Getting a Refill for International Prescription in Spain: What You Need to Know

[ebrandt]

I just read through the more recent threads on refilling international) prescriptions in Spain. I am starting a new thread because I could not sort out fact from fiction on those earlier threads. So PLEASE, (I don't want to be snarky, but ...) I need a real answer -- if you don't have personal experience or actually know what the rules are, please, please don't answer as if you do!

I recently started an injectable medication called Victoza (liraglutide). It comes in an injection pen form, like insulin. It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days. I am working at an albergue and walking a long camino so I will be in Spain for more than 60 days. Because of the refrigeration, I can't just take enough supply with me.

I checked and this med, in the injection pen, is approved by the EU medicines agency and is generally available in Europe. This appears to be specifically true for Spain also.

So, my question. What do I need to do to refill this prescription? I can bring a letter from my doctor and a US prescription with me. The earlier threads suggest anything form needing to see a Spanish Dr. to get a new diagnosis and new prescription, to shopping around pharmacies until I find a pharmacist willing to fill the prescription.

I should add that I could potentially wean myself off this med and stop taking it during my trip. For various reasons this is my last choice, but it's an available choice. I need to make this decision before going to Spain as I don't want to go through the weaning off process while I am also serving as a hospitalero.

Thanks!

LizB

 

[BookGirl305]

With the electronic medical records available, could your doctor email a prescription for a local doctor to extend while in Spain- professional courtesy?

 

[OTH86]

@ebrandt , My personal experience on Oct 12, 2021, in Santiago was that I forgot to bring enough of my prescription med, and went in to one of the farmacias in the old town, and asked about getting some to last me for a month (I was beginning my walk in SdC - sorta backwards). They asked if I had the container showing the information, I gave it to them - showing that I only had a few left, and they sold me a month's worth. I may have had to show ID, otherwise, no questions, just helpful.
Try telling them exactly what you've written. Each farmacia may have different ways of handling this situation, but along the Caminos, I'm sure there are a lot of people who have had this situation. The farmacias are used to helping caminantes! ---in my experience... and many speak some English.
Good luck, and Buen Camino!

 

[domigee]

Ask someone who lives in Spain to ask their local chemist. i am going back there in 10 days times and I can ask if you haven’t had any answers by then.

 

[MinaKamina]

You will need a prescription on paper based on the EU guidelines.
You can find these here:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/health/prescription-medicine-abroad/prescriptions/index_en.htm

I recommend that you do not wait till the last moment in case the medication is not in stock at the pharmacy and has to be ordered. You will probably have to pay upfront, and claim the costs from your health insurer later at home.

 

[peregrina2000]

The information you’ve seen is inconsistent and confusing because it is all anecdotal. I think you are very likely to be able to get the medication with the method @OTH86 describes, but it is not actually allowed. If the medication is a prescription medication, it requires a prescription by a Spanish M.D. What that means is that the rules or the law or the regulation or whatever it is that regulates this issue is ignored by what I think must be a large/huge majority of pharmacists. It may be because we are foreigners, but it is a widely shared experience among peregrinos.

I have lots of anecdotes that add up to a perfect record in getting prescription medications without a prescription in Spain. Usually it is nothing too serious, like running out of my low-dose thyroid medication, which I’ve gotten several times just based on my telling the pharmacist which drug I take and what the dosage is. But once it was some pretty heavy duty medication that had been prescribed for me the year before because of a severe allergic reaction to grasses/flowers/who knows what. Atarax and azomyr were the drugs prescribed, and I had brought back the boxes on my next camino just in case. Sure enough, in Fuenterroble, I was in bad shape, and the pharmacist sold them to me just based on my showing him the boxes. I’ve helped out numbers of peregrinos who don’t speak Spanish, and I have always been successful. Anti-depressants and other things whose purpose I don’t know. But always they were prescription medications sold without a prescription. And the boxes always said that the medicines were to be sold only with a prescription.

