Keeping medicines cool on voyage

[Cassie]

I’ve recently been prescribed eye drops that must be kept in a fridge. We’re booked for a 36 hour crossing and I will have 3 months supply with me and need access once during the crossing. 

Does anyone know if Brittany Ferries make any provision for this ?  

[Jim]

You'd be best contacting them directly as I'm sure this won't be the first time this scenario has taken place.

You could also consider one or those powered coolboxes which can operate off a 12v socket in a car and be plugged in the mains in the cabin. Make sure you check though as some may not be designed to run constantly for 3 days.

[IanN]

I would have thought there would be a fridge in the medical room? (ice for sprains etc.)

[Gardian]

We were on an overnight crossing a year or two ago and needed to leave Mrs G’s medication somewhere refrigerated.

The Information Desk didn’t bat an eyelid - I seem to remember that it was a form on which name & cabin number had to be recorded.  We received one part of the form, the other bit was attached to the medication.

Obviously a frequent request (unsurprisingly really) with a sensible and established procedure.

 

[Jim]

I'd hope so. Likewise for insulin storage etc - but BF are definitely best placed to give the definitive answer here.

[wortley]

Cassie, but take your prescription with you in case you need to buy more from a pharmacy in Spain. They will have them.

[Cassie]

Thank you all. I don't want to phone BF as they have enough on at the moment and our sailing is not ( DV) until December. I did want to be able to rest easy that there was a solution to this however and I can now do that.

Thanks again

[Khaines]

This is the sort of thing that could be useful for such things.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Refrigerator-Freezer-Portable-Camping-Beverage/dp/B00W78X5D2

[Cassie]

55 minutes ago, Khaines said:

This is the sort of thing that could be useful for such things.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Refrigerator-Freezer-Portable-Camping-Beverage/dp/B00W78X5D2

Thanks Khaines. We have one of these but don't take it with us in the motorhome ( where we have a fridge which will be turned off on the voyage ) and it would be a bit of a nuisance in a confined space over winter. 

I think they must be keeping the car decks on BF ships much warmer than they used to. Years ago things that we put in the freezer were still frozen when we arrived and our frozen first night meal, in the body of the fridge, was often still fairly solid. We've noticed of late that the fridge gets quite warm and we have not put anything in the frezzer compartment. Hence, I'm not happy to leave my eye drops in there. On the Greek ferries we often get a 16 amp hook-up provided but the extra complications of loading on BF so that that happens are I guess not something they would want to offer.

[spll]

I was prescribed xalaTan latanprost eye drops, which do not need to be kept in fridge just away from daylight and not stored above 25C.

On prescription renewal Boots Pharmacy tried to give me the "must be kept in Fridge"  Yellow box type. I refused and they ordered the  non fridge type (Green box) for me. May be worth checking with your eye specialist.

[Cassie]

2 minutes ago, spll said:

 

On prescription renewal Boots Pharmacy tried to give me the "must be kept in Fridge"  Yellow box type. I refused and they ordered the  non fridge type (Green box) for me. May be worth checking with your eye specialist.

Thank you. I’ll do that. I didn’t know there was a non- fridge version. I was given the original box ( fridge type) by the eye hospital and they sent the prescription through to my surgery for the same thing. 

It would be a huge help to have a version that didn’t need refrigerating.

[straightfeed]

On 02/10/2020 at 15:02, wortley said:

Cassie, but take your prescription with you in case you need to buy more from a pharmacy in Spain. They will have them.

Not just "take" but have the prescription translated into Spanish and French with a tel number of your GP if the dispenser wants to talk to a medic. It also helps to have a precis of any medical problems you have. Carry it in  a bag or purse on your person. I'm always amazed how few people know what drugs they are taking rather than "yes, I'm under the Doctor".

[BobCrox]

They have ice in the bar. You may have to through away the gin.

[Paul W. H]

On 02/10/2020 at 21:35, spll said:

I was prescribed xalaTan latanprost eye drops, which do not need to be kept in fridge just away from daylight and not stored above 25C.

On prescription renewal Boots Pharmacy tried to give me the "must be kept in Fridge"  Yellow box type. I refused and they ordered the  non fridge type (Green box) for me. May be worth checking with your eye specialist.

I'm also on Latanoprost 50mg (Eye Drops) and these have to be stored in a fridge but, once opened they do not need to be refridgerated.

[Cassie]

14 minutes ago, Paul W. H said:

I'm also on Latanoprost 50mg (Eye Drops) and these have to be stored in a fridge but, once opened they do not need to be refridgerated.

You’re absolutely right. I’ve just looked at the instructions in the new box ( green flash) which I got from my pharmacy and started last night and it says it must be stored, in the dark, below 25 deg C but not necessarily in the fridge.

The box I was given at the hospital- same formulation that I could see but different packaging, definitely said store in fridge both open and unopened. I’d assumed the different packaging was simply because it was a different supplier.

Thank you all. It seems I have been worrying needlessly.

[straightfeed]

My Latanoprost drops have a small percentage of Timolol. Does that make a difference to the storage once opened? Mine says fridge not required after opening.

 

[Cabin-boy]

As I understand it, most eye drops don't include any preservative element. This is something to do with the cost and complexity of such a formulation according to what one of my students told me. Therefore most such products come in uni-dose capsules that should be used and then discarded. She told me never to open one capsule and then keep it for a second night as the risk of  bacterial infection increases significantly. I guess the produts are pasturised (or similar) in the packaging. Jonno will probably be able to explain better than I can. I think there are very few which need refrigeration now due to the complications Cassie has explained during travel. Ed

[Cassie]

We wondered whether it had anything to do with it being made in Greece where, in summer, the chances of keeping it below 25 deg C without a fridge are slight. The above seem more likely explanations though.

When I was give a month’s supply at the hospital in September I was told to get it home as soon as possible and put it in the fridge.....!  
 

What an excellent forum this is: ferries and eye drops, travel times and breakfast buns.

[Shipping Forecast]

Many preservatives irritate the delicate cells of the eye.

Most eye treatments are composed of sterile ingredients, as the heat of pasteurisation after manufacturer, can alter the chemical structure making the treatment worse or ineffective.

Single use doses came in to reduce reinfection of the eye and if both eyes, cross contamination between them. This is also why single use contact lens are better.

[kenw]

Can't help with eye drops, but my insulin has survived Eurostar from London, 3 nights Paris hotel and 2hrs Intercités using one of the mini-fridges from Amazon.

And I can confirm that BF have a system in place to store meds in fridge. My friend who is more heavily insulin-dependent than I am routinely goes Portsmouth-Santander and hands over his stock when he boards, and reports that on collection it is always cold to the touch – "too cold for immediate use" he says.