how to take medication when im visiting the usa?
July 2, 2018 3:56 PM Subscribe
I'm trans and doing the hormone thing. In my non-USA country, I'm prescribed a medication (Decapeptyl) in the form of an intramuscular injection I receive once every three months. The date is coming around and it looks like I will be visiting the USA when my injection is due. Would I be able to carry the Decapeptyl in my bag into the US through security and customs without any problems? In San Francisco, how could I find someone qualified to administer the injection? Is this a service that hospitals offer? How much would it cost me?
In San Francisco, contact Lyon-Martin. They can book a nurse to give you the injection, if your doctor can transfer the prescription/write a note and you can either get your insurance to handle the cost or pay out of pocket (Lyon-Martin is sliding scale.) Call them to figure out how to do that ASAP; it is a busy clinic and I'm not 100% certain they can do this, but that's where I got injections until I learned to do it myself.
If you are capable of injecting yourself, I have had no problems flying with needles, syringes, and hormone prescriptions in the US; many people take these and TSA knows what they are and doesn't even give a second glance. I have no idea how this works with customs, but since these are common medications there is probably a way to do it.
You may be able to ask your doctor to refer you to someone, too. Also, depending on how it's timed and how that medication works, you may be able to fudge the date a little and take the shot at home a little early or late...bring this up with your doctor and see what they advise.
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:27 PM on July 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
If you are capable of injecting yourself, I have had no problems flying with needles, syringes, and hormone prescriptions in the US; many people take these and TSA knows what they are and doesn't even give a second glance. I have no idea how this works with customs, but since these are common medications there is probably a way to do it.
You may be able to ask your doctor to refer you to someone, too. Also, depending on how it's timed and how that medication works, you may be able to fudge the date a little and take the shot at home a little early or late...bring this up with your doctor and see what they advise.
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:27 PM on July 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
Check on the injections before you go, particularly price. I had a friend with a broken foot visit the US which just needed rewrapping twice during her trip and it proved to be very difficult to find a hospital who would help for anything except for a completely crazy price. And travel insurance generally covers nothing in the US except emergency care. I would personally look for a GP rather than a hospital.
posted by frumiousb at 4:28 PM on July 2, 2018
posted by frumiousb at 4:28 PM on July 2, 2018
(Trans person myself) according to TSA rules as long you have the prescription information printed on the container you should be able to bring it through with you without any issues.
I’ve flown a lot nationally in the US and several times internationally with my trans medications (spiro, estrogen pills, compounded liquid estrogen, injectable estrogen and syringes, finasteride...and whole lot of oxycodone after I had surgery). I’ve never had any issues, that said I’ve always flown with the original containers and packaging with the RX info.
As far as intramuscular injections go, I do all mine myself (.3 ml estradiol valerate every 10 days) and all the trans people I know in the US who inject do it themselves as well.
You mention San Francisco, where I live in Austin there’s an LGBT community clinic called KIND clinic, maybe call them and see if they can help you find similar resources in the SF area that can help you administer?
KIND Clinic website
One last thought, do your travel documents match your RX info? The TSA rules stipulate that names on the RX match the travel docs, but I also have flown with prescriptions in my birth name and travel docs with a legally changed name and never had issues myself. I think it’s only if they decide to stop and ask you questions that it will be important.
And another last thought, if you’re checking a bag have you considered checking the medication with your luggage? I’ve done that before when I’ve been too anxious to deal traveling while trans AND security lines AND potential weirdness with syringes and vials.
posted by nikaspark at 4:29 PM on July 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
I’ve flown a lot nationally in the US and several times internationally with my trans medications (spiro, estrogen pills, compounded liquid estrogen, injectable estrogen and syringes, finasteride...and whole lot of oxycodone after I had surgery). I’ve never had any issues, that said I’ve always flown with the original containers and packaging with the RX info.
As far as intramuscular injections go, I do all mine myself (.3 ml estradiol valerate every 10 days) and all the trans people I know in the US who inject do it themselves as well.
You mention San Francisco, where I live in Austin there’s an LGBT community clinic called KIND clinic, maybe call them and see if they can help you find similar resources in the SF area that can help you administer?
