A COMPLETE SET OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON MEDACTIV PRODUCTS
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Where can I get MedActiv Products?
We are working on bringing MedActiv products into a pharmacy near you. They are currently available at London Drugs in Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton and West Kelowna & online on Amazon and our shop page.
How long does the delivery take?
Your order will be sent within 24 hours and you should receive it in 2-5 days.
I ordered a bag, but never received it? Where is my tracking number?
When you place and pay for an order, you should normally receive a confirmation of order from MedActiv, and then, within 24 hours a tracking number. If you haven’t received such a confirmation, it is probably in your junk mailbox, or there is a mistake in your email address. Please send us a message on our Contact Form if you have not received it.
Where should I keep my MedActiv bag when I travel?
Always keep your medication with you, in your hand luggage. There is no reason for anyone to stop you from taking your life-saving medication with you. Just make sure you have both your prescription, and a travel certificate. You can download a MedActiv travel certificate in the Documentation section of the MedActiv website.
Can I use a MedActiv bag on the plane?
Yes. In fact, many airlines recommend to use only MedActiv bags, because the MedActiv bags are the only ones that are clinically tested and validated. But there is always the possibility that when you arrive or leave in a new country, you are stopped at customs by someone who does not understand this. So the best way is to always anticipate this by arriving with three things:
1) Your medication in a well-protected MedActiv bag with the gel packs frozen.
2) A copy of your prescription
3) A filled-in Medical Certificate, such as the one available in the MedActiv downloads.
Then, when you arrive at the customs, you take out your medication, say in a loud voice: “I am sick, here is my medication, here is my certificate, can you please help me”, and you will get through no problem at all.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ICOOL BAGS
So what is the difference between the iCool Weekender, the iCool Prestige or the iCool MediCube?
These bags (the iCool Bags) all keep medication between 2 and 8°C, but for different times. The iCool Weekender is good for 12 hours between 2 and 8°C, the Prestige for 24 hours and the MediCube for 36 hours.
Will the iCool bags work when the ambient temperature is really hot?
Yes, but they might not work as long. When MedActiv tests the bags, we test them at a temperature of 24.2°C, which is the internationally recognized “ambient” temperature, and is also the temperature generally found in airplanes. If you are using the same bag at a temperature of 32°C, it will last about 30% less time between 2 and 8°C.
Can the iCool bags freeze my medication?
No, unless you completely mishandle them. When you freeze the gel packs, you should freeze them in a normal household freezer, at a temperature of about -18°C. If you then place the gel packs in the appropriate compartments in your iCool bag, there is no contact whatsoever with the medication and it is impossible for them to freeze.
If I put extra gel packs inside the iCool, will it work better?
No, not at all. The iCool bags are carefully designed to optimize the cold generated by the frozen gel packs. In fact, if you add a gel pack, you might risk freezing your medication.
Can I use the iCool Gel packs forever?
Yes, absolutely, you can use them hundreds of times, and they do not wear out. Just be careful not to drop them when they are frozen, as you might split the corners and cause them to leak.
How long should I freeze the gel packs?
The gel packs are filled with phase-change material, and this material, after about 8 hours of freezing, will change phase to become a new material that will stay frozen for much longer. So we recommend that you keep your gel packs permanently in the freezer so that they are always ready to go, or to freeze them for a minimum of 12 to 14 hours.
My gel pack is leaking, what should I do?
In fact, the gel packs are incredibly well made, with an outside layer of silicone, which stops them from “transpiring”. When unfrozen they are just about indestructible. However, paradoxically, when they are frozen, they are quite sensitive to shock, as they become incredibly hard. If you drop a gel pack when frozen, you might crack a corner, or develop a micro-fissure. And then when it thaws, it might start leaking. So the best way to store your gel packs is to keep them in a corner of your freezer, well stacked on top of one another, so that they do not fall too often. But if you do happen to break a gel pack, you can order spares in the Accessories section of the MedActiv website.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EASYBAG
How does the EasyBag work ?
