If you have diabetes, then travel planning is even more essential. Having the ability to enjoy vacations just like anyone, from traveling abroad, to week-long cruises in the Caribbean, to camping a few hours from home is easy when you’ve taken the right steps to prepare. We want everyone to have the ability to stay healthy and travel safely, so if you’re a diabetic, below are a few tips to enjoy yourself to the fullest without having to worry about the little things.
One of the most important things to check out before your trips are good diabetic travel cases. It ensures your insulin supply stays at the right temperature and is effective throughout your trip. Other key features to consider when selecting the right travel bag are sections to stay organized and a discreet fashionable design.
Main Diabetic Supplies that Need to Come with You
Without the best insulin travel case, it’s too easy to lose your diabetes supplies. That’s why a comfortable and sturdy case comes in handy. It allows you to store and protect your diabetic supplies with great care.
Testing Strips
Diabetes testing strips easily test your blood sugar by way of your glucose levels. They typically work with glucose meters to “read” your levels so you better manage your disease. Regularly using test strips helps you understand which foods, medications, and activities affect your blood sugar positively or negatively.
Damaged test strips cause inaccurate readings. Store them in a sufficient diabetic carrying case and keep the following suggestions in mind while traveling:
- Don’t use torn or damaged strips.
- Discard expired strips.
- Keep strips away from heat, humidity, and moisture.
- Make sure your strips work with your meter before you leave.
- Make sure new test strip boxes get calibrated or coded to work correctly.
Medication
Your diabetic travel bag must be big enough to hold all your supplies, and this includes your medication. To be safe, pack double the amount of medicine you think you’ll need. Pack them in their original pharmacy bottles, or ask your pharmacist for extra labels and attach them to plastic bags.
If you have diabetes, you are exempt from the 3.4 oz. liquid rule. This counts for meds, fast-acting carbs like juice, and gel packs that keep your insulin cool. Be careful with your glucose monitor or insulin pump, as they can be damaged when you go through the X-ray machine.
Don’t bother disconnecting them; just request a hand inspection instead.
If you’re traveling by car, keep your insulin bag for travel out of direct sunlight. Store any insulated bags for insulin in a cooler. Keep in mind that hot temperatures also change how your body uses insulin. Be prepared to test your blood sugar more often and adjust food, drink, and insulin doses as needed.
Insulin Pens
Bring along a letter from your doctor to get through security or customs quicker with an insulin pen travel case. A letter can help you replace lost/damaged/stolen medication or seek medical attention.
Keep your insulin pens and/or insulin cooler bag refrigerated until opened, and then store them at room temperature. Ask if your insulin has a longer or shorter lifespan. Some must be used in as little as ten days and should never be frozen.
Syringes
If traveling by air, ask about restrictions if carrying insulin, needles, or other medical supplies with you. Different airlines and TSA guidelines have varying rules about carry-on medical supplies and devices. They may also require a doctor’s note.
When packing your insulin needles before a trip, follow the “Three-Day Rule.” In other words, pack enough for three extra days in case you get delayed or lose your luggage.
Pack syringes in a secure container like a hard TSA-approved insulin travel case. Label the case with your name and contact information in case it gets lost. As long as they’re properly packed and labeled, you shouldn’t encounter much of a problem.
Snacks
When traveling, choose nutrient-rich snacks so you feel full without causing high blood sugar levels. Here are a few ideas.
- Avocados
- Chickpeas
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Almonds
- Yogurt with berries
- Cottage cheese
- Veggies with hummus
- Sliced apples with peanut butter
- Celery sticks with peanut butter
- Beef jerky
- Turkey roll-ups
- Cheese and whole-wheat crackers
- Popcorn
- Trail mix
- Protein bars
Glucose Meter
Bring along a blood glucose meter in your diabetic travel case. It measures and displays the amount of sugar in your blood. Remember that exercise, food, stress, and meds all affect your blood glucose level. It’s easy to forget to manage your diabetes on a trip, but important to keep up your health regimen, so you enjoy yourself!
If you’re using a new blood glucose meter, understand how it works before your trip. Normally, you insert a test strip into the device and poke a clean fingertip with a special needle. Then carefully touch the test strip to the blood and wait for a reading to appear on the screen.
When stored properly, meters are accurate and effective while traveling. Check with your insurance provider for coverage details. Also, factor in the cost of the test strips. These represent the majority of the long-term cost.
Make sure both the meter and test strips easily fit in your diabetic supply case. Ask about any special features you might specifically need. This includes large, easy-to-handle buttons and test strips, illuminated screens, and advanced audio for people with impaired vision.
Some meters let you share your readings with your doctor through a smartphone app. At the very least, write down a toll-free number that you can call for help while on your vacation.
Lancets
Checking your blood sugar levels while away from home helps you keep your diabetic symptoms under control. To do this, you’ll need a blood sample with a lancing device and a lancet in your diabetic travel cases.
Lancets are small needle-like supplies. You make a tiny prick in your skin and test a few drops of blood with a diabetic monitor. Lancing devices go with lancets and have a spring action to quickly pierce the skin. Pack enough lancets in a medication cooling bag to use a new one each time you need it.
You will find different types of lancing devices that are good for travel. Focus on the right category for your specific needs. There are different sizes for children and adults. You also want the correct lancet gauge size so it fits into your lancing device. Stick with one brand for lancing devices and lancets so that they work together.
Where do you want to get your blood samples from while traveling? All lancing devices can generally be used on your fingers, but some allow you to use different parts of your body that may be more convenient while away from home.
5 Diabetic Travel Cases Worth Checking Out
1. LUXJA Diabetic Supplies Travel Case
2. Glucology Diabetic Travel Case
3. YOUSHARES Insulin Cooler Travel Case for Diabetic Supplies
4. Elonbo Diabetic Supplies Travel Case
5. ProCase Cooler Travel Bag for Diabetic Supplies
Final Thoughts
Diabetes may make travel more challenging, but it doesn’t have to get in the way of a fun time. If you plan and pack appropriate diabetes travel kits, you’re more likely to have a relaxing and enjoyable trip with less to worry about.
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