For many women on their fertility journey, it can be a difficult experience managing and administering your fertility medication when you are at home… but what about when you are traveling?
With the summer travel season now upon us, below are 9 tips to traveling with your fertility medication. We encourage patients to schedule their travel plans before or early in the stages of stimulation when your monitoring appointments are less frequent.
1. Talk to your nurse
Before making plans to travel, discuss your cycle timeline with your nurse so you understand times in which you will need to come in for monitoring.
2. Plan ahead
In preparing for your trip, plan out the amount of medication you will need. Especially during holiday weekends, most mail order pharmacies cannot guarantee next-day delivery. Make sure you have a well-stocked supply of medications before the start of a weekend, even if you are not going out of town. If you feel that you may require additional medication, please call your nurse to discuss the extra amount necessary. Additionally, you may need to contact your insurance company to receive authorization for the extra medication.
When planning for your trip, it is important to identify a monitoring site at your destination that is able to provide your clinical staff at NCCRM with same-day bloodwork and ultrasound results as you progress through your cycle.
3. Ask for necessary documentation
If traveling by plane, especially internationally, contact your nurse to provide you with a letter that allows you to carry your medication and supplies, such as needles, in your carry-on through airline security. It is recommended that you contact the airline, or check the airline’s website for appropriate ways to travel with your medication and any syringes or needles required.
4. Bring important contact information
Don’t forget to pack contact information for Shady Grove Fertility and your pharmacy in the event your medication is lost or you need more while you are on vacation.
5. Have a plan B
When traveling internationally, work with your nurse to locate any mail-order or local fertility pharmacies that can refill a prescription if you are in a pinch.
6. Do not pre-load syringes
To protect your medication, do not load syringes until it is time to administer the injection. Medication in the syringes can be bumped and knocked causing them to leak.
7. Pack your medications correctly
Pack your medication in a plastic, zipper-like bag with your prescription. Be sure to package them appropriately so they are not broken or damaged. Pack any supplementary supplies you may need, like gauze and alcohol wipes. If your medication requires refrigeration, be sure to package it an insulated cooler with ice packs. Once you have arrived at your destination transfer the medication to the refrigerator and your ice packs to the freezer in case you have any medication at the end of your trip to bring home.
8. Bring your trigger shot…just in case
If your cycle is getting close to when you may need to use your trigger shot, be sure to bring your HCG or Lupron with you.
9. Be safe with used syringes
Be sure to dispose of used syringes appropriately by disposing in your Sharps container. You may also want to check with a local hospital or sanitation department to determine how to dispose of them while traveling.
For answers to additional questions you may have about traveling with your medication during a treatment cycle, please contact your nurse at NCCRM.
Safe travels!