So I think this is one of those cases where the rules and the reality are widely divergent. That’s not likely to give you the assurance you are looking for, I know. The worst case scenario, IMO, is that you will have to visit a doctor who will give you the prescription. Baamonde has a “centro médico” and I can’t imagine that the doctor there wouldn’t give you a prescription if you needed it, especially if you bring all the documentatio from your doctor.

I have a low tolerance for risk-taking, but in this case I would go to Spain with all the information you can get from your doctor and I would not worry too much.

 

[C clearly]

You will need a prescription on paper based on the EU guidelines.
You can find these here:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/health/prescription-medicine-abroad/prescriptions/index_en.htm

It is not clear, but these pages appear to be written for residents of one EU country who are travelling to another EU country. The same may apply to non-EU residents.

 

[Former member 91017]

Your best source of information will be your insurance company if you have one that covers the medications. I just went through this and it was extremely arduous, and in the end they would not allow me more than a 3-month supply of my injectable (omalizumab/Xolair) and I was supposed to be on a 5-month trip to Spain.
Be attentive to the details with your PCP and your insurer. You may be able to transfer your script, but in my case the Canadian regulations on my drug are so stringent that I could not transfer the script to Spain. I was limited to a 3-month supply and then a requirement to return home to acquire another 3-month supply (or else lose the coverage for letting the script lapse for 2 months… even if I were to find a farmacia where I could get my script filled/find a practitioner in Granada to script it for me etc etc).
Injectable’s are no easy matter when you want to go beyond the usual dispensary limits on the script.
You really need to ask your insurer if you have one. If you are paying out of pocket, see if your physician will give you more to take with you (and, as with my drug, you might have to get an airline to accommodate storage of your injectable at a refrigerated temperature, etc etc).
Good luck (and a healthy wish for patience on your side and competence from those whose bureaucratic assistance you will need.

 

[ebrandt]

Thanks for all these responses. I have talked to my insurer and they will cover the cost on the normal basis that they cover prescriptions. The risk is that the drug is lots more expensive in Spain than the agreed insurance price that my insurer will pay -- I would be responsible for the difference. I'll have to submit a reimbursement request since its international. My insurer would even approve a one off 90 day supply but I do not have a reliable way to keep that much medication refrigerated. I have a good travel insurance policy also so I'll check to see if they can help.

@MinaKamina , unfortunately I think @C clearly is right -- your link is to a page for EU citizens although its great info to them! I am going to ask my Dr. if she can write the prescription on the EU forms, but I suspect not.

@peregrina2000 I think you are right I'll have to decide on whether to take the risk. My big hesitation is that its an injectable med. I don't know if that poses a bigger barrier. I need to talk to my Dr. about what's involved with weaning off the med and how hard it would be if I had to do so while walking. Thanks also for the tip about Baamonde -- I may be able to refill my prescription there when we leave Miraz and head to Irun.

I'll also check with a couple acquaintances in Santiago -- thanks to all of you for that idea also.

Liz

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I just read through the more recent threads on refilling international) prescriptions in Spain. I am starting a new thread because I could not sort out fact from fiction on those earlier threads. So PLEASE, (I don't want to be snarky, but ...) I need a real answer -- if you don't have personal experience or actually know what the rules are, please, please don't answer as if you do!

I recently started an injectable medication called Victoza (liraglutide). It comes in an injection pen form, like insulin. It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days. I am working at an albergue and walking a long camino so I will be in Spain for more than 60 days. Because of the refrigeration, I can't just take enough supply with me.

I checked and this med, in the injection pen, is approved by the EU medicines agency and is generally available in Europe. This appears to be specifically true for Spain also.

So, my question. What do I need to do to refill this prescription? I can bring a letter from my doctor and a US prescription with me. The earlier threads suggest anything form needing to see a Spanish Dr. to get a new diagnosis and new prescription, to shopping around pharmacies until I find a pharmacist willing to fill the prescription.

I should add that I could potentially wean myself off this med and stop taking it during my trip. For various reasons this is my last choice, but it's an available choice. I need to make this decision before going to Spain as I don't want to go through the weaning off process while I am also serving as a hospitalero.

