Tips for traveling with diabetes

here are some tips for when you have to travel ...

Traveling, whether for work or pleasure reasons, is always an activity at the same time exciting and relaxing.Traveling with diabetes is also, it is only necessary to plan the trip taking into account some particularities and follow some recommendations while the trip lasts and at the end of it.If a series of standards and advice are taken into account, the person with diabetes will enjoy their trips without repercussion for their health and maintaining diabetes under control.

before the trip
Medical Consultation

Before the trip consult your medical team.They will tell you that precautions must have and how to adjust your treatment pattern.

In some cases, they may also recommend a medical center or a specialist in the destination, where it can be directed if problems arise.

If necessary, in addition, they will write a medical report specified by the type of diabetes that you suffer, the usual treatment you need, as well as the material you need to carry with you.This report will be useful if it requires health care in the place of destination and also at airports, to be able to access the plane with all the necessary material, without problems in security controls.It is also good to carry a medical identification bracelet or collar that indicates that you suffer from diabetes.

destination place

It is necessary to inform yourself of the country's health coverage, as well as the availability of the medicines you usually use.In the countries of the European Union there are assistance agreements, but it is necessary to present the health card.

It is good that you know the commercial names and presentations that medications have in the destination.As for insulin, if you use vials and syringes, make sure that the concentration of insulin is 100 units/ml and that the syringes are graduated for that concentration.You can get all this information by contacting the IDF (International Diabetes Federation; info@idf.org ).

vaccination and prophylaxis

Diabetes In principle does not contraindicates any vaccination or chemoprophylaxis.However, it is good to consult previously to your doctor and vaccinate at least 1 month before the scheduled trip.Thus, adverse effects appear or temporarily altering its glycemic control, it can be remedied before embarking on the trip.

More information about vaccines and chemoprophylaxis of malaria

Time difference

On long distance trips, especially by plane, food and treatment should be adapted to the time difference that occurs.

Thus, if traveling to the west they earn hours so it can be necessary to admit an insulin dose and an intake.

In trips east, hours are lost, so it may be necessary to ignore an insulin dose and an intake.In general, treatment with oral hypoglycemicia can be kept unchanged, but always after consulting with your usual doctor.

Material conservation

If we expect very high temperatures at the destination, it is good to take a small portable fridge to properly preserve insulin.

If not, the pen in use does not need a refrigerator for periods below 1 month, although it should not undergo sunlight directly.Glucagon must also be refrigerated.Avoid subjecting your glucose meter strips at high temperatures, moisture or direct sun.Oral drugs should also be stored in a fresh and dry place.

necessary documentation

As we have said before, it is necessary to carry some type of identification orDocument where you are noticed that you suffer from diabetes.Also a report by your doctor specifying the usual treatment and other considerations that may be of importance, such as the material that should always carry, as well as the health card or card.

Medical Report / Medical Report

Name and surname/name and outame: __________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Date of Birth/Date of Birth: _______________________________________________________

Diagnostic Date/Date of Diabetes Diagnosis: _______________________________

Type of diabetes/type of diabetes: _______________________________________________________

Diabetes/Diabetic Complications complications:

(Mark with x/Mark with x)

__ Retinopathy/Retinopathy

__ Neuropathy/Nephropathy

__ Peripheral neuropathy/peripheral neuropathy

__ Autonomic/Autonomic Neuropathy neuropathy

Other diseases/other relief conditions: ____________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Habitual/usual treatment Treatment: ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

The patient needs to transport/The Patient Should Carry:

(Mark with x/Mark with x)

__ Glucose and Lancetas Meter/Glucometer and Lancets

__ insulin and needles/insulin and needles

__ Glucagon/glucagon

__ food or carbohydrates/food or drinks with carbohydrates

__ insulin infusor/insulin pump:

Specific Recommendations/Specific Recommendations: ___________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Doctor/Physician

DR:

Tel:

Signature/signature

Hello fer!

