A Suggestion for Keeping Medications Cool on a Road Trip!

Being on medication may seem a hindrance to traveling by car, but with a few easy preparations, travel can be fun and uninterrupted. Within this article, this writer will share a few tips for the safe handling of medications while traveling, based on personal trial and error, mostly error!

First, always carry documentation from your physician outlining your medications and dosages. If you ever lose your meds this info is invaluable for emergency replacement.

Second, travelers need to remember that medications in pill or capsule form are not to be in extreme heat or cold. Place pills in a container that can be taken in to the hotel at night, or carried with you if you are leaving your vehicle for an extended time.

Third, meds that require refrigeration are another ball game entirely! Ice chests are bulky, requiring draining and then refilling with fresh ice, sometimes twice a day, depending on the heat index. Whether using a small or large ice chest, the task of taking care of your meds manages to take over a part of your trip! You lift it out, drain it, refill it, and put it back in. (repeat) Meds must be in waterproof containers because sure enough, the ice will melt too fast and your meds will end up floating! (In addition... we all know that once you pull something out of your expertly packed vehicle, it never fits right again, can we say frustration??)

There are soft coolers, hard coolers with flat tops, hard coolers with handles on top (easier to pull out of vehicle), soft coolers with zipped containers to keep meds dry, etc. Ice packs, ice blocks (work ok, but then the problem of meds getting too cold comes into play), and bagged ice all eventually melt, so, again, we lift, drain, refill, replace!

Finally, (and better late than never), someone came up with a plug in, portable, AC/DC refrigerator! (12-volt)

There will be no more melting ice and no more temperature fluctuations! Pills are cool, refrigerated meds safe and cold beverages and fresh snacks are always on hand. The AC/DC plug makes it simple to carry the refrigerator into a hotel at night, keeping the drain on your auto battery to a minimum. Whew!

These refrigerators are available at all large auto/truck stops (FlyingJestore.com); apparently, truckers have been using them for quite a while. (Who knew?) There are multiple sites on the Internet; I found mine on the following site, (www.compactappliance.com). Prices start at an average of $100.00, depending on the size. Handles make it easy to carry and the unit is compact and light enough to move around as needed.

It is my opinion that the AC/DC fridge unit is the most efficient way to transport medications. I recommend placing your unit on the floor either in front or right behind the front seats where it is easily accessible, then stuff the cord in between seats so it is not a tripping hazard.

A little planning helps make traveling with medications easy. Do not allow your medical situation to keep you from striking out on a road-trip; there is much to see in this great country!