Travel
Don't let your diabetes keep you at home! There are so many ways to travel
easily and comfortably that your diabetes doesn't need to be a deterrent.
However, like a person with asthma or a heart condition, you'll want to follow
some general travel recommendations. You may need to make specific changes
in your blood glucose monitoring, meal planning, and insulin schedules, especially
if you cross time zones.
Travel Tips
Problems
are likely to arise while you're traveling, even with the best-laid
plans. What if your train breaks down or your meal service is delayed
on your flight?
Follow these tips for smoother travels:
- Don't
take your mealtime insulin unless you are sure that you can follow
it with food.
- Carry
an emergency snack pack that contains a nutritious and somewhat
substantial snack. Good examples are dry biscuits with cheese
or peanut butter, muesli bars, or dried fruit and nuts. Also carry
some form of quick-acting glucose (jelly beans or glucose tablets)
in case of low blood sugar.
- If
you are changing time zones, talk to your healthcare team about
adjusting the timing of your meals, exercise and insulin doses.
Crossing time zones can confuse your insulin schedule. The first
thing you may want to do is buy a watch that displays two time
zones, so you can keep one set at home base time. You may need
to make a new plan for timing your insulin injections. You may
also need to adjust your total daily insulin dose. When traveling
east, you get a shorter day and need less insulin. When traveling
west, you get more hours in a day and need more insulin. Keep
your watch on your home time until the first morning after you
arrive in a new time zone. Check your blood glucose level more
often than normal.
- When you're on the move, keep your medications or insulin, as
well as injecting and glucose testing supplies, with you at all
times.
- Wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace that says you have diabetes.
- Don't get separated from your supplies. Keep a tote bag with you
that contains your insulin, syringes and/or insulin pump and infusion
sets, lancets, glucose meter, blood and ketone test strips, glucagon
kit, glucose gel or tablets and snacks.
- Pack twice as much insulin and blood testing equipment as you
think you'll need. Getting extra diabetes supplies when you're
away from home can be difficult.
- Keep insulin out of direct sunlight and protect it from very hot or very cold temperatures. If flying, keep your insulin supply with you instead of packing it in bags that might get too hot or too cold (such as in an airplane baggage compartment).