Thank you very much for this information.I just released with insulin and in July I must take a plane to Galicia.I had not occurred to me that I should carry everything necessary and had not thought about how I would embark.So when I go to my endocrine I will ask you to see how this is solved.

Anyone should have tried it, this makes you the role and there is no problem?

Thank you so much.
Greetings.

PINK

I often have to make international trips, my endocrine wrote an English steering wheel explaining that it was diabetic and that I needed to take insulin with me, I have not yet had to use it but I remember an occasion (before having the document) traveling to the USA, in whichThey registered the handbag and saw that I was carrying the insulin bolis, the "operator" did not want to let my plane climb with that, in the end his boss let me pass and when I was about to enter the plane, in the middle of finger, the operator shouted again, "Mister! ... Mister! ...", do not see that embarrass .... Total to ask me for the seat number to have "controlled", at that time I would have wanted to take something toTo speak for me ... in the end, in the end I climbed without further problems, but I am sure to take the document, I would have saved several problems.

Greetings,

Hello fer!

Thank you very much for sharing your experience that will help me.The next day I go to the endocrine I will comment on the issue to have it solved.I would not have occurred to me to think about it.I think you have saved me a problem.

Greetings

PINK

I have a silly question: when going through the control of the airport, where do you carry all the material?I evidently refer to the glucose meter, reactive strips, gun, lancetas, insulin and needles.

Should everything be put in a transparent plastic bag, like gels?Should you warn right right there that you are diabetic and carry all that or do you expect you to see it?And if they don't let you pass it, despite having the endocrine document?

Sorry for the hysteria of questions but I have a trip soon and I do not want to see myself in a bad situation.

I take everything in the hand suitcase, without transparent bag or anything.
If I carry a report saying that I am diabetics and everything I need to take with me, in Spanish and English, but they have never asked me.
I don't say anything, see it and ask if you want to know anything
In the only place that something has told me it was in the courts of Plaza Castilla that made me leave the glucometer, because they said it was an electronic device (the mobile looks like it was not ..)

Silly question:

I have a trip next week to another community (from Andalusia to Catalonia) and I have doubts about whether or not I will get with a boat of reactive strips for the week.Obviously the health card where they are included will not work in another community, right?That is, I have to make sure to buy enough strips provisions here, right?

The health card does not work in another community.I go from Madrid to the Valencian Community and I have to take provisions because they do not serve me.I stayed once without reactive strips and I had to buy them at the pharmacy ... and you don't want to know how much the joke cost me ... so, approve it well @pike

@pike, go to the health center that they advance to you, how many give you?The endocrine should prescribe at least four boxes a month.
Online you can find much cheaper than in pharmacy, if you don't give you enough., but you ask your doctor to need, and with that writing you go to the nurse.

Well, I have it on the health card.Whenever I needed I have gone to the pharmacy to get a boat of 50. I have never tried to get more from a boat, the truth.

pike said:
I have a silly question: when going through the airport control, where do you carry all the material?I evidently refer to the glucose meter, reactive strips, gun, lancetas, insulin and needles.

Should everything be put in a transparent plastic bag, like gels?Should you warn right right there that you are diabetic and carry all that or do you expect you to see it?And if they don't let you pass it, despite having the endocrine document?

Sorry for the hysteria of questions but I have a trip soon and I do not want to see myself in a bad situation.

I flew to the USA before being diabetic and to save rolls with heparin (I have to click on another disease if I am going to be "trapped" and at rest) I put it with the computer cables (it was working the trip) and I think thatThe scanner only saw cables, mice, loaders and others, and camouflaged inside the backpack.I was overwhelmed by customs control in the USA because international entrance and connection made there, and heparin carries a preloaded long needle that is not a pen.And he had 4 for the internal flights he had to do.

Already with insulin they have only stopped me in Barajas, I simply said that it was diabetic and I did not have to teach the paper of the endo.Neither for Germany nor for Mallorca nor for France.
Curious was that on the back the Germans requisitioned the ebook for explosive control, but the needles and others did not look at it in the scanner.

I am going to Paris next week and they have already sent me a special mail indicating that it is prohibitedYeah.