Inside the EasyBag is a special gel that, when soaked in water for a minute, will soak about 600 times it’s weight in water. When you place the soaked gel inside the EasyBag, the evaporation process will be accelerated, which will cool your medication and keep it between 16 and 25°C. The principle is basically the same as when you lick the back of your hand, and then blow on it. It feels cool because, as you blow on it, you accelerate the evaporation which feels cool.
Is the EasyBag good for all medications?
No, the EasyBag is only good for medications that can be kept between 16 and 25°C, such as insulin. If your medication needs to be kept between 2 and 8°C, then you should use an iCool bag.
If I put two gel pads inside the EasyBag, will it work better?
No, not at all, it will make no difference at all. It works on evaporation and there is already more than enough water in a single gel pad.
Should I place the EasyBag in the fridge when I’m not using it?
No, it really makes no difference at all. If your medication is suitable for the EasyBag (has to be kept between 16 and 25°C), then the EasyBag will do an ample job without the fridge.
Should I freeze the EasyBag?
No, not at all. Freezing the EasyBag just means that your medication might become too cold.
My EasyBag gel pack does not absorb water anymore, what should I do?
Dependent on where you live, there might be more or less minerals in the water. Eventually these minerals settle in the EasyBag and stop the polymers inside from absorbing water. If this happens you can just soak your inner gel pad in water with a spoon of vinegar to dissolve the minerals, just like when you clean a kettle. Or you can just order a spare gel pad from the accessories section of the website.
Can I use any water for the EasyBag?
Yes, you can use any “reasonable” water. Tap water works best. If you use rankish lake water, you might find that your EasyBag doesn’t smell so nice anymore. However, do not use sea water as the salt will eventually build up inside the EasyBag and stop it from absorbing water.
Can I use the EasyBag forever?
In theory yes, if you use distilled water. But in practice, if you soak it in tap water with lots of minerals in it, it will last about a year and a half if you use it all the time. At any time, if you need spare gel pads, you can order them on the website.
At what ambient temperature can I use the EasyBag?
When we test the EasyBag, we test them up to a temperature of 42°C, which is really hot (unless you’re in the Okanagan where we are!). Most people don’t stay permanently at such a temperature, because they have air conditioning or are inside a building. At 42°C ambient temperature, the temperature inside the EasyBag will be just over 25°C.
Can I put the EasyBag inside my suitcase?
The EasyBag works best at open air, so that the water inside can evaporate. If you stick it inside your suitcase, it won’t be able to breathe. But it is really a moot point, because the temperature of your suitcase is probably under 25°C. If you want to put it in your backpack when you are doing a roundabout, best place to stick it is on the top of the bag, just under the flap, or in one of the nets on the outside.
Can humidity damage my medication?
If your medication is in prefilled pens, vials, or any other liquid format, it will not be damaged by the humidity in the EasyBag. However, if you are using tablets, even if they are in a sealed container, it’s always better to put them in a sealed plastic sachet.
Will the EasyBag make my things wet?
It is true that when you first soak the gel pack in water it absorbs a lot of water, and this might seep through the outside bag. The easiest way to prevent this is, after having soaked the gelpack in water, to slide it between 2 fingers to remove any excess wetness. Whatever happens, do not place the EasyBag in a plastic bag, as this will completely stop it from “breathing”, and it will no longer cool your medication.
How often do I have to soak the EasyBag for it to work?
That really depends on the outside temperature. At a temperature of about 32°C, you should wet it every three days. If the weather is super hot, then every 2 days. The easiest way is just to put your finger on it in the morning. If it still feels humid, then you’re good for a day.
How many insulin pens can fit in the EasyBag?
In theory, the EasyBag Single is for one pen, but in practice you can quite easily fit 2 pens inside. The EasyBag Classic is made for 4 pens, but you can quite easily fit 7 pens inside.
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