Mike Herman asked:


You’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, fortunately, diabetes does not mean what it once did and current research and break through’s mean that things are continuing to improve as you read this.

Vacations, airline travel, cruises, and long drives to a vacation destination are all possible. It takes some planning and some extra work, but you can do it.

You need to plan for them and prepare for possible emergency, allowing for a safe and enjoyable vacation for you.

• Consult with your doctor and your medical support team about changing insulin doses and an extra prescription for insulin.

• Carry a snacks and juices and plenty of water wherever you go. This will help if you need something quick to bring up sugar levels. Keep extra diabetes supplies in the same pack. If you keep everything together, they will be handy when the need arises.

• Be sure to pack extra supplies in a hand bag or purse, it’s a good idea to even pack your diabetes and extras in several bags.

• Always wear your medical alert bracelet and any other medical information that might be needed.

• Your friends and families should know the route you are traveling.

• Making reservations for busy restaurants may help you avoid long waits. They also may be able to provide you with nutritional information about menu selections.

• Remember that any change in physical activity, even packing or loading up the car, can cause blood glucose levels to swing high or low.

• Insulin should not be allowed to freeze and must be kept out of direct sunlight, as should all supplies, sunlight can affect test results. Ice packs can be used to keep insulin chilled.

• And lastly, can’t say this often enough, always have plenty of extra insulin and food for any unforeseen moments on any excursion.

The Transportation Security Administration section of the Department of Homeland Security has many good tips on flying when you have diabetes. If you need further information from them, you can call them at (866) 289-9673.

Going to a theme park or water park? Be safe and keep your insulin supplies in a waterproof bag to avoid water damage.

When traveling in a boat, the diabetic should be aware of any seasickness they may suffer from. The main problem of the dependent insulin diabetic patient is that seasickness can upset their diabetic condition and cause them to have problems.

Will you be flying? If you happen to have an insulin pump, ask them to do a visual inspection of your insulin pump and do a physical pat down. If you go through the metal detector, you will set it off. Most should know what an insulin pump is but it doesn’t hurt to remind them. If they ask you to remove your pump, remind them that it is a needle under your skin.

Once you have had your supplies screened, the following are diabetic supplies that can be carried onboard with you.

- Glucagon emergency kit

- Urine ketone test strips

- A disposal container or something similar and an unlimited supply of used syringes and testing strips

- Insulin pump and supplies including all supplies needed for cleaning, extra plastic tubing, infusion kits, batteries, catheter, and needles

- Insulin dispensing products, including vials, pens, jet injectors, infusers, and any preloaded syringes as well as insulin

- Lancets, testing strips, glucose meters, alcohol swabs, and any other meter-testing supplies

- Unlimited number of unused syringes as long as they are with your insulin or other medication that is injected.

Remember when flying; don’t check all of your diabetic supplies. If you have watched the news, you know there is many bags lost each year.

Checking your blood sugar more often during time away from home is best. It is recommended you check at least six times a day to avoid any problems. Be prepared for changing blood sugar levels because of heat, excitement, and schedule changes. It is also recommended is to drink at least 64 ounces of water each day and more if you are more active than usual. You should drink the same amount of water even if you are visiting a beach or a pool.

The insulin pump is becoming more popular. It can give you the flexibility of vacation schedules without worrying about injections. The pump is more popular, especially for children with diabetes. As new technology makes these pumps even better, more children and adults will have the freedom to travel.



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Hector Milla asked:


The age factor is not a great matter with diabetic patients because diabetes affects all people, even children, in result injuring the heart, kidneys and even nerve systems if left untreated. Treatment for diabetes is necessary for diabetic patients in order to avoid other possible complications. Diabetes is an imbalanced of the sugar levels that affects different people of different ages where proper medication for diabetes patients is important in maintaining their glucose or sugar levels.

Diabetes is the most silent type of disease that can cause death and disability to people of different races all over the world. Significantly speaking, diabetic patients need proper care to help manage their condition to live a normal and satisfying life. As such, diabetic supplies for diabetic patients are acquirable in various medical stores worldwide. These supplies will allow diabetic patients help maintain their blood sugar and at the same time treat their condition.

A variation of supplies for diabetic patients is at hand. For example, self administered test kits for patients without the knowledge that they have diabetes can be bought to make test available to knowing if there are diabetic or not. These self-test kits include test strips and blood glucose meters that calculate glucose levels for individual patients. There are two kinds of meters that can be used to calculate the glucose level: one type is the meter that changes in color to show the glucose level and the other meter displays a digital reading for the glucose level.