Thanks!

LizB

Liz, different regions within Spain have different rules. Without knowing where in Spain you will be when you want to fill your prescription it is difficult to answer your question definitely.

 

[Kathar1na]

Confusing advice is probably as good as it gets. I saw this on a website (for German tourists in Spain) and I guess that it’s accurate:

Spanish pharmacies used to have a reputation for willingly dispensing even prescription drugs without a prescription. Mallorca, in particular, was considered a "pill paradise". In recent years, the rules (and the controls) have apparently been tightened, so that today it is no longer so easy, for example, to get antibiotics at one's own discretion.​

Also, whether a drug is a prescription drug or not will depend, at least in some cases, on the country where it is commercialised.

Personally, I would follow Laurie’s advice. Get letter etc from your American doctor, go to a Spanish doctor in a health centre, get prescription, go to pharmacy, pay full price IF required (no idea how this is handled in Spain as a rule - you may be treated as a privately insured person), ask for reimbursement from insurance.

 

[wayfarer]

I just read through the more recent threads on refilling international) prescriptions in Spain. I am starting a new thread because I could not sort out fact from fiction on those earlier threads. So PLEASE, (I don't want to be snarky, but ...) I need a real answer -- if you don't have personal experience or actually know what the rules are, please, please don't answer as if you do!

I recently started an injectable medication called Victoza (liraglutide). It comes in an injection pen form, like insulin. It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days. I am working at an albergue and walking a long camino so I will be in Spain for more than 60 days. Because of the refrigeration, I can't just take enough supply with me.

I checked and this med, in the injection pen, is approved by the EU medicines agency and is generally available in Europe. This appears to be specifically true for Spain also.

So, my question. What do I need to do to refill this prescription? I can bring a letter from my doctor and a US prescription with me. The earlier threads suggest anything form needing to see a Spanish Dr. to get a new diagnosis and new prescription, to shopping around pharmacies until I find a pharmacist willing to fill the prescription.

I should add that I could potentially wean myself off this med and stop taking it during my trip. For various reasons this is my last choice, but it's an available choice. I need to make this decision before going to Spain as I don't want to go through the weaning off process while I am also serving as a hospitalero.

Thanks!

LizB

I have just returned from Spain on Friday, you now need a copy of your prescription, stamped and signed by your doctor to purchase prescription drugs. Prescription drugs are no longer available over the counter. This is my most recent experience in the Valencia region.

 

[Kathar1na]

@MinaKamina , unfortunately I think @C clearly is right -- your link is to a page for EU citizens although its great info to them! I am going to ask my Dr. if she can write the prescription on the EU forms, but I suspect not

Correct. Even when your US doctor follows the instructions and writes a prescription in the required way (note that is says: There is no specific form or format for a prescription you will use in another EU country) it will not be covered by law, ie Spanish pharmacies are not required to give you the pharmaceutical product because your doctor is not accredited in an EU country and you are not someone who lives in an EU country and is on visit in Spain.

However, the website tells you what kind of info your American doctor can provide for the Spanish doctor who will write you a prescription.

 

[Kathar1na]

For info: The website of the Spanish Ministry of Health provides links to searchable databases about pharmaceutical products on the Spanish market.

Ministerio de Sanidad - Profesionales - Buscadores de medicamentos

Buscadores de medicamentos, Ministerio de Sanidad

www.sanidad.gob.es

• BIFIMED. Buscador del estado de financiación de medicamentos autorizados en España
• Buscador sobre los productos incluidos en la prestación farmacéutica del SNS (dispensables a través de oficinas de farmacia)

The last one has information about prices about products sold in pharmacies. SNS stands for Sistema Nacional de Salud.

 

[MinaKamina]

It is not clear, but these pages appear to be written for residents of one EU country who are travelling to another EU country. The same may apply to non-EU residents.

If you take time to read what it says, this is about the information that needs to be provided, specifically the generic name of the product.

 

[peregrina2000]

It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days.

