While a diabetes diagnosis can be life changing, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are manageable with medication, diet and exercise. Generally, new patients are awed by the complicated anatomy of the disease as they struggle to understand glucose, insulin and the need for an array of diabetic supplies. But daunting as it is, insulin vials, needles, blood glucose monitors and test strips won't stop you from taking your show on the road.
If you're a type 2 diabetes patient, very little stands in the way of travel. You're probably taking medication to control blood glucose, and your doctor has probably recommended a low-carbohydrate diet, plenty of exercise and a health care routine that you can easily manage when you're away from home. You can carry several weeks' diabetic supplies so you don't have to worry about purchasing these items in a foreign country.
Type 1 diabetes is a bit more complicated, as patients must have access to insulin, which must be refrigerated. Type 1 diabetics can lapse into diabetic coma if blood glucose goes out of control. Furthermore, transporting needles and lancets is sure to slow you down when airport security examines your luggage.
You can take comfort from the knowledge that, every day, thousands of people with type 1 diabetes board airplanes, buses and trains and travel safely to their destinations without incident. While you have to exercise caution, travel isn't impossible. Carry documentation from your doctor to explain the sharps, and take precautions to dispose of them safely.
Meanwhile, three concerns must be foremost on your list of special preparations for travel as a type 1 diabetes patient:
If you have to take insulin while in flight, don't let air into the vial, as the low cabin pressure will hamper your efforts to accurately measure the amount of insulin.
Of course, prevention is the key to a pleasant travel experience. Monitor your blood glucose carefully, as you would at home. Don't sign up for walking tours or events that will leave you so fatigued that your blood sugar plummets in the middle of the activity. Get plenty of sleep, particularly on overseas flights. Ask your doctor to recommend a sleep aid that won't interfere with your normal medications and discuss the effects of jet lag and how they might be prevented.
If you're taking a cruise, let the ship's doctor know that you have diabetes. If you go on shore excursions, take along snacks and bottled water. Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes, and pack extra socks to avoid blisters and injuries to your feet. Use sunscreen and wear a hat.
Your travel experience will be more enjoyable if you stick to routines you've established at home. Exercise is an easy one, if you plan ahead. Of course, an eight-hour transatlantic flight will put a crimp in your workout routine, but you can take advantage of long waits at airports to go for a brisk stroll. Arrive early for flights to avoid stress, stretch your limbs, close your eyes and take deep breaths to remain calm.
If you routinely work out at a gym, ask a trainer to recommend floor exercises and aerobic routines that you can do in a hotel room. Plan walks and hikes that will augment your sightseeing with exercise.
Food intake is probably your worst enemy while traveling. At home, you might be counting those carbs, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and avoiding greasy fast foods. Travel to third-world countries or exotic destinations with spicy cuisines laden with fat and sugar may interfere with your diet plan.
Overeating and eating the wrong foods is often a result of excessive hunger. Your body is responding to an urgent need. Stave off hunger with regular healthy snacks. Buy fresh fruit and snack-size vegetables before you leave on a day of touring (and wash them well). When mealtime comes, don't let your well-meaning host force unhealthy food on you. Explain that you have a condition that can make you quite ill if you overdo portion sizes or starch content. Most people won't persist if you're polite but firm.