A few probably daft questions!

[astbury1]

Hi amm travelling to Thailand in April and this is completely new to me in general and now we have the diabetes thrown in

I have purchased some frio wallets....does anyone know if these are ok to take in hand luggage on plane?

Am taking some glucagon shots with me and was wondering whether my husband would have a problem taking these in his luggage or would he need a doctor letter?

Do I need to carry around my monitors and strips in a frio wallet i.e will they be effected by the heat to?

Do doctors generally let you order 2 lots of everything so you can have spares?

Any other advice would be great too!

 

[DeusXM]

I've been to Thailand 3 times now so hopefully the following should help....

Frio wallets are fine to take in your hand luggage. I've never had a problem with them in the scanners but if you are concerned, you could leave them 'dry' until you're through airport security. You don't actually need to keep insulin chilled at all times - it can last for at least 28 days at room temperature and it's perfectly safe to take insulin out of the fridge for a few hours (or days, even) before putting it back in a fridge. Assuming the hotel you are staying in has a fridge, keep your unused insulin in there. Your on-the-go pens are safe to carry in your pocket but I would recommend bringing a frio bag if you're planning on going to the beach - put your insulin in the frio, then put your frio in a bag where air can get at it, and then put your bag in the shade.

Glucogon shots should also be safe but to be honest I've never taken them overseas (haven't even owned one for over a decade). Doesn't matter whose luggage they're in but they (as should ALL your diabetes supplies) be in the hand luggage. Why would your husband need it in his hand luggage though?

Monitors and strips are much, much more resilient than insulin and don't need to be kept cold, although don't go leaving them in direct sunlight or in a car.

Your doctor should be understanding about needing 'extras' when you go overseas - explain to them what it's for and I'm sure they'll be fine.

Other points to bear in mind are:

Insulin and test strips should be available over the counter in Thailand - it'll obviously cost but in the unlikely event there's a complete disaster (like dropping a bag of insulin carts on a hard floor and they all smash!), you don't need to panic.

Don't forget your glucose tablets.

If it's not nighttime, the various energy drinks they sell in convenience stores will knock out a hypo very quickly as they are basically syrup - far more so than the Red Bull you'll get in the West, but also they come in smaller bottles. I personally prefer M-150 Storm to the Kratiem Deng. Don't use these to treat night hypos unless you happen to enjoy being completely wired at 4am.

Expect rice with every meal if you're eating Thai food.

Eat plenty of Thai food, it's the best in the world. Definitely try Phad Kra Phrao.

Don't order wine, it's a ripoff.

Do try and go for dinner at Sirocco or Breeze at State Tower in Bangkok - expect to drop around ?100 per person (?300 if you're having wine) but it's well worth the experience.

Don't forget to adjust your basal according to the time difference.

A letter from your GP is a nice optional extra to have - key word being optional. Airport security are pretty much up to speed on diabetes stuff.

Again, all your D stuff MUST go in your hand luggage. You don't want it getting frozen in the hold or going on a trip to Belfast when you're in Bangkok.

 

[AlisonF]

My husband and I regularly carry Glucagon in our hand luggage, along with all other diabetes stuff and have never had a problem. I just have a letter from the hospital explaining I have diabetes and need to carry syringes and associated medication for that.

I always carry everything in hand luggage, but I split it 50/50 between my bag and my husband's so that if one of us loses our bag, I still have plenty of supplies.

 

[astbury1]

Thankyou both! This is such valuable information!

Yes I like to palm some stuff off on husband incase bag gets lost!

I shall certainly try the places you suggested. It is getting soooo real. I have never ever been to a place like this so it is literally another world to me!🙂

Am getting very excited!

With the frio and letting the air in?? Would it be ok just to leave the bag open a bit to let the air in? Would this be enough?

Would they not work at all in a closed bag? even if something that is more breathable like a material one?

 

[DeusXM]

The way the Frio works is through evaporation cooling - as water evaporates from the gel, the ambient temperature reduces. Therefore you need air of some kind to ensure the moisture can leave and keep the temperature down.

It doesn't have to be a wide open bag, my strategy is to just leave the zip undone. A breathable bag is probably fine but in all honesty, don't stress it. Insulin is pretty tough and as long as it's a shady spot you'll be fine.

