Let’s understand the rules and regulations for air travel with Wegovy to ensure you have a hassle-free journey.
Can you take Wegovy on a plane?
First things first, let’s confirm that you are allowed to fly with Wegovy pens. But there are some rules you should be aware of before packing your weight-loss medication for airplane travel, especially regarding the TSA regulations.
Related article: How to travel with syringes and injectable medications
Wegovy and TSA regulations
The Transport and Security Administration (TSA) regulations for travelers with medications are clear: you can bring your medicine on board.
Fortunately, liquid restrictions don't apply to injectable medications like Wegovy, meaning you can bring as many pens as needed for your stay, directly in your carry-on luggage. It’s even wise to pack extra pens in case of travel delays or cancellations.
You’re also allowed to bring both used and unused needles necessary for your Wegovy injections, but used needles need to be transported in sharps containers or similar safe disposals.
Related article: TSA Regulations for Diabetics: Traveling with Diabetes Supplies & Insulin.
How to transport Wegovy on a plane?
- Always pack Wegovy in your carry-on: Always keep your Wegovy pens and medical supplies in your carry-on bag to avoid the risks associated with checked baggage, such as extreme temperatures in the hold or baggage loss.
- Keep it in its original container: when flying with medications like Wegovy, ensure that the labels are visible and readable. This helps TSA agents quickly identify your medication, streamlining the security process. Plastic zip bags are not required for medication.
- Make sure your Wegovy travel case is TSA-approved: If you’re carrying your Wegovy pens in a cooling case, make sure it’s TSA-approved for air travel. For instance, the ones from 4AllFamily are all TSA-approved, so you can fly with your meds.
- Divide your supplies: If possible, divide your medication into two separate bags to ensure you have a backup in case one is inaccessible during the flight, or gets lost or stolen at the airport.
Traveling internationally with Wegovy
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in your Wegovy pens, is a widely used medicine available in most countries around the world, so you shouldn’t face any particular issue when crossing international borders.
However, before traveling overseas, consider inquiring about traveling with medication to the local representatives (embassy or consulate). These documents can be required or at least help make the border crossing and custom checks smoother:
- A letter from your doctor stating why you’re taking Wegovy
- A copy of your medical prescriptions specifying the dosage
- A medical health card
- Proof of travel insurance
If you’re unsure, it may be helpful to contact the local embassy or consulate of the countries you'll be visiting to verify that your carry of Wegovy is in compliance with their laws. This can prevent potential legal issues at customs.
Related article: Tips for Traveling with Medication Internationally.
We’d Love to Hear From You!
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below—whether about your travel experiences with Wegovy or tips you’ve found helpful. Let’s learn and grow together!
Article Last Updated on June 3, 2024
