Traveling with medicines calls for planning

No matter how you travel, it’s still you going.

— Actor Jeff Goldblum ROSEMARY BOGGS

It’s no secret that air travel has gotten to be rather involved, what with the regulations and limitations set in place for our safety.

Many people have basic questions and concerns, but what about those who travel with medication?

Start with the website of the Transportation Safety Administration (tsa.gov). There is a lot of information, and it’s coming straight from the horse’s mouth.

There’s a large section concerning traveling with disabilities and medical conditions. That includes medicines, braces and orthotics, and devices.

First and foremost, inform the TSA officer that you have medications and separate them from other belongings. Also declare accessories associated with the medications, such as freezer packs, IV bags, pumps and syringes. The TSA says labeling can help facilitate the screening process. And leave prescription medications in their labeled bottles. Items like nebulizers and CPAP machines are allowed in carry-on bags but will undergo X-ray screening.

If traveling outside the country, the website of Mobility International USA (miusa. org), has a lot of useful information.

First and foremost, they say, know your medication dosages and medical history. Have an adequate supply, and protect it by not carrying it all in one place, especially if it’s something you cannot live without.

Find out about the process of getting one of your medications in another country if you need it. Bring translated documentation and the generic name from your home doctor. Be aware that some medications are illegal to take or buy in another country. Having the original, labeled container along with the prescription form could help.

If you take any pre-trip vaccinations, make sure they can be taken simultaneously with your current medications. And if you have a medical condition, wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace.

In an emergency, an American embassy could be of assistance. For a list of embassy, consulates and missions go to usembassy.gov.

As a diabetic, I know there are many things that can affect us when it comes to medication and travel. For detailed information, go to the website of the American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org).

Insulin doesn’t have to be refrigerated, but extremes in temperature can affect the strength. Some medications need refrigeration at very specific temperature ranges. Know the optimal temperature range for safety and effectiveness.

Try to reserve hotel rooms with a refrigerator. Check the temperature if you can. Many hotel room versions do not cool down enough for biological medications.

When away from refrigeration, there are many styles of insulated cooler bags, with ice or gel packs, on the market. You can use ice, but it could melt and get into your medication. Put the gel packs or ice into resealable freezer bags in case of leakage. In a pinch bags of frozen fruit or vegetables from a store can be used.

Some of the medical coolers come with a thermometer built in, or you can get a refrigerator version with a remote sensor to keep an eye on the temperature without opening the bag. Be vigilant about replacing the ice and monitoring the temperature. Take extra freezer bags or cold packs. If you’re traveling for several hours or days without access to refrigeration, fill the bags with ice along your travels, say from a restaurant or convenience store.

When in doubt, check to see if the medication can be stored at room temperature. Be conscious of where you set your cooler. No hot cars or direct sun. Keep it in a cool dark location or with you at all times.

If the drug begins to taste or smell bad, changes color or texture, or show any other signs of breaking down, it is probably no longer as effective as it should be.

rboggs@arkansasonline.com CONLEY BYRD III

The David’s Trail Endurance Run 50K and 25K will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Rocking Chair Resort in Mountain Home. A 7K event will follow at 10 a.m.

New this year is an 11K night run at 8 p.m. Friday. Participants must have a flashlight or headlamp.

This is the second year for the 50K (31.75-mile) footrace. (A 40K was scheduled in 2016, but the lake rose and flooded part of the course.)

The course loops around Robinson Point Park before it becomes an out-and-back through Panther Bay Park, across the Arkansas 101 Bridge, turning left at Bidwell Point Park and heading northwest on the trail past Take It Easy Resort.

Racers will have nine hours to complete the 50K. There will be checkpoints at Miles 18.25 and 26.25 where runners who aren’t keeping at least a 16:20 minutes per mile pace will be pulled.

All 50K and 25K finishers will receive awards. First-place finishers will be recognized by sex and age group. Cash purses are up for grabs for the first person to cross the finish line in each distance.

Online registration is available until 11:59 p.m. Thursday. The 7K costs $40; the 11K costs $50; the 25K costs $70, and the 50K is $90.

Packet pickup and on-site registration will be 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Rocking Chair Resort, 278 County Road 763. Race-day packet pickup will be 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.

Organizers say race proceeds will be used to help extend David’s Trail, which is named for David Floyd, a Mountain Home financial adviser who died in 2006. Construction of the trail, which began in 2008, is a joint effort of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the David’s Trail Foundation. When complete, the trail will be a more-than50-mile network through public lands around Lake Norfork.

See davidstrailendurancerun.com.

cbyrd@arkansasonline.com