Travelling and diabetes

Managing diabetes during travel is much the same as managing it at home. It is important to plan ahead for travel related changes, such as delays in meals and lost luggage. Here are a few tips.

TRAVEL TIPS

Take your testing supplies, injection supplies, medications and glucose tablets in your carry on luggage (car, bus or plane).
Keep a supply of snacks with you in case your meals are unexpectedly delayed. (Include a carbohydrate and protein – talk to a diabetes team member about what options are best for you).
Try to avoid sitting for long periods. Get up and stretch whenever possible. If you are in a car, make regular stops to get up and walk around.
On a road trip plan ahead so that the timing of your insulin, meals, snacks and exercise doesn’t change.
If you are going through customs, take a note from your doctor explaining that you have diabetes and you require special supplies like lancets and syringes.
Carry a prescription for your medicines and syringes. It’s not a bad idea to have a travel companion carrying duplicate copies.
Take twice as many supplies than you plan to use. You could be delayed or unable to find a drug store if you are traveling outside the country.
If you are crossing time zones your insulin schedules may need some adjustments. Talk to a diabetes team member about your travel plans.?
Test your blood glucose when traveling. This is a good way to see how the change in your routine is affecting your diabetes control.
Remember to drink plenty of sugar free fluids especially on an airplane.
If possible take an aisle seat and stretch your legs walking up and down the aisles.

Travelling with Increased Security Measures

Transport Canada has outlined several tips to help avoid unnecessary delays:

Inform security personnel that you have diabetes and that you are carrying your supplies on board. It is recommended that you have available a letter from your physician which indicates that you have diabetes and that you need to carry your diabetes medication and supplies.
Organize your medication and supplies into one separate container within your carry-on baggage.
Your syringes must have the needle guards in place and must be accompanied by the insulin.
Your insulin and any other medications must be in a container with a professionally printed pharmaceutical label identifying the medication. If the pharmaceutical label is on the outside of the box containing the insulin, the insulin must be carried in that original packaging.
Your lancets must be capped and must be accompanied by a glucose meter that has the manufacturer's name imprinted on the meter.

If you have any difficulty throughout the screening process, you can request to speak to the screening supervisor. If you are travelling outside of Canada, you should consult with your airline for applicable international regulations. Advanced planning will help keep the fun in your vacation!