Medications for a hurricane: how to prepare in Puerto Rico
To prepare your medications for a hurricane in Puerto Rico, make a list of everything you take with doses and allergies, refill prescriptions before a storm approaches, and pack your medicines in your emergency kit. Insulin can stay unrefrigerated between 59 °F and 86 °F for up to 28 days. Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
Can we help by telehealth? Yes, we can help by telehealth.
Is this an emergency?
This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- You ran out of an essential medicine (such as insulin) and feel unwell
- Very high or very low blood sugar that won't improve, with confusion, vomiting or extreme tiredness
- Chest pain, trouble breathing or stroke signs
- Deep or dirty wounds from storm cleanup
- Carbon monoxide symptoms near a generator: headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion
Help lines:
- 911 — Emergencies
- 1-800-981-0023 — Línea PAS (mental-health crisis line)
- 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- 1-800-222-1222 — Poison Help
Before hurricane season (June to November)
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. It peaks around September 10, with most activity from mid-August to mid-October, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Before it starts, prepare:
- A medication list: name, dose, how often and what it is for. Add your allergies, conditions, and your doctor's and pharmacy's names and phone numbers.
- A photo of every prescription label on your phone, plus a paper copy in a plastic bag.
- Your medicines, in your emergency kit, in their original containers and protected from water. Ready.gov advises packing medications in your kit, because after a hurricane you may be without them for days or weeks.
- Your devices: glucose meter and strips, blood pressure monitor, inhaler with spacer, and spare batteries.
Medications for a hurricane: refill before the storm
When a storm is forecast, pharmacies get crowded and may close if the power goes out. Don't wait until the last days: count how many days of medicine you have left and refill early.
If your prescription has expired or you can't reach your doctor, we can help in an online doctor visit while you are in Puerto Rico. If appropriate, the doctor can prescribe medication. We do not prescribe controlled substances. The visit costs US$79 and a prescription has no extra charge. See prescription refills and chronic care. Ask your pharmacy and your plan whether they allow early fills during a declared emergency.
Medicines that need refrigeration: insulin
According to the FDA, insulin in the manufacturer's vials or cartridges, opened or unopened, may be left unrefrigerated between 59 °F and 86 °F (15 °C to 30 °C) for up to 28 days and still work.
Keep it as cool as possible, away from direct heat and sunlight. Do not use insulin that has been frozen. Once you have properly stored insulin again, throw away vials exposed to extreme temperatures and replace them as soon as possible. If you are unsure about a specific insulin, call the manufacturer. If you have type 2 diabetes, review your plan with your doctor before the season.
For other refrigerated medicines, ask your pharmacist before the season what to do if the power goes out.
If you lose power or connection
Our visits are by video; we don't do phone-call visits. If the signal is weak, try from the spot with the best coverage, close other apps and charge your phone ahead of time. If the visit can't take place, you get a full refund.
Never run a generator inside your home or garage, even with doors and windows open. The CDC says to run it outside, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, and to keep a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector at home. If anyone near a generator has a headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion, get outside and call 911.
Children and older adults
Put children's medicines on the list with their recent weight, since many doses depend on weight, and include the medicines of older adults in the household. If anyone relies on oxygen or other powered medical equipment, talk to their provider before the season about a plan for power outages.
When to go to the ER
If you ran out of an essential medicine and feel unwell, have chest pain or trouble breathing, or got a deep or dirty wound during cleanup, don't wait for a video visit: go to the ER or call 911. See emergencies.
Video visit: US$79 · Pay by card · See the price and what is included
Before you book
- You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors and tourists are welcome).
- We see patients from 6 months old. Patients under 21: a parent or legal guardian must be on camera for the whole visit.
- Real-time video only; we do not do phone-call visits.
- We do not prescribe controlled substances.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I refill my medications before a hurricane?
- Yes. If you are in Puerto Rico, we can assess a refill of non-controlled medicines by video. Also ask your pharmacy and plan whether they allow early fills during an emergency.
- How long can insulin go without refrigeration?
- According to the FDA, insulin in vials or cartridges can stay between 59 °F and 86 °F for up to 28 days. Don't use insulin that has frozen.
- When is hurricane season in Puerto Rico?
- The Atlantic season runs from June 1 to November 30, peaking around September 10.
Sources
- Tropical cyclone climatology (National Hurricane Center, NOAA) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Information regarding insulin storage and switching between products in an emergency (FDA) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Hurricanes (Ready.gov, FEMA) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning basics (CDC) (accessed 2026-09-30)