Utilizing a self-test kit is easy and very convenient for any patient. Using a lancet or a piercing device with a built-in needle to get blood samples to perform the test can help patients distinguish if they are diabetic or not. These lancets are individual units that are not transposable from one patient to another, costing according to the types of brand ranges from $65 to $70 per unit.

Recommendation for buying blood glucose meters have several options because of the different kinds of features it offers. These features include a memory to help monitor sugar levels while other features a voice systems where a step-by-step procedure for glucose testing is included. Also, another feature includes the action test strip that eventually helps get blood on the strip itself.

There are different brand names available for these self-test kits like the accu-check, the one-touch ultra, the one-touch sure step and the freestyle test strips that will help you perform a test if you are a diabetic or not.

Other available supplies for diabetic patients are the different selections for an insulin delivery system. These insulin systems help assist diabetic patient in taking insulin or particular medications. These supplies vary according to the type of medication needed to treat patients with diabetes. The following supplies are: pen and jet injectors, insulin pumps and infusers, and the normal syringe are helpful in taking insulin doses.

Diabetes supplies is really important to people with diabetes, however, these supplies are also costly and can be quite expensive. Due to additional cases for diagnosed patients with diabetes, a surplus of diabetic supplies is needed. Even health care increase, estimating nearly to $100 billion a year, have become a problem, therefore, affecting people with the way diabetes have affected their lives. In a way, diabetic supplies are still helpful and gives diabetic patients an opportunity to lead normal and satisfying lives that is necessary for treatment.



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Bill Urell asked:


Having diabetes does not mean that the world is ending. If you are having the urge to travel, then go ahead, do not let it keep you.

But then, you need to take care of your supplies first before going. Being careful is the best way to avoid accidents and emergency situations.

First thing to do it to prepare a check list of supplies you need to bring. This may include:

* Vials of insulin or * Insulin loaded syringes * Oral medication * Numerous syringes and/or pen needles * Lancet or other finger pricking devices * Glucose metes * Batteries for meter * Meter solutions * Glucose strips * Insulin pump * Supplies for your insulin pump like fresh batteries, plastic tubes, needles and cathethers * Glucagon kit for emergencies * Urine test strips * Alcohol swabs * A disposal container for your sharp instruments * ID and diabetes identity cards * Medical insurance cards * Emergency glucose (glucose tablets)

Place all of these in one bag for ease of use and for facilitation of screening at the airport. Pack twice as much as you need so you will not be short. You might also want to bring all your prescription so that in the case that your bag was lost, all items can be replaced promptly.

Next, you need to determine how to store your insulin. Insulin is stable at room temperature but it can lose its therapeutic effect if it is stored in a very hot or very cold place. The next time you go to your supplies store, try looking for travel packs for your insulin.

Then, you need to make sure that all your supplies are properly labeled. There is no limit to the number of syringes or lancets you can bring but they need to be properly stored and labeled. Used syringes and lancets should be in a sharps container and the container also labeled.

Ensure that your strips are placed in a waterproof container. If you have the foil wrapped strips, double wrap them in zip lock bags just to be careful.

Make sure that batteries for your meters are of the right kind and are brand new. Many people overlook this and end up bringing the wrong kind or used up batteries.

Also, take a sturdy plastic or paper back for your trash. This will hold your used alcohol swabs, strips and strip-wrappers.

When you get to the airport, alert security that you have diabetes and are carrying supplies. Show them your identification if needs be. If you are wearing an insulin pump, you need to tell the inspectors that the pump cannot be removed because it is connected to a catheter under your skin.

Unpack and repack your supplies yourself if security demands it. This will ensure that there is no contamination or loss of article.

You should not worry about the effect of the x-ray on your pump or meters. Most of them are designed to pass through the scanners safely. If you still have doubts, ask security for a visual inspection instead.

However, keep in mind that if you request for a visual inspection, there might be items that cannot be screened just visually. This may need x-ray scanning. If you refuse, you will not be allowed to have them onboard.

Traveling is a fun and joyful experience. You need not be hampered by disease to enjoy it fully. Just remember to take the proper precaution, be conscious of your body and pack your supplies properly.

Oh and have a great time!



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