I really do think that even if the pharmacy requires a prescription, if you bring your own U.S. doctor’s prescription, maybe a letter from her as well, and bring it to a Spanish doctor, he or she will write you a legal prescription.

But if that is too uncertain for you, another more expensive option would be to have someone ship the medicine overnight to you in Spain at the start of a 30-day-unrefrigerated period. I have gotten fed ex mailings in 2 or 3 days in out of the way places like Aguilar de Campóo, so I know it can be done!

 

[auburnfive]

Another approach is to take your medication in a Frio insulated pouch which is small and uses evaporation to keep the medication cool.

 

[sugargypsy]

Hi Liz,

I recently started an injectable medication called Victoza (liraglutide). It comes in an injection pen form, like insulin. It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days. I am working at an albergue and walking a long camino so I will be in Spain for more than 60 days. Because of the refrigeration, I can't just take enough supply with me.

In 2019 I walked the Frances to Muxia plus stayed a couple of extra days and had to use also an injectable medication (Byetta, an equivalent to Victoza) which has to be stored refrigerated too. Being from an Eu-country I could have gotten a prescription for a spanish pharmacy easily, but didn't want to go through the hazzle of explaining everything there, since my spanish then was very basic.

I bought a wallet which is specifically produced for such occasions and keeps the Insulin, Victoza or whatever, cool and safe. You can read everything about how the wallet works in the linked document.

It definitely worked out fine on my camino and I will do it this way again in autumn. Maybe that is an option for you too. Especially since you probably won't need the wallet as long as you are working as a hospitalero,

 

[Marcus-UK]

I just read through the more recent threads on refilling international) prescriptions in Spain. I am starting a new thread because I could not sort out fact from fiction on those earlier threads. So PLEASE, (I don't want to be snarky, but ...) I need a real answer -- if you don't have personal experience or actually know what the rules are, please, please don't answer as if you do!

I recently started an injectable medication called Victoza (liraglutide). It comes in an injection pen form, like insulin. It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days. I am working at an albergue and walking a long camino so I will be in Spain for more than 60 days. Because of the refrigeration, I can't just take enough supply with me.

The situation in most of Europe is that a Doctor must prescribe controlled medicines. The Doctor issues a prescription which is then filled out by a Pharmacist. If your medicine is not controlled then you should be able to get it over the counter at larger Pharmacies.

Factor in having a private appointment with a medical practitioner on your arrival in Spain at a local clinic and present your domestic prescription record and a covering letter from your GP. The local Spanish GP can then issue you with one or more local prescription scripts that should cover your time in Spain.

There are many private clinics in Madrid. Your local embassy may have a list of local clinics. Ideally you should be able to email or phone a local clinic for advice before you travel.

 

[Lupe]

I just read through the more recent threads on refilling international) prescriptions in Spain. I am starting a new thread because I could not sort out fact from fiction on those earlier threads. So PLEASE, (I don't want to be snarky, but ...) I need a real answer -- if you don't have personal experience or actually know what the rules are, please, please don't answer as if you do!

I recently started an injectable medication called Victoza (liraglutide). It comes in an injection pen form, like insulin. It can only be unrefrigerated for 30 days. I am working at an albergue and walking a long camino so I will be in Spain for more than 60 days. Because of the refrigeration, I can't just take enough supply with me.

I checked and this med, in the injection pen, is approved by the EU medicines agency and is generally available in Europe. This appears to be specifically true for Spain also.

So, my question. What do I need to do to refill this prescription? I can bring a letter from my doctor and a US prescription with me. The earlier threads suggest anything form needing to see a Spanish Dr. to get a new diagnosis and new prescription, to shopping around pharmacies until I find a pharmacist willing to fill the prescription.

I should add that I could potentially wean myself off this med and stop taking it during my trip. For various reasons this is my last choice, but it's an available choice. I need to make this decision before going to Spain as I don't want to go through the weaning off process while I am also serving as a hospitalero.

Thanks!

