Can You Travel With Semaglutide on a Plane?

This article was reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA.

Semaglutide drugs — like Ozempic, Wegovy, and compounded semaglutide — can be a godsend for those with type 2 diabetes or obesity. But when it comes to traveling with semaglutide, things can get a little tricky.

Don’t worry — that doesn’t mean you can never leave the house. You just need to plan ahead to make sure you keep semaglutide cool. Ice packs are your new BFF.

Read on to learn how to travel with Ozempic, Wegovy, or compounded semaglutide.

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Can You Travel With Semaglutide on a Plane?

Yes, you can travel with semaglutide on a plane. There are a few precautions you need to take, though.

First, semaglutide needs to be kept within a specific temperature range to remain stable and effective. Here are the key facts.

So, with those temperature rules in mind, here’s our advice on how to travel with semaglutide on a plane:

• Keep it cool. Use a travel cooler or insulated bag with cooling packs to keep your semaglutide cool. Put your medication back in a fridge as soon as possible (i.e., head straight to your hotel or rental when you land, however tempting a detour to the beach sounds).

• Keep it in your carry-on luggage. Avoid extreme temperatures in the cargo hold and the risk of losing your medication by keeping semaglutide in your carry-on luggage.

• Declare it at airport security. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says you should remove medication from your carry-on when going through security checks so it can be scanned separately. Make sure prescription medication is clearly labeled or in its original packaging with the prescription label. Can you take needles in your checked baggage? You can. TSA guidelines say you can also keep needles and syringes in your checked suitcase.

• Take your prescription with you. Carry your prescription or a doctor’s note with you to avoid problems getting semaglutide through security. Your prescription will also come in handy if you need to get more semaglutide while traveling if your meds are lost or damaged.

BTW, all this advice goes for other weight loss medications that need to be kept cool. So if you’re traveling with Zepbound or Mounjaro (tirzepatide), take notes.

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How Long Can Semaglutide Be Left Unrefrigerated?

As to whether it can be left unrefrigerated, it depends on which type of semaglutide you’re taking.

Unopened Ozempic, Wegovy, or compounded semaglutide left out of the fridge? Check with a healthcare provider to see if it’s safe for you to take it. Depending on how long an injection pen or semaglutide vial is left out of the fridge, you may have to toss it and use a new one.

BTW, semaglutide should be clear, colorless, and free of particles. If it looks colored or cloudy, or if you can see solid particles floating in the solution, don’t use it.

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How Do You Keep Semaglutide Cold While Traveling?

You can use an insulated bag with ice packs or a travel cooler to keep semaglutide cold when traveling.

Even in a cool bag with frozen gel packs, avoid keeping your medication in the hot glove compartment of your car on road trips or placing it in the cargo hold on a plane. These places can make your medication too hot or too cold, potentially spoiling it.

You want to keep it cold, but not ice-cold. Avoid placing semaglutide directly on an ice pack, as you don’t want it to freeze. If frozen, don’t use the medication. You’ll have to toss it out and use a new dose.

Have a plan for where you’ll store semaglutide when you get to your destination. When booking your trip, make sure your accommodations have access to a private fridge.

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What to Do If You Miss a Semaglutide Dose When Traveling

Don’t panic if travel plans mess up your medication schedule. If you miss a dose when traveling with Ozempic or Wegovy, take it as soon as you remember if your next scheduled dose is two or more days away. Then take your next injection on your usual injection day.

Is your next scheduled dose less than two days away? Skip the missed dose and take your next dose on your regular injection day.

If you’re traveling with compounded semaglutide, check the instructions with the medication you’re taking because timings may vary. Or reach out to your prescribing healthcare provider for advice.

To minimize the risk of missing a dose, set a reminder to go off on your phone on the day you should be taking your semaglutide injection. Luckily, you can take it at any time of day, so you shouldn’t have to worry about a new time zone.

Image Credit: Carolina Rudah/istockphoto.

Traveling With Semaglutide: Final Tips

Travel is one of the great joys of life (or great pains of work, depending on how you look at things). Traveling with semaglutide shouldn’t make things harder. But you need to make sure you’re transporting semaglutide at the correct temperature to keep it stable.

So, how do you travel with Ozempic, Wegovy, or compounded semaglutide? Here are our final tips before you go:

• Think about temperature control at all times. Yes, it’s a bit needy, but semaglutide is worth the hassle. Ensure your medication is kept at the right temperature at all points of your travel — in the car, on the plane, and at your hotel or rental.

• Take a few extra doses with you. Make sure you have enough medication for your trip, and take an extra dose or two with you in case one gets spoiled or lost en route.

• Keep it out of light. Temperature isn’t the only worry when traveling with semaglutide. Keep your GLP-1 medication out of direct sunlight, like in a medication travel case. Keep Wegovy in its original packaging and transfer Ozempic and compounded semaglutide quickly from your fridge to your insulated bag. No hanging around in the sun.

• Think about your dosing schedule. You might be used to taking semaglutide at the same time each week. If a long-haul flight or time zone changes make this impossible (no one wants a 4 a.m. injection!), choose a more suitable time and stick to it throughout your trip. You can take semaglutide at any time of day, but aim for the same injection day each week.

• Check medication rules in your travel destination. Before international travel, check the rules for your destination airport ahead of time. Some countries have different restrictions on how much medication you can bring. You should also check the current guidelines from TSA about traveling with injectable medication.

If you’re worried about experiencing nausea or other semaglutide side effects while on the road, consult your healthcare provider about ways to manage it. They might prescribe an anti-nausea medication like Zofran (ondansetron).

This article originally appeared on ForHers.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

Image Credit: Carolina Rudah/istockphoto.