Crucial Steps To Pack Injectable Medicines Like Ozempic And Get Them Through TSA

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Only a few years ago, few people had even heard of Ozempic; today, it's a household name. Millions have discovered this wonder-drug, and a KFF report estimates that as many as one in eight adults in the U.S. have used a GLP-1 agonist like Ozempic. Ozempic is a brand name, but it has become shorthand for any GLP-1 drug, which was originally created to treat Type 2 diabetes. As physicians become better acquainted with GLP-1 injections and their potential for weight loss, many patients are trying similar alternatives to Ozempic, such as Wegovy, Saxenda, and Zepbound. This is exciting for people who have tried fad diets, spurts of exercise, and weird gadgets for years and are finally shedding pounds.

The explosive popularity of GLP-1s also means that millions of people are trying self-injection for the first time. This is already an intimidating procedure; jabbing yourself with a needle, no matter how tiny or painless, is a very strange experience and requires some acclimation. Many patients are young and have an understated medical history, so using regular medications — and taking care of them — is a novel regimen. For most people, it's easy enough to refrigerate the drug and take it on an established schedule. But what if you love to travel? Can you carry special drugs on a plane? Will TSA flag you and your hypodermic needle?

In short, you absolutely can take your GLP-1 materials with you; airport security does not want to separate you from your doctor-prescribed treatment. If you're traveling with medications in general, here's what TSA wants you to know. If you're traveling with a GLP-1 drug specifically, you'll just have to follow some crucial steps.

If you're new to traveling with medication, rest assured that you have plenty of company. More than 38 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and about 1.7 million have Type 1 diabetes, a serious chronic condition that usually requires special treatment. For many of these folks, passing through TSA checkpoints with epipens and PICC lines is just a part of life. These medical instruments are life-saving, and users need to carry them everywhere. Some specialized equipment, like wheelchairs and portable oxygen cylinders for people with respiratory issues, are visible to passersby; others, like CPAP machines, are pretty common and probably won't raise an eyebrow when they pass through the X-ray. Some common medicines are actually banned from airports and you should think twice about carrying them. Regular users tend to be well versed in rules and procedures.

In contrast, Ozempic has introduced millions of patients to self-injection. Many of us were raised to feel suspicious or fearful or needles, and carrying one into an airport, along with a drug that we first heard about in 2022, might feel a bit uncomfortable. A GLP-1 is used to diminish your appetite, so you don't crave snacks and are more amenable to smaller portions when mealtimes arrive. In order to maintain this sensation of relative fullness, you need to periodically inject yourself; once per week is a typical schedule. If you break the routine and skip a dose of GLP-1, the withdrawal symptoms are usually minor, but you're likely to get your appetite back — which is why travelers would prefer to keep their medication with them.

The easiest solution is to take the oral version of Ozempic, which comes in pill form and shouldn't raise any alarms. The oral version may require daily swallows, which not every patient is going to love. But you can carry your medication through the airport without a second thought, which will appeal to many travelers.

The liquid form of GLP-1 will require a little more care. You can still carry both bottle and hypodermic needle in your carry-on bag, but you should make sure to alert TSA. This can be as simple as setting your luggage on the conveyor belt, waving over a TSA agent, and saying, "I'm carrying medication." The agent may ask to inspect the bag, and you're wise to keep your GLP-1 liquid in a labeled container, but you should get through without a hitch. This is hardly the oddest thing you can bring through TSA.

Here's the tricky part: If your liquid medication isn't yet opened, you'll need to keep it refrigerated. To help you, luggage companies have designed a wide range of small containers, such as the Himduze cooler travel case on Amazon, which is designed for transporting insulin and is equipped with reusable ice packs and a battery-operated thermometer. Most of these cases are simple and affordable, and you can stow them easily inside a purse or backpack, along with injectors. After Ozempic (and many others) have been used the first time, you can keep the bottle at room temperature, which should ease the process even more. And after a few trips, you should be traveling lighter than ever.