Keeping Medication warm on mid-late season backpack hunts

[TreeCounter]

Hello all,

I was recently diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, and am starting my treatment this week- a daily pill called Sprycel. Ignoring the side effects I am told to expect, I am most concerned with the manufacturer's guidance to keep the medication at room temperature (55-86°F). I am not going to allow this to keep me from doing the things I love and am planning on going on multiple backcountry hunts here in Wyoming this fall, but now I have to figure out a way to keep my supply warm while hunting below these temperatures.

Does anybody have any experience in this situation? I searched this topic but haven't found anything about keeping it warm, most answers and products I could find are based around keeping insulin cold. My initial thoughts are to use a plastic bag and keep it in my sleeping bag at night, then place it in a small vacuum water bottle and pour some warm water into it in the morning and store it in my sleeping bag.

Thank you all

 

[huntsd]

sorry to hear about this tough situation. maybe put the meds in a bag and put new hot hands in it every once and a while?

 

[TreeCounter]

sorry to hear about this tough situation. maybe put the meds in a bag and put new hot hands in it every once and a while?

Thanks, not ideal but I'll make it through.

Hot hands is a good idea if I can keep it from getting TO warm.

 

[280ack]

SIr, very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Never ever give in! I have a challenge in keeping and insulin pen for a 1x daily injection in a temperature zone (cold but not frozen) as well. Being in a wilderness camp in late October at 8K feet may be a challenge. At this point I think I will try an Rtic (insulated) drink container with a warm water or a chemical hand-warmer to pre treat the vessel. I'll be testing in the freezer shortly to see how it works ? If you find anything better or more predictable please let me know!

 

[Forestryguy]

I would be a little worried that keeping it in a liquid could potentially cause issues if water got into the plastic bag. Humidity can also ruin medications. Talk with you provider or try to get ahold of a rep from the pharmaceutical company to see exactly what the parameters are. Maybe it would be ok for a week not at room temp?

Hope you are able to figure something out, to keep yourself having fun.

 

[Dos Perros]

Just put it in your pocket. Like inner pocket of a jacket. And then also in your sleeping bag at night.

 

[Theringworm]

Just put it in your pocket. Like inner pocket of a jacket. And then also in your sleeping bag at night.

This ^^^^. Simply keep it in a plastic baggy and keep it as close to your skin as possible. Some companies make a base layer with a chest pocket. The closer you can get it to your groin or armpit the better as those two areas are typically the most thermally regulated to body temp. As you get further away, when in the cold, your distal extremities get robbed of good blood flow (sorry, you/we already know this). Then at night you can put in you sleeping bag or just keep it on your body.

I would not use a “Hot Hands” packet as that will easily get it above your recommended temperature range. They average between 100-180 degrees F per their website.

Or something like this or I am sure someone makes an insulated small pouch you could also use in a pocket instead of a zip lock baggy.

CURE™ Insulated

Innovative insulated medication containers protect insulin vials and pills from changes in temperature and humidity. Carry a CaseMD with you. Leave your worries behind. Free shipping $49+.

casemd.com

 

[Loo.wii]

Put an inside leg pocket in your pants and it will keep warm .

 

[drewfoo]

Rechargeable warmers

12000mAh Hand Warmers rechargeable & Power Bank 2in1 Battery with charge cable USB Electric Hand Warmer Reusable Portable hot hands Heater Pocket Warmer Handwarmer for Winter outwork Camping Fishing Golf https://a.co/d/0SMlmvn

 

[MattB]

I am very sorry about your diagnosis but it is comendable you are not letting it stop you.

Have you asked either your doctor or the maker of the drug the negative impact if the pills get below the lower temperature threshold? I am aware of cases where certain drugs have a temperature range as the drug’s efficacy may reduce faster than normal over time when kept outside that range. For a short duration like a hunt, it may not be that significant. Seems like it is at least worth asking about as it could take a mental load off of you.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

When I am out snowmachining in the winter, I keep my cell phone in my cleavage, trapped in my sports bra, to keep it warm, otherwise at 10 degrees or below it doesn’t operate. Yes, I’m a chick.
Granted, you do not have cleavage (or do you???).
Your body is going to be your most reliable and consistent source of heat, and unless you are sick, will not get above 98.6-ish.
Take an undershirt (your first layer) and sew a marsupial pocket to the inside of it just below your collar where it crosses your sternum. Then put on the rest of your clothes. Get settled and equilibrated, then put a thermometer in your marsupial pocket. See what heat you are running. Depending on how you build your pouch, you can get it to steady about 20-30 degrees lower than 98.6. Try it sitting, walking, sleeping at night, etc.
If you have it in the sternum location, you can sleep with it at night and not risk it falling away from your body, and you are less likely to sleep on your stomach in a sleeping bag anyway so not risking crushing anything.
You have plenty of time to practice this before the fall with different layers, different activities, and as you get into the fall weather, you can fine-tune it. May have to thicken your pouch if skin is too hot, or sew it with the ability to flip it to the outside of your undershirt vs next to your skin during periods of high activity.
Always keep your thermometer with you.
Good luck!