LizB

Hi Liz,
I recommend you begin with your prescribing doctor who may have some suggestions or possibly offer an alternative medication.
Have you agreed to work at particular Albergue’s? Consider asking one that is about 3-4 weeks into your trip to suggest a Farmacia you could contact ahead of your visit and make arrangements.
Just some thoughts on how I might go about it.
I was able to secure a medication for “just in case” from my physician although I did not have the refrigeration consideration.

 

[peregrina2000]

A very timely article from a Cádiz newspaper suggests that there is a “tightening” of the rules going on. Sent to me by a forum member.

Frenazo a la venta de medicamentos sin receta en Cádiz

Los farmacéuticos aseguran que las inspecciones han aumentado desde el mes de junio con el fin de controlar el inventario y ceñirse a la legislación vigente

www.lavozdigital.es

The article describes how the municipal government of Cádiz (interesting to me, it was not the regional government of Andalucía) is increasing its control and inspections of pharmacies in the city. Those who give out medicines wtihout a prescription can be subjected to a very hefty fine (the article says 90,000 € is possible).

It seems pretty clear from the article that foreigners are not the focus of this tightening, but rather it’s an attempt to stop the loosening that has come with covid and the fact that many people don’t want to go to their doctors’ offices. But foreign pilgrims may also be victims of this as well.

The article, by the way, is consistent with @wayfarer’s recent experience in Valencia, so maybe this is a more general trend around Spain.

But I still think the problem will be remedied easily by a doctor’s visit in Spain.

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have written before on my experience of having a doctor at the Centro de Salud send me to a pharmacy to tell them the name of the prescriptons eyedrops I was using-- which I thought at the time was a very casual way of proceeding (I am the son and grandson and great-grandson of pharmacists so have had a lot of information pounded into me over the years). While I have further anecdotal information, it's now a few years out of date. Perhaps it's now wiser, if not necessary everywhere, to visit a Spânish doctor.

When doing pilgrim training, I have always advised pilgrims to take a pdf of their scanned prescriptions saved in the drafts folder on their cellphones. As well, if they had complicated medical situations, to have their physician write up a diagnosis and protocol (for which they will charge you, AFAIK provincial health plans will not cover it), and then get a professional medical translator to put it into Spanish for you (again, the provinces will not pay for it; certified translators can be recommended by the local academy of medicine). This could save some valuable time in an emergency related to your condition.

 

[J Willhaus]

Thanks for posting this question. I now take the injectable Ozempic which can be unrefrigerated for up to 56 days. That will be ok for this summer's trip, but I will need to consider how to proceed for longer trips in the future. Seeing a provider in Spain may be the best option. I am also buying a cooling pouch to house the medication while walking.

 

[ebrandt]

Wow! Thanks. @Kathar1na, the website you provided is great! And those of you who suggested the Frio wallet, thank you so much. I think that will solve my problem! I know I can get an extra supply of my med because Inalready checked that out. I just finished researching Frio and the pouches look like a perfect solution. @J Willhaus maybe this would work for you…..

 

[ebrandt]

Ugh, upon further research, the Frio does not stay cold enough for me to carry a supply of my med. the victoza need to be below 46. F until opened. The Frio only keeps it below 26 C or around 75 F. The Frio will be a great way to carry my current supply of the me, though.

So I’m on to plan B which is to reach out to a couple acquaintances in Santiago to identify a local clinic that will convert my prescription to a Spanish prescription. I’ll also talk to my Dr. and share the EU site above with her, to see if she has any avenue to get her script approved in the EU. I’ll keep you posted.

LizB

 

[LesR]

The worst case scenario, IMO, is that you will have to visit a doctor who will give you the prescription. Baamonde has a “centro médico” and I can’t imagine that the doctor there wouldn’t give you a prescription if you needed it, especially if you bring all the documentatio from your doctor.

My view is that this is hardly the 'worst case' - rather it is a very practical suggestion with a relatively low risk if you have the necessary information from your own GP, provided in the knowledge of its proposed use.

Your GP has no advice? Maybe find a doctor who is well versed in such matters and seek their advice? Even ring the Spanish Embassy and ask them?

