Last Updated on July 3, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Let’s discuss some useful ways in which you can make your travel hassle-free. Insulin cannot be avoided for diabetic persons under any circumstances. So the best way to manage this is to get the insulin packed safely in bags that are insulated. Insulin should not be directly exposed to varying extreme temperatures. The efficacy will be greatly influenced due to fluctuation in temperatures. It has to be kept under cool conditions.
Before any travel, get your blood analysis done for the glucose levels. Take the opinion of your health consultant regarding choosing suitable bags for your travel. Depending upon the severity of diabetes the doctor can advise you regarding the quantity of medicine to be carried along with you.
Tips for Choosing the Best Insulin Cases for Travel
Usually, insulin is stored in insulin bags. It may have compartments to fill the reusable ice gels. Some bags are devoid of compartments, it is safe to use hygienic towels to wrap around the gels. Then insulin can be kept next to it. The best practice is to keep insulin in the innermost compartment of the bag.
Insulin should be ideally stored between 2-8 degrees Celsius or 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit. So while traveling you have to choose a very good storage bag that does not spoil the efficacy of insulin. The temperature also has to be regulated between the required ranges.
There are a lot of storage bags available in the market. But choosing wisely is very essential. You have to clearly understand your specifications & opt for a suitable product. Most often, when it comes to travel, the length of the travel should be prioritized.
If it is a long holiday, necessary precautions have to be taken to carry the insulin. Like the quantity of insulin & the temperature retaining capacity of the bag. The bag should be selected by following all these parameters. It should be lightweight for easy portability. It should safely fit in your handbag. Especially if you are flying. This is very essential to carry in your hand baggage & not in check-in baggage.
For best results
- It is very important not to use a new product initially for your long trip. You can try using them for short journeys & then take them for long travels. This is to get an idea of the product & its quality.
- Also during travel, it should be safely packed in your bags. There is a chance of contamination as you travel to different places.
- It is better to have an alternate option if somethings happens to your insulin bag. Carry another small bag to avoid running out of your medicine.
- Insulin bags come in varying sizes. There are small to medium& large depending upon the requirement of the customers. But on the first hand, you should have a clear idea of what is needed. Then the best choice can be made & you won’t regret it. Sometimes, bags with medium capacities may not fit your long travel.
- This might give you an added stress regarding the spoilage of your medicine. Sometimes you may also find it difficult to get the insulin at your destination. So this is very crucial as it pertains to your health & wellbeing. The insulin bags stay cool from 8 hours to 30 hours. Different bags or cases come with a wide range of temperature retaining capacities.
- Here a thorough analysis is done to help anyone chose their best insulin bags. For journeys more than a day, normally the bags or cases with a 30-hour capacity are preferred. They also come with compartments or pouches for keeping your oral medications. Sometimes the gel ice packs have to be replaced, which means they cannot be used more than once. All these increase the cost of the bag.
- There are reusable options too. In some cases, the temperature is regulated with the help of water. The water-based cooler bags can be used for 4 days which is pretty good for big holidays or camps. There will be multiple pouches or compartments to keep your insulin pens.
- Bags come with coolers that can be reactivated after 24 hours. That’s pretty good for long vacations because you never run out of insulin. It contains cooler pouches for heat-sensitive medications. Many bags are provided with added features to fit customer needs.
- Frio bags are a good example of insulin bags with affordable prices for the features they provide. They maintain the exact required temperature of the insulin to avoid frequent refrigeration. They come in varying sizes. You could choose to fit your travel needs. One or two bags for long travel.
Insulin Travel bags with sensors
There are sensors to detect the temperature of the cooler bag. The insulin has to be preserved at a specific temperature of 2- 8 degrees Celsius. This is checked by the sensors to ensure your insulin stays in optimum conditions.
Most of the time these sensors are linked to your cellular phones. You might also get the temperature updates instantaneously. This is very helpful to make sure that the insulin is live. Sometimes even if the bags are refrigerated, the temperature will not be suitable for the storage of insulin. In such cases, sensors notify you to take necessary precautions.
Tips to use the insulin cases efficiently
Go for affordable insulin bags & follow the instructions clearly. For Type 1 Diabetes, requirements may vary. So the choice has to be made in consultation with your health consultant also a check if the product is overpriced for the features they provide. Mostly as there is a good deal of market competition most of the products give similar features with slight changes or added features
The bags should be a perfect fit for your required quantity of insulin if it is a long or short trip. Extra bags or bags with extra capacities are bliss for unexpected flight delays. So if your option is long travel by bus or air, it is better to opt for bags with multiple features.
The sensors attached can be used to assess the temperature at subsequent stages of your travel. The insulin bag along with the sensor is always a good option. Reusable water coolers are cost-effective in the long run. It is only a one-time expense. But you will never have to worry about replacing it.
Reviewing Top 5 insulin travel bags
Amazon provides a wide range of insulin travel bags. Here let’s discuss the top-rated products. Each product is designed uniquely fitting customer needs. When buying a product it is essential to understand the feedback of the customers using the product. This helps you to make more informed decisions. (https://www.amazon.com/pcr/Best-Rated-Diabetic-Care-Organizers-Travel-Kits-Reviews/3761461)
4ALLFAMILY INSULIN COOLER TRAVEL CASE
What is special about this insulin cooler is that it has three different cooling methods combined in a single product. And what is more interesting is that its capacity is so large that it can carry 6-7 pens simultaneously, yet it has a compact size, and it is easy to carry around.