KIND Clinic website
One last thought, do your travel documents match your RX info? The TSA rules stipulate that names on the RX match the travel docs, but I also have flown with prescriptions in my birth name and travel docs with a legally changed name and never had issues myself. I think it’s only if they decide to stop and ask you questions that it will be important.
And another last thought, if you’re checking a bag have you considered checking the medication with your luggage? I’ve done that before when I’ve been too anxious to deal traveling while trans AND security lines AND potential weirdness with syringes and vials.
posted by nikaspark at 4:29 PM on July 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Honestly, if this just a simple IM injection, I would try a CVS MinuteClinic or similar. According to their price list, it’s about $30 for an injection if you bring the med. An urgent care or walk-in clinic might be able to accommodate you as well.
posted by MadamM at 4:46 PM on July 2, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by MadamM at 4:46 PM on July 2, 2018 [7 favorites]
I have never had a situation like this myself but you may want to bring your prescription with you (everything medical in the US can be crazy expensive) and see if you can book an appointment at what we call a walk in clinic. These are clinics that are staffed for minor medical procedures like vaccinations or throat swabs and they often have a pretty reasonable rate. CVS minute clinic is one chain of walk-in clinics. Often you will be able to set an appointment ahead of time online for something like this.
If this were me I would check out what walk-in clinics will be near where I’m staying and I would call and ask whether administering a shot is something they can do and how much it would cost out of pocket without U.S. insurance.
posted by forkisbetter at 5:17 PM on July 2, 2018
If this were me I would check out what walk-in clinics will be near where I’m staying and I would call and ask whether administering a shot is something they can do and how much it would cost out of pocket without U.S. insurance.
posted by forkisbetter at 5:17 PM on July 2, 2018
In addition to Lyon Martin Clinic, referenced above, the other excellent local public clinic for trans health care is Tom Waddell Health Center. The trans health clinic is on Tuesdays, but their urgent care is open other hours. I’d recommend calling or emailing to ask if they could do this for you.
posted by gingerbeer at 7:05 PM on July 2, 2018
posted by gingerbeer at 7:05 PM on July 2, 2018
Safeway (the local grocery store chain) also has pharmacies that will do IM injections, at least for psych meds.
posted by lazuli at 7:33 PM on July 2, 2018
posted by lazuli at 7:33 PM on July 2, 2018
you may want to bring your prescription
Oh, yeah! I also usually ask my doctor for a backup written prescription of anything I can't live without until I get home. Just in case something gets lost or broken in transit, so I can have it filled where I am. It actually happened once on a trip to California that my glass insulin vial cracked and leaked, and I had to walk a mile down the freeway to the nearest pharmacy to get a new one.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:42 PM on July 2, 2018
Oh, yeah! I also usually ask my doctor for a backup written prescription of anything I can't live without until I get home. Just in case something gets lost or broken in transit, so I can have it filled where I am. It actually happened once on a trip to California that my glass insulin vial cracked and leaked, and I had to walk a mile down the freeway to the nearest pharmacy to get a new one.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:42 PM on July 2, 2018
Response by poster: hi all, thank you so much for your help. I have an appointment through Lyon-Martin at their clinic in the mission, HealthRight 360 :)
I only hesitate with CVS and the like (& with self-injecting) because I've heard Decapeptyl is a tricky injection to administer due to how it has to be mixed beforehand. I've had experiences where the nurse had to inject it 2 or 3 times because it didn't mix correctly. I'd like to minimize the chances of something like that happening again. But I will keep it in mind as a backup option!
posted by the list of suspects is just you at 3:30 PM on July 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
I only hesitate with CVS and the like (& with self-injecting) because I've heard Decapeptyl is a tricky injection to administer due to how it has to be mixed beforehand. I've had experiences where the nurse had to inject it 2 or 3 times because it didn't mix correctly. I'd like to minimize the chances of something like that happening again. But I will keep it in mind as a backup option!
posted by the list of suspects is just you at 3:30 PM on July 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
I don't have any advice about getting someone to do the injection. Is it something you could have your doctor or nurse teach you how to give yourself before you go?
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:09 PM on July 2, 2018 [1 favorite]