 

[VNwalking]

Liz, are you walking first or serving first?
If it's the former, could you stash a top-up of medication with someone in Santiago (an aquaintance, or even Pilgrim House). Otherwise, Laurie's advice sounds simple enough.

 

[ebrandt]

We are serving first. Then after we walk heading to Netherlands and UK. So I think I’ll stash some for sure. I know I can fill a prescription in the UK ( we are staying with a friend who is a doc). We were going to go straight from Miraz to Irun, but we could also head back to Santiago first. I’ll just have to play it by ear. I think I’ll take Laurie’s advice and also see what my doc here advises.

 

[CAJohn]

Doctors all over the world deal with travelers who lose, run out of or get their medications stolen. While a doctor might be reluctant to write for heavy duty pain or sedation medications, he/she wouldn’t think twice about blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, etc medications. As long as you can tell the doctor what medication your are on, the dose, the route of administration and how much your are going to need, they won’t have any trouble writing you a prescription. It is done all the time in the US for foreign visitors who get into trouble.

 

[ktchnofdngr]

Your best source of information will be your insurance company if you have one that covers the medications. I just went through this and it was extremely arduous, and in the end they would not allow me more than a 3-month supply of my injectable (omalizumab/Xolair) and I was supposed to be on a 5-month trip to Spain.
Be attentive to the details with your PCP and your insurer. You may be able to transfer your script, but in my case the Canadian regulations on my drug are so stringent that I could not transfer the script to Spain. I was limited to a 3-month supply and then a requirement to return home to acquire another 3-month supply (or else lose the coverage for letting the script lapse for 2 months… even if I were to find a farmacia where I could get my script filled/find a practitioner in Granada to script it for me etc etc).
Injectable’s are no easy matter when you want to go beyond the usual dispensary limits on the script.
You really need to ask your insurer if you have one. If you are paying out of pocket, see if your physician will give you more to take with you (and, as with my drug, you might have to get an airline to accommodate storage of your injectable at a refrigerated temperature, etc etc).
Good luck (and a healthy wish for patience on your side and competence from those whose bureaucratic assistance you will need.

Xolair could be like that because you need to have bloodwork every 3 months to monitor your kidneys and liver. It is like that here in the US, too.

 

[Former member 91017]

Xolair could be like that because you need to have bloodwork every 3 months to monitor your kidneys and liver. It is like that here in the US, too.

Oh, that sounds a bit extreme on the monitoring side. I’ve been on it for 7 years without *any* such monitoring. But I still wait for an hour after every shot to be observed for sudden anaphylaxis… The drug is so rarely used here that I don’t know anyone else on it in Canada, but as my immunologist is at a major research centre, I don’t think my treatment experience is out of the standard of care for here.

 

[ktchnofdngr]

Oh, that sounds a bit extreme on the monitoring side. I’ve been on it for 7 years without *any* such monitoring. But I still wait for an hour after every shot to be observed for sudden anaphylaxis… The drug is so rarely used here that I don’t know anyone else on it in Canada, but as my immunologist is at a major research centre, I don’t think my treatment experience is out of the standard of care for here.

Huh. I started Xolair about 3ish years ago, and they have basically made me go get blood work done every 3 months. Like 6 vials each time. I always feel like a donor for a vampire those days!

 

[Former member 91017]

Huh. I started Xolair about 3ish years ago, and they have basically made me go get blood work done every 3 months. Like 6 vials each time. I always feel like a donor for a vampire those days!

I suspect SOC varies over jurisdictions. Canada does try to play by very conservative numbers for risk management to avoid over-testing on many things. It’s likely not “worth it” here to test the low numbers of people on the drug because it’s statistically more powerful to use the drug to prevent disability and disease than it is to screen for “rare event” possible effects of the medication. I can say that because I have to monitor anemia I do get blood tests done about once a year and my incidental counts on liver and kidney values remain healthy.
The new world of biological is really interesting.

