Travelling and Holidays With Diabetes

Just because you have diabetes does not mean you cannot go on holiday. All you have to do is to make sure you prepare well.

Key tips:

1) Always have some type of diabetes ID on you so that people know that you are diabetic. An identification bracelet or an ID card would be ideal.

2) Make sure you have a written certificate from your doctor in the language (if possible) of the country you are visiting stating that your medication or insulin is for the treatment of your diabetes. The last thing you want in a foreign country is any misunderstanding regarding medication and needles.

3) Take a recent copy of your prescription with you. No one wants to lose their medication but these things can happen. Having the name of the medicines you are on can at least help you find replacements.

4) Take more medication and test strips than you would normally use just in case some are damaged or lost and take as much as twice the insulin you actually need for your trip.

5) If you use a insulin pen, take a U100 insulin injection with you for emergencies.

6) Take your blood glucose meter with you and make sure you have sufficient test strips supplies. You may well need to monitor more often.

7) Make sure you know where you can go for medical help in the place you are visiting preferably beforehand but if not on your arrival.

Check with your insurance company that your diabetes is covered.

9) Make sure that your medication or insulin do not become too hot or cold. There are special cool bags that can keep insulin cool during travel. Also, it is best to keep insulin in your hand luggage as it is likely to freeze in the hold of the plane.

10) Always carry a snack or hypo treatments in case of hypoglycaemia or if a meal is delayed or contains too little carbohydrates.