Time difference help

[CassieO]

Hi there, I'm due to go to Jamaica in October (well fingers crossed I am). Can anyone help with taking insulin with a 5 hour time difference? My usual time is 8am.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

What insulins and how are they delivered? (If you're on a pump, for example, I imagine that's easier (though there's presumably an issue about how and when to change the pump's clock.)

And do you have some really easy way to measure the effects (a CGM or FreeStyle Libre)?

 

[CassieO]

12 units once a day.i

 

[Robin]

With a once a day basal, there are various options when going Westwards;
1) delay the injection by an hour a day for a couple of days before travelling, then do it as soon as you wake up when you get there, and work towards 8am local time during the first couple of days you are there.
2) keep to the same 24 hour spacing, so do the injection at lunchtime while you’re there (I always find this inconvenient because it means taking the insulin out with me)
3) Just take the insulin at 8am local time when you get there, and do a correction dose with short acting if you find your blood glucose has risen a bit during the 'gap'

 

[CassieO]

Many thanks for replies. Think I'll just stick with 8am local time. I'm usually still an early riser on holiday.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Many thanks for replies. Think I'll just stick with 8am local time. I'm usually still an early riser on holiday.

That's what I do (though I think the biggest change I've done in the last few years was 3 or 4 hours). That is, I use option 3: just switch to the new time zone and use bolus insulin as necessary.