 

[David Tallan]

Huh. I started Xolair about 3ish years ago, and they have basically made me go get blood work done every 3 months. Like 6 vials each time. I always feel like a donor for a vampire those days!

Huh. I've been on Xolair 5 years (since my 2016 Camino where I developed CIU - with one break of a few months which made me realize I still needed it) and I haven't had to have bloodwork done since possibly the beginning..

 

[ebrandt]

I thought I would report back on what I have figured out so far.

1. Filling foreign prescriptions in Spain. After reaching out to a couple of folks who live in Spain and a friend who is a neurologist in the UK -- they all think that if I have my US prescription containing the information needed for an EU prescription (see the link included above by @MinaKamina) and I go to a walk in clinic, I should be able to get a Spanish prescription. I'll probably have to be a paying patient at the clinic, and I will have to pay for the drug. But I talked to my US health insurer and my travel health insurance provider and I can submit these costs for reimbursement under both policies.

2. I also figured out how I can carry 60 days supply so I will only need to refill my prescription once while in Spain. I found the following two products. A Frio Evaporative Wallet suggested above. This can fit 30 days supply which is the amount of time my medication is allowed outside a refrigerator.

3. I also found the 4AllFamily refrigerated cannister. This cannister holds a 30 day supply of my med. It keeps the medication at refrigerator temps for 33 hours. It has a small refrigeration unit that screws on the top and operates via an USB to plug cord. With the refrigeration unit attached it can keep items cold for 72 hours. I think this will ensure that I will be able to keep the med refrigerated even if I happen on an albergue that does not have a working refrigerator. Its a bit heavy -- unloaded the cannister weighs 2.8 lbs (including the cord). But I travel pretty light so I think I will be OK with this extra weight.

Anyway I thought some of you would be interested in these two products.

LizB

 

[J Willhaus]

I thought I would report back on what I have figured out so far.

1. Filling foreign prescriptions in Spain. After reaching out to a couple of folks who live in Spain and a friend who is a neurologist in the UK -- they all think that if I have my US prescription containing the information needed for an EU prescription (see the link included above by @MinaKamina) and I go to a walk in clinic, I should be able to get a Spanish prescription. I'll probably have to be a paying patient at the clinic, and I will have to pay for the drug. But I talked to my US health insurer and my travel health insurance provider and I can submit these costs for reimbursement under both policies.

2. I also figured out how I can carry 60 days supply so I will only need to refill my prescription once while in Spain. I found the following two products. A Frio Evaporative Wallet suggested above. This can fit 30 days supply which is the amount of time my medication is allowed outside a refrigerator.

3. I also found the 4AllFamily refrigerated cannister. This cannister holds a 30 day supply of my med. It keeps the medication at refrigerator temps for 33 hours. It has a small refrigeration unit that screws on the top and operates via an USB to plug cord. With the refrigeration unit attached it can keep items cold for 72 hours. I think this will ensure that I will be able to keep the med refrigerated even if I happen on an albergue that does not have a working refrigerator. Its a bit heavy -- unloaded the cannister weighs 2.8 lbs (including the cord). But I travel pretty light so I think I will be OK with this extra weight.

Anyway I thought some of you would be interested in these two products.

LizB

Thanks @ebrandt. I also bought the Frio wallet to check it out. My medication is available in Spain (same brand and injection dose) and although it is pricey, it is not as much as I would pay if I had to pay out of pocket in the US.

I am also looking into the oral formulation of my Ozempic medication (oral is called Rybelsus) with my provider. I may see if I can be changed to the oral formulation. My medication is similar to the one you take (same class of drug) and I think it might be more convenient for me to transport in my backpack than having to carry the needles and dispose of them as well as worry about whether my medication is getting too warm to be effective.

I am also not sure I want to put my medication in the "common" albergue refrigerator. As a hospitalera, I have seen that people are not always respectful of what belongs to other pilgrims in the common frig and I would hate for it to disappear. I think your portable refrigerator unit sounds a little heavy for me, however, my husband and I both now have travel CPAP machines which do add weight to the pack and are unavoidable to maintain our health.