 

[MountainTracker]

You could try using a small battery powered warmer, like the type that are used for gloves. They are small and have different power lvls and if you put it in something like the Hyperlite Repack, I bet that would keep it pretty warm.

Good luck man


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TXHunt]

I agree with the others about keeping it in a pocket of a base layer as close as possible to your skin and in sleeping bag with you at night. Glad you're not letting that keep you from enjoying life!! KCA!!!!!

 

[TreeCounter]

I am very sorry about your diagnosis but it is comendable you are not letting it stop you.

Have you asked either your doctor or the maker of the drug the negative impact if the pills get below the lower temperature threshold? I am aware of cases where certain drugs have a temperature range as the drug’s efficacy may reduce faster than normal over time when kept outside that range. For a short duration like a hunt, it may not be that significant. Seems like it is at least worth asking about as it could take a mental load off of you.

Thank you for your thoughts. It's a shit sandwich but I am choosing to not eat it.

I have talked with my pharmacist who expressed it as being important to not allow the medication to get that cold, but I agree that calling the maker of the drug I may get a better answer. I'll report back!

 

[TreeCounter]

When I am out snowmachining in the winter, I keep my cell phone in my cleavage, trapped in my sports bra, to keep it warm, otherwise at 10 degrees or below it doesn’t operate. Yes, I’m a chick.
Granted, you do not have cleavage (or do you???).
Your body is going to be your most reliable and consistent source of heat, and unless you are sick, will not get above 98.6-ish.
Take an undershirt (your first layer) and sew a marsupial pocket to the inside of it just below your collar where it crosses your sternum. Then put on the rest of your clothes. Get settled and equilibrated, then put a thermometer in your marsupial pocket. See what heat you are running. Depending on how you build your pouch, you can get it to steady about 20-30 degrees lower than 98.6. Try it sitting, walking, sleeping at night, etc.
If you have it in the sternum location, you can sleep with it at night and not risk it falling away from your body, and you are less likely to sleep on your stomach in a sleeping bag anyway so not risking crushing anything.
You have plenty of time to practice this before the fall with different layers, different activities, and as you get into the fall weather, you can fine-tune it. May have to thicken your pouch if skin is too hot, or sew it with the ability to flip it to the outside of your undershirt vs next to your skin during periods of high activity.
Always keep your thermometer with you.
Good luck!

(Un?) fortunately I do not have cleavage, but I strongly think that keeping it near my body is going to be the best option. I'll grab a nice thermometer and start testing this!

 

[cbat]

Good on you for not quitting. That said my late hunting partner had a iv that he had to take at 1pm everyday. He had a staph infection. We figured out a way to pack in a iv pole and iv bags on our mules for a backcountry elk hunt. Pretty sure we were the only tent on the mountain with a iv set up.

 

[RS_Non-Res]

I like the body heat idea for simplicity.

Hobo waterproof temperature data logger

If you do test runs, and to monitor during the hunt, use a Hobo data logger like the above ($70). My HOBO has been logging the swimming pool temperature every 5 minutes for two years. I've used two other cheaper brands ($15 and $30) and they had crappy service, crappy data download apps, and half were duds right out of the packaging.

 

[mstei4]

I’ve had good luck with a Spibelt for similar things. I used it first to carry an insulin pump during the winter, but I’ve used it to keep vials of insulin from getting too cold too. I wrap it tight around my chest/rib cage directly on my skin and haven’t had temperature control problems

 

[TreeCounter]

I’ve had good luck with a Spibelt for similar things. I used it first to carry an insulin pump during the winter, but I’ve used it to keep vials of insulin from getting too cold too. I wrap it tight around my chest/rib cage directly on my skin and haven’t had temperature control problems

I like the idea of that a lot. Thanks!

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I hate to read things like this, very sorry. I have not read all the responses, but maybe a temperature controlled heating pad. Not just one of those, Hi, Med. low setting type, but one with actual temp. settings.