Combining three different cooling methods in one product gives this cooler an extra boost regarding performance. Laboratory results have shown that when the 4allfamily insulin cooler is tested under constant 104° F, it has managed to keep internal temperature 2° -8° C for 48 hours and 2° -26° C for 68 hours, giving it superb performance in desert conditions.
All this performance boost comes because this cooler comes with a dual lid technology, and when you put in the USB cooling cup, you immediately turn the cooler into a normal minifridge with an active ice pack.
Having such capabilities makes this insulin travel case the perfect choice for long remote trips, such as deserts and air travel while on the plane. Most planes today have a USB socket so you can connect the lid and keep your insulin safe inside the 4ALLFAMILY medication bag. Also, it is designed in such a well-thought manner that it protects privacy at its best. It is so discreet that it looks not medical at all. So, in other words, it is TSA-approved, and security would not give a second glance. Another application where this cooler shine is car trips where again USB lid can transform the cooler into a minifridge. So overall, we can say that the 4ALLFAMILY Insulin cooler is a unique, high-performing & high-capacity insulin travel cooler that would give you peace of mind.
You can also buy it directly from 4ALL Family website with 10% off, by clicking here and entering our exclusive promo code DIABETES10
Frio insulin cooling case, large wallet blue
This product receives great customer appreciation & satisfaction. It is very suitable while traveling to places with flexible temperature gradients. Also, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It works with the activity of water.
The customers opine that during extreme heatwaves, it maintained the coolness & the medicines were not even slightly affected. The instruction for product use has to be strictly followed for the best results.
It required activating every 36-48 hours by submerging in cool water. It can effectively withstand extreme heat also. It exactly serves the purpose as specified. The customer reviews it as a very genuine product. The case can hold 4 pens. Along with insulin, there are also provisions to store your allergic medications safely. During camping or travels, it is highly recommended.
Insulin Travel cooler bag, the medical case with icepack
The product is light in weight & carried in backpacks or luggage. Most of the customer gives good feedbacks that it perfectly fits for long flights. It is very compact & affordable too. It is reviewed 4.8 on 5. The 4 ice pack gels make it cool throughout. The cooling pack is very much efficient for long travel, especially during flights.
The design is simple & there are rooms to carry other medications also. It is cost-effective for the multiple features they provide. The product is highly recommended due to its efficient cooling feature. Non-diabetic patients can also carry other heat-sensitive medications.
SHBC Insulin Travel cooler case
The case is hard to prevent any damage from outside. It has small cooling packs that get easily frozen. It can also accommodate allied diabetic supplies like glucometer which is an added feature of the product. It has a good space for everything. If more medication has to be carried, cold packs can be replaced too. It receives quality ratings of 4.4 on 5. Any other heat-sensitive medicines also can be safely stored in this case. The design is very simple. It is not overpriced. It serves the purpose efficiently. It is a promising product.
Gold Wheat Portable Insulin Cooler Bag
As per the opinion of the customer, it is ideal for small journeys of 3 to 6 hours. The design is excellent & comes with a strong zipper. There are mini pockets for alcohol wipes as well as needles. According to some customers, the cooling effect depends upon the external temperature. Sometimes if there is extreme heat, the cooling effect is not very efficient. The pouches are well designed to keep the things in place without any displacement during travel. The portability receives customers’ appreciation
Which insulin travel bag is best for you?
There are many more similar products available. The product specifications are almost the same for all products. But in such cases, it is mandatory to consider customer reviews. For every product, there are specific reviews. In the case of insulin travel bags, everyone focuses on cooling efficiency & portability.
The design, color, spacing are also greatly looked upon by the buyers. The bags are designed not only for storing insulin but ideal for medicines that require cold storage. This provides a great advantage to non-diabetic clients.
Sometimes, you may find a product that fits all your requirements but it might be a bulky one or less fashionable with an odd color. It may be overpriced also.
Another point to be noted is that it gives room for the storage of other medical supplies. For example allergic medications, alcohol wipes, needles, etc. It is a very good choice for older age group patients also. Many people may not remember to carry their medical accessories during a busy travel schedule. They may be stressed or disorganized. This acts as a lifesaver for such persons. This makes traveling effortless.
Conclusion
Insulin travel bags are a life-changing product for diabetic persons. It enables to travel with confidence anywhere stress-free. It is very important to pick a bag that exactly fits your disease condition & travel hours. The climate of your destination point, possible chances of delay in travel are the things to be aware of.
During purchasing an insulin bag, there should be a clear understanding of your needs. And the product selected should comply or meet your requirements. Sometimes, products may not be satisfactory quality-wise. But then there are numerous other products to try out. And this is the best way to find your perfect insulin travel bag.
Reference
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1663675/
- https://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/21/2/82.short
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/2251-6581-12-59
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673610613748/fulltext
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169260702000378
