Tips for Traveling with Diabetes

Diabetes and travel don't have to be mutually exclusive. If you have diabetes, you can travel as often as you like--and to wherever you want. Diabetes management just requires some advance planning when traveling.

Diabetes and Travel: Preparation

Schedule a checkup with your regular doctor four to six weeks before you travel--just to make sure your diabetes is manageable and can withstand the change in routine and that you're up-to-date on all your immunizations. Go over your travel plans with your physician. If your plans involve crossing time zones, work out a travel schedule for insulin injections. Eastward travel means a shorter day and westward travel means a longer day, so you may need less or more insulin than usual. Assuming all goes well, ask your doctor for a copy of your prescriptions and a letter detailing your current diabetes treatment. Always keep these documents in your carry-on bag while traveling. Wear a medical bracelet or tag identifying you as a diabetes patient when you travel, so you can get immediate proper care in an emergency situation. Pack at least twice as much medication and blood-sugar-testing supplies as you think you'll need--it's better to have too much than not enough. In addition, pack the following items in your carry-on bag and keep it with you at all times:

• Blood and urine testing supplies
• Candy or glucose tablets for a low-blood-sugar emergency
• Diabetes identification bracelet, card or tag
• Extra batteries for your glucose meter
• Healthy snacks, such as cheese, crackers, peanut butter or fruit
• ID
• Insulin
• Juice box
• Oral medications
• Syringes.

When you reach your destination, store your insulin in a cool place. It doesn't need to be refrigerated, but temperatures that are too hot or too cold can cause the insulin to lose strength. A good way to protect your insulin is to keep it in an insulated bag or cooler with refrigerated gel packs.

Diabetes Management While Traveling

Once you reach your destination, keep your eating schedule as close to normal as possible. If your itinerary makes this impossible, or if you'll be more active than usual, pack a few snacks. Check your blood glucose often, since your blood sugar can spike or drop unexpectedly due to the change in routine. Don't be afraid to ask for a list of ingredients for unfamiliar foods when eating, especially if you're not sure how your body will react to new foods. Never go barefoot while traveling. Protect your feet with comfortable shoes and check every day for blisters or injuries. If you notice any swelling in your feet, seek medical care immediately. Make sure at least one person in your travel party knows about your diabetes. Take extra care when traveling in a foreign country. Don't drink tap water or use ice cubes made from tap water. Instead, carry your own water bottle wherever you go. If you must purchase insulin in a foreign country, it may come in a different strength than your current insulin. Make sure you're using the correct syringe so you get the right amount of insulin.

Air Travel Tips

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has very specific rules and regulations for air travel. While these rules are absolutely necessary for the safety of travelers, they can cause a lot of headaches--especially for people with diabetes. As you're packing, you may be wondering what diabetes supplies you can take onboard with you. Follow these diabetes tips for a relatively stress-free flight. TSA allows all diabetes-related medication and equipment onboard, including:

• Blood-glucose testing supplies
• Glucagon emergency kits
• Insulin
• Insulin pump and related supplies
• Unused syringes (as many as you need, provided they're accompanied by an injectable medication such as insulin)
• Used syringes, as long as they're contained in a hard-surface container.

As a diabetes patient, you're also exempt from the normal rules that apply to bringing liquids through security. Generally, liquids and gels may only be taken through security in containers smaller than 3.4 ounces. But if you have diabetes, you're allowed to bring multiple liquids such as juice, water, insulin, liquid medications and cake gel through TSA checkpoints. However, you must remove all medical liquids greater than 3.4 ounces from your carryon luggage and declare them to security personnel. All non-medical liquids must be contained in a quart-sized zip-top bag. Insulin can generally pass through airport X-rays with no adverse effects. If you're concerned, request manual inspection instead of sending it through the X-ray. Never leave your insulin in your checked luggage, since the changes in pressure and temperature can damage it, or your luggage could be lost. Call your doctor if you notice any variations in the appearance of your insulin or if its effectiveness changes while you're traveling. Although it's not required, you can expedite the security-screening process by letting TSA personnel know about your diabetes by filling out a notification card to present to screeners. You may also wish to bring along supporting documentation for your medical needs, such as prescriptions, ID cards or a letter from your doctor. If you need an insulin injection while flying, be careful not to inject air into the bottle. The pressure in the cabin may make it difficult to measure accurately. If you're on a long flight, get up and walk around every couple of hours to reduce the risk of blood clots in your legs.