How to make your stay safe and complete | Medicines and blood glucose control | Time Zones
A person with diabetes does not have to give up travel and relaxation due to the fact that he has diabetes. You just need to take care of certain things in advance.
How to make your stay safe and complete
There are some rules how to stay safe:
- Have your diabetes card in the language of the country where you are located (or in English), which will indicate that you have diabetes, as well as your name, phone number of the doctor and relatives, information about the medicines you take.
- Take a medical report about your illness, including an indication of your medications and other useful information in the language of the country in which you are located (or in English).
- Take a supply of medicine, lancets, test strips, and, of course, your glucometer.
- Get travel insurance. Find out where and how you can get medical care upon arrival.
- Take your medicine, blood glucose self-monitoring equipment and medical insurance in your luggage. If you are taking a flight, you may need a medical document signed by a doctor and confirming the need to use these drugs for your personal treatment.
- Stick to your normal lifestyle, as much as possible (including medication, basic meals, snacks, physical activity, and sleep).
Medicines and blood glucose control
- Take the necessary vaccinations in time so that side effects do not appear unexpectedly during the trip.
- Take along medications for gastrointestinal upset.
- Measure your blood glucose regularly; you may even need to do this more often than usual.
- Take along a supply of sugar-lowering drugs, test strips, lancets, so that you have enough for the whole trip (for insulin, the supply should be doubled).
- Do not forget also other means that will help you: bactericidal solution, sterile gauze wipes, disinfectant solution, foot care products, etc.
- Take along a spare battery for the meter.
- Ensure that insulin and test strips do not heat or cool too much.
In hot climates, special bags with a cooling element for storing insulin come in handy.
- Always keep on hand insulin and a glucose meter with test strips, as well as products containing easily digestible carbohydrates (for example, fruit juice or a few pieces of sugar) to eliminate hypoglycemia in case you do not have time to eat on time or the food will not contain enough carbohydrates.
Time Zones
Usually the problem of changing time zones can be solved by injecting insulin with short (ultra-short) action (if you use it) and regular nutrition. In advance, discuss with your doctor the scheme that is right for you.