Holiday

Hi,

We always split the pills between hand and hold luggage, it is much more reassuring just to know that if something happens then you still have the medication. You would be fine without it for a short period but it is nice not to worry.

I didn't ever worry too much about temperature.

What I always do though is to take copies of any letters from the hospital to the GP, also any copies of blood tests. I have never needed these but the peace of mind is invaluable.

When I was on glivec I had terrible stomach problems and after spending most of the weekend in Spanish toilets and running from Maldive beachs to the loo, I managed to 'forget' my pills on subsequent holidays! I hasten to add this was with the permission of my doctor.

Enjoy your holiday.

Susan

I have always carried it in my hand luggage.   I have had no problems with it in a Dosette box, along with my other meds, in hot/humid (Turkey, Maldives, Italy, Med boat trips) and cold/damp climates (here and Austria in winter).   I split my Glivec in half, so you would think that if there was a moisture problem it would suffer.  I always take enough to cover an extended delay.   No problem with Immodium or any other holiday-type remedy so far.

Go and enjoy.

John

Hi,

I have recently returned from a week in the USA and I took around 20 tablets with me in hand luggage just in case I got delayed.

I have also noticed in the UK when I dispense a weeks worth of tablets in my pill box the tablet coating starts to crack and flake but only in summer.

Must be the temperature/humidity.

I agree with all of the above posts- but I must add the following caveat- PLEASE do not take a 'holiday' from your medication- it is very well documented that such 'drug  holidays' are really not desirable at all as over time they can lead to the development of drug resistance.  

Have a lovely time in Turkey- 

Best wishes,

Sandy

Hi

My suggestions - keep your drugs in the blister packs.

I carry my drugs with hand luggage .

For security - I do the below.

Have my travel medical certificate signed by doctor.

Photocopy the glivec or drug package that states doctor, your name and dosage.

Put a copy of both around drugs and have as hand luggage.

Place copies in both travel wallet, and case. So all in all you have 3 copies of documents.

I also do this with a script - that I take with me along with contact details of your specialist and 

treating hospital if you have one and your Ambassador and Consultant Contacts in case needed.

Have a great holiday 

Hi John

In answer to your question about Glivec holidays, there are a few studies on adherence and its relationship to molecular response.  Perhaps the best is the study by David Marin (Hammersmith) et al, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology in September 2010 (and probably elsewhere). I can't post a link but if you put "cml adherence" into Google it will come up (hit no 3 in my search). In a nutshell, it seems to establish that adherence to therapy is a, perhaps the, major factor in achieving the best responses to TKI therapy: the level of adherence at which this factor seems to begin to show itself is actually quite high.  Below adherence of 90% there is a statistically relevant correlation, and below 80%, for patients on the study, none achieved MMR.  Bottom line is - the better the adherence, the better the outcome.

On the stop trial issue, I think you refer to the ongoing French STIM trial (Stop Imatinib) which at current levels of follow up (2 years I think) seems to show that for a proportion of patients in long term CMR, it may be possible to stop imatinib long term. It does also so far seem to show that those in that trial who lose their CMR after stopping imatinib regain it when put back on the drug.  However, those running the study have made it very clear that only those in long term CMR are eligible to enrol in the trial (which would include you, if you were in France) and that stopping therapy should only be done as part of a clinical trial, with close monitoring.  There are plans for a similar trial in the UK but that has been approved yet as far as I know.

Aside from this, I would agree with Sandy that any Glivec or other TKI "holiday" is something I would only do having discussed it in detail with my consultant.  People do do it for various reasons, but I think it also depends on your current response level, personal circumstances etc.

Rgds

Richard