International travel and inr testing

[DachsieMom]

I will need to do some international travel for work - most likely Sweden. I home test and coaguchek calls in results to my cardiologist. I am a little nervous and have a few questions:
1. I want to the my machine, lancets, strips, pen etc. can these be taken on international flights?
2. Does the flight affect Inr?
3. Do I need original prescriptions bottles for medication or doctor letter regarding medication or coaguchek machine (I use a pill box)?
4. Do you wear compression stockings?
I expect to only be gone about 5 days but want to take my testing supplies and extra medication, as you never know when you could get stuck at an airport.
Thank you!!!

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I will need to do some international travel for work - most likely Sweden.

nice place, that's next door (when I am living in Finland). Now I am back in Australia, I hope to go back this May for a year or two (and some backpacking and cross country ski touring. Yes I'll be INR testing out in the boonies.

I home test and coaguchek calls in results to my cardiologist. I am a little nervous and have a few questions:

no need to be nervous. This is exactly why I use the coaguchek XS

1. I want to the my machine, lancets, strips, pen etc. can these be taken on international flights?

I always carry them on my carryon. I of course keep them in the little black (looks like a CD) case they came in. I fly from Australia to Finland and many other destinations in and around Europe. If in doubt contact the airline and tell them its a machine for doing blood tests like a diabetic. Be simple, or you will confuse them. They will hardly even know about INR or warfarin. Use a known comparison.

2. Does the flight affect Inr?

I believe no, certainly not that I have ever seen and not that there is any reason why biochemically. The cabin is pressurised and you will not be on the flight for weeks (if you were living at K2 Basecamp for instance)

3. Do I need original prescriptions bottles for medication or doctor letter regarding medication or coaguchek machine (I use a pill box)?

I have always only used a pillbox for 7 days and taken my bottles. I took a years supply in a brick of amoxicillin to Finland last year because the price there was much higher than here. No one even asked me about it. I had scripts for the antibiotics, not the warfarin.

4. Do you wear compression stockings?

I do, but not for anything to do with INR. From Australia its a long haul (a 13 hour and a 11 hour) flight pair with usually 4 hours in the middle, without the stockings my feet swell up and its uncomfortable. With the stockings its fantastic.

I expect to only be gone about 5 days but want to take my testing supplies and extra medication, as you never know when you could get stuck at an airport.

a minor blip, I go for months and soon perhaps years. Now if you yourself kept accurate records of your INR and you yourself were managing yourself this would not even be an issue because it would just be "business as usual". You would know that your INR was unlikely to change significantly in this period. The food is not This is why I harp on about taking control of these things yourself. Children demand independence ("No mum, I want to do it myself") and somehow when we become adults we lose this streak and are happy to fall into being managed. I'm a stubborn bastard and want to do it myself (yes, even the bathroom floor tiling).

Enjoy your trip

Post a photo later

 

[DachsieMom]

Thank you! This is so helpful. I have not traveled internationally for 25 years.

 

[cewilk]

I will need to do some international travel for work - most likely Sweden. I home test and coaguchek calls in results to my cardiologist. I am a little nervous and have a few questions:
1. I want to the my machine, lancets, strips, pen etc. can these be taken on international flights?
2. Does the flight affect Inr?
3. Do I need original prescriptions bottles for medication or doctor letter regarding medication or coaguchek machine (I use a pill box)?
4. Do you wear compression stockings?
I expect to only be gone about 5 days but want to take my testing supplies and extra medication, as you never know when you could get stuck at an airport.
Thank you!!!

Back in October 2015, I went to Australia for three weeks. I also use a coagucheck INR machine with the same test strips.

Question 1: Yes they can. I have a small black pack that I keep my log book, lancets, test trips, a warafin in. Brought it with me on the carry on no problem.
Question 2: The flight had no affect on my INR whatsoever (14 hour flight from US to Australia)
Question 3. I would recommend original prescription bottles with enough to last you for the duration of your trip. Don't want TSA thinking you're doing anything shady.
Question 4: I didn't. I actually only got up to walk around and use the bathroom twice; I was fine.

The only thing I would recommend keeping an eye on is factoring in the time zone change to adjust to what "new time" you'll have to take your meds. I always take mine around 6pm every day, but traveling to Australia I went forward in time 15 hours, and also crossing the international date line was confusing me a little when I tried to calculate my new dosing time in my head. So while sitting in the airport waiting to board the long flight, 6pm rolled around and I took my warfain and I also started my timer on my watch. After 24 hours, I knew exactly what time of the day in Australia I needed to take it, and I stayed consistent with that time during the trip. As long as you stay consistent, if you start your timer again on the way back to the states, after 24 hours it should be right around the normal time of day you're used to taking it.

I let my INR nurse know I was leaving the country for three weeks and not to expect to hear from me about my INR readings. As long as you're already in the right INR range you should be good for a 5 day trip.

 

[Protimenow]

Warfarin acts slowly. There's no need to take your doses exactly 24 hours apart. Make sure that the batteries in your meter are fresh (although I suspect that AA batteries are probably available worldwide). Personally, I manage my INR, but I've been assigned to an Anticoagulation Clinic so that they feel as if they're actually doing something, and so that I can get a monthly blood draw just to confirm that my meter and the labs are reasonably close. Without the blood draws, I'd trust my meter anyway.

If you miss a dose, don't double up.