Travelling With Diabetes
You know what going on a journey is like – first you decide where you are going to go, the arrangements are made, the anticipation builds and eventually all that is left is the packing and you are up and away.
Sounds easy and most of the time it is but even for the fit and healthy there can be uncertainties – what to take with you, will you get to places on time, what will the food and accommodation be like etc, etc.
When you are traveling with diabetes you have to take the needs of your disease into consideration as well. This is not all that complicated and is certainly no excuse for avoiding travelling to wherever you please and doing almost anything, you just need to plan sensibly in advance and take the correct measures and your holiday should be as pleasurable as anyone’s.
You are, after all, not actually ill. You just have a condition that requires certain factors to be taken into consideration.
This is, (as many of our female readers are sure to understand), in a way, like pregnancy. It too is a condition that requires sensible actions and we’ve manage those okay, if you take the worlds population into account!
It is those who use insulin that have the most at stake here. Type 2 diabetics can get away with such factors as bad diet and no meds for a short while without any long lasting ill effects but for insulin dependant diabetics life is just a tad more complicated. So this article is slanted more in their direction although much of it has advice of relevance to type 2’s as well.
A very important law to remember
This is a truly universal law, one that applies wherever you are and whatever country you come from. It may have different names in different parts of the world but it always holds true.
We know it as Murphy’s Law (aka Sod's law or Finagle's law)
This law states
“Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”,
or if you prefer it
“Anything that can go wrong, will”
“Anything That Can Possibly Go Wrong, Does”
Your longed for safari in Central Africa will be no fun if you are having a hypo and the fruit juice or granola bar needed as a cure are hanging , at a safe height, in a tree 3 metres away and there is a curious, or possible hungry, animal snuffling around outside your tent.
Or a bad tempered Egyptian camel stomps on the pack you have left lying on the sand and destroys your meter.
Or you land in a remote airstrip in Iceland only to discover that your baggage, plus diabetes supplies, have decided to take a more salubrious break on a Greek Island.
Or, or, or – you see what I mean?
So it pays to remember this law when making any preparations and do whatever you can to lessen the consequences – PLAN AHEAD.
It is not only insulin that can be a problem in foreign countries. Oral medication may be called something different, be available only in different strengths or even worse, may not be licensed for sale in another country at all.
Even your favourite brand of Sweetener may not be available. Stevia, for instance, so popular with our US friends, cannot be bought anywhere in the EU.
So, a few points to remember right up front:-
1. If your supplies have been lost or stolen and you need stuff in a hurry the first port of call should be the emergency room of a local hospital, if there is one available. They can usually give you enough supplies to see you through until you can make other arrangements. Find out from them, if possible, the names, addresses and phone numbers of suppliers in the main cities of the country you are visiting.
2. You can also phone the diabetes organisation of the country you are in and find out from them the best way to obtain new supplies. Details of such organisations are available from the International Diabetes Federation.
Of course you will have to find out such details before you go on holiday – here’s that ‘pre-planning’ bit again.
3. Always carry a prescription letter from your own doctor, listing by both generic and brand name the medication you use. Don’t forget to include on the prescription letter such items as blood glucose testing equipment and syringes.
4. Before leaving home become a member of the International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers. This organisation has a network of doctors around the world who have been trained in the USA or Europe and who will give travellers competent care. The organisation will supply you with a list of these doctors and where to find them. Membership to the organisation is free.
Below you will find links to the different sections - happy travelling!
Attention Insulin Users.
Here we find information of most use to insulin users. How to transport it, where to get it, how to best safeguard your insulin supply, and lots more!.
Travel Insurance and Diabetes.
In this section we deal (As you might imagine) with the problems of travel insurance and diabetes. What to check for and what to beware of.
Diabetes First Aid Kit.
Guidance on what to have in your first aid kit.
Possible Problem Medication.
A list of the medications that may cause problems on holiday.
Travelling With Byetta.
A guide to the use and storage of Byetta whilst travelling.
Diabetes And Travel Immunisations.
Visit this link to find out what travel immunisations are needed for your journey to be as safe as possible.
Travellers' Diarrhoea.
How to help stop Montezuma's Revenge from ruining your holiday.
Diabetes Identification.
What to carry with you to let people know how best to treat you in an emergency.
Diabetic Advice For Different Forms Of Travel.
Here we deal with specific advice for using different forms of travel, road, rail, boat, and air.
Diabetic Travel Advice For Special Circumstances.
This section deals with specific advice for travelling in hot or cold climates, high altitude, and underdeveloped countries.
Diabetic Advice For Specific Activities.
Go to this section for advice aimed at camping and hiking, mountaineering, and scuba diving.