Other things to watch out far are how the heat and humidity affect your hypo awareness. I'm pretty good at judging where my blood sugar is based on how my body feels overall but high temperatures make this much harder for me to notice or even get things very wrong. For instance, my sure-fire "I'm running high" feeling is being tired and thirsty - but when it's really hot, you can feel like this anyway so it's easy to mistake it for high, and in my case sometimes I can actually be quite low when this happens.

In my experience you're also unlikely to experience, uh, gastric distress - at least, not in the same way you would in India. Generally, catering hygiene is pretty good and use your brain if you're buying from street vendors. If they're busy, they're probably good. You might also find that the Thai predilection for chillis combined with the heat affects your insulin ratios. I find that I can polish off a massive bowl of Khao Pad (fried rice, THE go-to dish when you're looking for something quick, cheap and non-confusing) with a fraction of the insulin needed for if I was eating the same amount in the UK, but only testing will prove if this works for you.

Diet coke should also be freely available if you're looking for soft drinks, but as in the UK, keep an eye out to make sure you get the right one.

Whereabouts are you travelling when you're there, if I may ask? I've got quite a bit of experience from travelling with diabetes in Thailand, including surviving the go-go bars in Bangkok's red light district, beaches and diving in Koh Samui/Koh Tao, and staying with a tribe in the mountains up by Chiang Mai/Burmese border, so if there's anything specific you're doing, I'd be happy to help (be it with the diabetes side or anything else!).

 

[astbury1]

Hi well am going to Bangkok and then to Koh Samed and then Trat onto Koh Mak.

If you need extra blood test strips would it be easy to get for my monitor... I suppose am asking whether they would have the same monitors that we do over here? Or would I end up having to buy a new monitor?

Am going for 2 weeks and most of the places are paid for already although I have absolutely no idea how much spending money to take for 2 weeks or whether it is just as easy to use the cah machines over there?

With hypo I have no idea what my signs are as I have tried to avoid like the plague as terrified. I do check alot and am aware the heat would interfer however I am a red head who burns wearing factor 50 so I can see me being in air conned buidling mainly and coming out at night! lol🙂

 

[DeusXM]

It depends on your meter - if it's a fairly common one (say a OneTouch Ultra) then they'll probably be easily available. Prices will be the same as retail costs for here so figure on around 1500 baht for the strips.

Spending money....well, how long's a piece of string? As a guide, beer is around 100 baht, a decent meal will set you back about 600-700 baht.

If you're making your own way to a hotel from Bangkok airport, watch out for a common scam. There is a formal taxi rank where you get given a piece of paper which you give to your driver who'll then take you to your hotel. However, some more unscrupulous drivers will sneak up to you when you're waiting for your sheet of paper and take you over to 'secret' taxi rank, where they'll all be very nice and friendly and then give you their rate card and tell you they're much cheaper than using a metered cab because of all the traffic. A metered cab from the airport to central Bangkok should cost around 400-500 baht (?10). One of these unofficial cabs will cost nearer 3000 baht (?60)!

Cabs and trucks in Koh Samui won't use the meter, expect to pay anywhere from 100-500 baht depending on the length of your journey. There's no point even asking for the meter to be switched on, they'll just refuse to take you.

Also, watch out for anyone who seems extremely friendly and starts asking you about your job or whatever. They're harmless enough but what they're trying to do is find a way to get you into a tailors to buy a suit, or go to a gem factory to buy supposedly precious gems (which are of course, coloured glass). Watch out for organised tours arranged in supposed TAT offices - you'll get a decent day out but expect for every interesting temple or Buddha you see, to go to at least one gem factory or tailors. Don't feel obliged to buy.

Cash machines are easy to use (you'll get an option to use them in English). Be aware that the bank exchange rate will be poorer than using a currency exchange in the UK and you'll also be charged for withdrawals. Also, if a cash machine gives you the option to do your transaction in Baht or Pounds, ALWAYS choose Baht. Most people choose pounds because they think it's nice and simple. What actually happens is the Thai bank transfers pounds from the UK account, converts that amount to baht according to THEIR exchange rate (which will always be worse than your bank) and then gives you what they deem to be the fair amount of cash. Whereas if you do your transaction in baht, your bank in the UK receives a Baht request and it's the UK bank that does the conversion - much better for your pocket!

 

[trophywench]

Hear Hear to that last paragraph - and THAT advice is the same even for Europe. Shops like eg Decathlon will ask you when you pay on your card, Sterling or Euros? - say Euros!

 

[astbury1]

Thank you sooooo much for this advice! I cant believe am actually going as I get stressed going to the supermarket! lol