Diabetics and Travel Part 1

Individuals who have diabetes simply can’t rush to the airport and catch the next flight out. Travel for diabetics requires advanced preparations. Traveling inside North America or Europe is fine, but anywhere else and one can run into problems.

In many countries outside of North America, health care facilities are not well established. Besides the language barrier, one may not even be able to find the right supplies.

Prior to any trip, even if it is in North America, prepare well ahead of time. Go and see your health care provider to ensure that there are no immediate problems with your diabetes. If you are a diabetic and have an immediate problem like elevated sugars, ketones in the urine, fever or vomiting, the best advice is to cancel your trip.

All diabetics should carry a letter from the physician which explains the disease, your overall health and what medications you are presently taking. In addition, one should always get a prescription for additional medical supplies for the trip. You never know with travel these days. Reports of lost luggage are a daily occurrence..

Besides medications, all diabetics should also carry extra supplies of syringes, lancets, glucose meter and other accessories. Take enough to last for the duration of the trip. Never think that you will buy extra supplies at your destination. If you are carrying syringes with you, do declare them with customs prior to your trip otherwise you will have unnecessary delays trying to explain your situation when you come back.

Insulin Pumps Part 1

For many diabetic individuals, monitoring blood sugar and taking diabetic medications or administering insulin every single day can be a chore. Now scientists have come up with an insulin pump.

The insulin pump delivers a constant amount (basal) rate of insulin 24 hours a day to control your blood sugar. One can program the pump to administer additional doses of insulin after a meal or to correct high levels of sugar.

The insulin pump is about the size of a thin wallet and can be carried on a belt underneath the clothing. A thin plastic tubing from this pump is then tunneled under the skin using a special needle. This tunneled site needs to be rotated every 2-3 days.

The insulin pump needs to be programmed for it to work.

Advantages of an insulin pump include the following:

- The pump controls your blood sugar levels without you having to worry about needles and syringes. Your basal rate is preprogrammed. If you do decide to eat an extra meal or have high sugar, all you have to do is press the button and a supplemental dose of insulin is delivered.

- Instead of giving insulin needle injections 2-6 times a day, you rotate the tubing site every 2-3 days.

- There is less time wastage and you do not need to carry a bunch of syringes and needles wherever you go

- In general, individuals who use the insulin pump have much better control of their blood sugars and hence fewer diabetic complications

- Individuals who use the insulin pump also have fewer incidences of hypoglycemia (low sugar).