Having Diabetes
And Travelling By Boat
Managing your diabetes and travelling by boat should be no real sweat with the following easy guidelines.
If you are planning a holiday aboard a houseboat on one of the worlds waterways it is much like being in your own home. They have all the facilities necessary to keep your supplies under the correct conditions. They tend to move at a set speed and you are able to work out your itinerary in advance so that you are always within reach of some place where you can get help in an emergency.
You obviously will take enough supplies for the period of your vacation and some spare, but what by some chance these are lost (overboard?) and you require more?
If you are travelling within your own country, for instance someone from the UK is spending a week on a narrowboat on one of the canals, then getting emergency supplies should be no problem, especially if you have had the foresight to get a letter and a prescription from your doctor before setting out. Most waterways pass close to towns or some form of habitation from where you could arrange to get replacement supplies.
Travelling on the waterways of a foreign country will require some extra care. Take enough supplies for the whole trip and see the ‘Getting supplies in foreign countries’ section for information that may be of use to you.(At the end of Attention Insulin Users)
Ocean going yachts.
If you are planning a trip aboard an ocean going yacht then things can get a tad more exciting. There can be those mild inconveniences like being becalmed, hurricanes, pirates….you get the picture?
This is by way of being an extreme adventure holiday for a diabetic and should be treated as such.
You will have no control over when you will reach a specific place, even if the whole trip goes off reasonably uneventfully, so need to take that into account.
Be sure you have way more than enough supplies with you and that some at least are within a waterproof container, preferably one that floats!
Also take a spare blood-glucose meter as salt water has been known to play havoc with electronic equipment.
Your meter may be more important than ever if you succumb to seasickness! This can be really dangerous for a diabetic. I have heard of a diabetic who spent up to 15 hours vomiting and totally unable to eat or drink. She apparently had to stop taking her insulin completely for most of that time period and so monitored her Bg levels every half hour. She was not too worried about them going up but forced some sweet drink down when they dropped too far. Even though that soon came up again it seemed to be sufficient to raise her Bg’s to safer levels.
It is a good idea to discuss this issue with your doctor before the trip and see what advice he offers. It may be that he will issue you with medication too take in case this problem occurs.
If a problem does occur while sailing it may well mean you are going to be exerting yourself more than usual, to say nothing of getting an adrenaline rush! This can well have an effect on your blood glucose and you will need to adjust your treatment accordingly. Always have some glucose tablets or fast acting drink available.
It is very easy to get minor injuries aboard a boat – don’t negate such things as rope burn, cuts and blisters! If you have neuropathy, with it’s accompanying decrease in the perception of pain, remember to check very carefully and treat any injuries so as to avoid infection.
If you have circulatory problems then the wearing of a tight wetsuit to keep you warm and dry may not be a good idea.
Remember that sunburn can lead to infections for a diabetic and keep using that high factor cream.
Cruising.
There are all sorts of cruises available for those who like this way of travel, including some specially designed for diabetics!
When booking a normal cruise you will be required to inform the agents that you have a medical problem. The staff aboard the cruise liner will need to know you are a diabetic in case a problem arises. Most of the larger liners have their own doctor and it is a good idea to liase with him.
Like airlines, cruise ships also require your luggage to be x-rayed and checked.
Carry with you a letter stating you are a diabetic and listing your medications. Also a copy of your prescriptions. This may be necessary if you are going ashore, where the local authorities may question the supplies you are carrying – syringes can make folk really jumpy for some reason!
When going ashore carry enough medication for the time you intend to remain there plus a little extra in case of emergencies – taxi or bus breaks down, you get lost…. And don’t forget the emergency snacks.
Also always wear some form of Medic Alert ID.
(See the section on diabetes identification.)
If you are lucky your cabin may have a fridge where you can store your insulin but if not be aware that some cruise liners require that your insulin be locked in a fridge while you are onboard. One of the stewards will take care of that for you.
FOOD – the blessing or the bane of the cruiser – depending on your circumstances. Cruises are well known for their fantastic, endlessly available food but those all-you-can-eat tempting buffets are sheer hell for a diabetic – it takes a strong will not to overindulge.
Assuming that the temptation has just been too much, what can you do. Well firstly you are going to have to need to keep a careful check on your Bg’s and if they are going up then you will need to increase your activity level to compensate. This is not as difficult as one might imagine. Most cruise liners offer all sorts of activities, from strolling on the deck (well a fast walk would be a better bet for us diabetics, sigh…) to such things as well equipped gyms, swimming pools, aerobic classes, dance classes and even golf driving ranges.
Many cruise lines now cater for ‘health and fitness’ folk and so diabetics can get a variety of meals that are more in keeping with their food requirements. Some even offer low-fat, low-sodium, and vegetarian foods.
The water onboard ship is normally safe to drink but remember this does not apply when you go ashore. Keep to bottled water or canned drinks at those times. Also do not eat any undercooked or raw food or unpeeled fruit and veggies.
Special diabetic cruises.
As I mentioned above there are some cruises planned specifically for diabetics. These appear to start out in the US so we folk from other countries are going to have to include getting there and back into out itinerary and costs.
They are available from:-
Dynasty Specialty Group Cruises
202 Brooksby Village Drive #125, Peabody, MA 01960
10a-9p, Mon. thru Sat.
Tel: 1-978-536-0784
1-866-272-0896
www.diabetesworkshopcruises.com
Their website says they offer “focus workshop cruises for
people with diabetes. These cruises are available three times a year
and sail on different itineraries. The workshops are presented by the
Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA staff.”