I appreciate your post and that of the other forum members that gives options for those using medication that must be refrigerated.

 

[ebrandt]

I may see if I can be changed to the oral formulation. My medication is similar to the one you take (same class of drug) and I think it might be more convenient for me to transport in my backpack than having to carry the needles and dispose of them as well as worry about whether my medication is getting too warm to be effective.

It would be great if you can take an oral formulary! Regarding needles, I bought a small needle clipper. I think someone earlier in this list suggested it. It clips the exposed end of the needle and stores the clipped sharp. I did some research and I’m pretty sure I can dispose of the needle cap in the regular trash. The clipper can store 1500 sharps. The little fridge unit is heavy and with a portable c-pap would be a lot! Hope the plan for oral meds works!

 

[J Willhaus]

With those needles you need to clip both sides (the part that sticks into your auto injector and the part that sticks into your skin) They are both sharp! The cover caps can be discarded. I am a nursing professor and it just wouldn't do for me to be leaving some kind of sharp biohazard in the trash so I appreciate the tip on the needle clipper, but I will probably buy a pocket-sized sharps container if I end up taking the injectable medication. We often don't appreciate our health until we start developing health concerns. Its why I need to walk the Camino while I still can, CPAP, medications, and all!

 

[ebrandt]

With those needles you need to clip both sides (the part that sticks into your auto injector and the part that sticks into your skin) They are both sharp! The cover caps can be discarded. I am a nursing professor and it just wouldn't do for me to be leaving some kind of sharp biohazard in the trash so I appreciate the tip on the needle clipper, but I will probably buy a pocket-sized sharps container if I end up taking the injectable medication. We often don't appreciate our health until we start developing health concerns. Its why I need to walk the Camino while I still can, CPAP, medications, and all!

I should have made clear that I figured that out and it will be a bit of a pain. It was actually hard to find info on the safe disposal of these pen caps. But, we also were not comfortable just disposing of the cap with the internal needle still there. I couldn't find portable sharps cases that hold more than 25 pen caps. And you have to throw the full container away with the caps. SoI would need to carry three containers on the camino. So I went back to the needle clipper idea. I will need to clip the needle that I jab with, unscrew the cap and clip the internal needle. I've been practicing at home using a sewing thimble and tweezers to get to the internal needle. So I feel pretty comfortable with the clipper, which is quite small, and then disposing of the plastic parts in the trash.

I couldn't agree with you more that we take our health for granted! Frankly, my injection med is Victoza, which I am taking for weight loss. And if I run into too many problems, I will simply wean myself off the med. But I just got off the phone with my pharmacy and my insurer yesterday because I have two other meds I need to take that are more important to my health. Our camino is part of a longer trip and we will be gone from home for 103 days. My prescriptions are for 90 days and it has been so difficult to get the extra pills I'll need, you'd think they were a powerful opioid! Ten years ago when we walked our first camino, I remember running into folks with lots or needed meds and feeling bad that they had to carry the extra stuff and deal with the inconvenience. Now that's me!

 

[J Willhaus]

I believe you can take a sharps container to the pharmacia for disposal. My injection is only once weekly and we'll be there together for about 6 weeks this time, but thinking about the day sometime soon (when I retire) when we can be there together for longer. Phil is already retired and goes for a couple of months at a time by himself. He has worked through all his health issues (CPAP, huge bag of meds, etc.) and manages his self-care while walking without too much trouble. I am looking at his perseverance with new eyes now that I am managing diabetes and the CPAP for this year's trip. I would try your earlier suggestion of getting the needed medications in Spain with a doctor's note if that seems doable for your situation.

 

[peregrina2000]

I thought I would report back on what I have figured out so far.

I haven’t been following this thread or other similar discussions too carefully, but there is a current thread that might be helped by an update from @ebrandt. And if you’ve already given it, I apologize, because as I said, I haven’t been paying too much attention.

I know you’re walking and living the life of Riley, but if you have time, take a look at this thread.