Storing and travelling with pens

Every UK patient information leaflet has a section 5 headed "How to store" the medicine. For Wegovy and Mounjaro that section gives the temperature range for the fridge, the temperature limit and the number of days a pen can be kept out of the fridge once it is in use, and the instruction that the medicine must not be frozen. The figures differ between the two medicines and between pen types, so this article quotes none of them. Read the section for the pen you have.

What to check in the leaflet before a trip

• The fridge range for pens that have not been used yet.
• How long a pen in use can stay at room temperature, and the temperature limit for that period.
• Whether the leaflet says to keep the pen in its carton or with the cap on to protect it from light.
• The instruction not to freeze the medicine, and not to use a pen that has been frozen.

Count the days you will be away against the in-use period, and remember that the clock starts at the first injection from that pen, not when you leave. Writing the date of first use on the box is a simple habit. The pharmacy that dispensed the medicine can confirm anything the leaflet leaves you unsure about.

Keeping pens cool in transit

The leaflet's instruction not to freeze rules out ice. Members of the community describe an insulated pouch with a cool pack that has not been frozen, with something between the pack and the pen so they never touch. Pens travel in hand luggage, where you control the temperature and the bag stays with you. A car left in the sun goes the other way, so keep the pen with you instead of in the glove box.

If you are staying somewhere for longer than the in-use period, you need a fridge at the other end. Ask the accommodation in advance. In a shared or unfamiliar fridge, keep the pen away from the freezer compartment and the cold back wall, where items can freeze.

Papers to carry

• The medicine in its original box, with the dispensing label that carries your name and the pharmacy's details.
• A copy of your prescription or a letter from your prescriber confirming the medicine and that you need to carry needles. Ask the pharmacy or the prescriber for one before you travel.
• The leaflet, which is in the box.

The UK government's hand luggage guidance says essential medicines, and medical equipment you need for the trip, including hypodermic syringes, can be carried in hand luggage, and that medical equipment is screened separately. For liquid medicines in containers over 100ml it says you need proof that the medicine was prescribed for you, such as a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription. Pens are smaller than that, and carrying the same proof keeps the conversation at security short. Airports outside the UK apply their own rules.

Going abroad

Some countries restrict which medicines travellers can bring in and in what quantity, and some ask for a doctor's letter. Check the entry rules of the country you are visiting before you go; the UK government's foreign travel advice has a health section for each country. Keep the medicine in hand luggage and in its box throughout, and bring enough for the trip plus a margin for a delayed return.

Time zones and the weekly day

A long trip can mean crossing several time zones on the day of your injection. The leaflets say the injection day can be changed if necessary as long as a minimum number of days has passed since the last injection, and they give that number. Read it before you leave and ask the pharmacist if the trip makes the timing awkward. The reminder in the Dose Club app is a local notification, so it needs no connection, and the dose log works offline.

Sharps away from home

Used needles need a sharps container on the move as well as at home. Small travel sharps bins exist, and the pharmacy can advise. Never put a used needle in hotel or aircraft waste.

Sources

• Wegovy and Mounjaro patient information leaflets, section 5, electronic medicines compendium: medicines.org.uk/emc
• UK government guidance on hand luggage restrictions at UK airports, essential medicines and medical equipment (gov.uk)
• UK government foreign travel advice by country (gov.uk)

This article is information, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber about your treatment.