Always have your meter with you?

[DanW81]

Just wondering if you drive?

Thats good that you have good hypo warning signs so that you can treat. What about if you are going to be eating out somewhere do you take it for a pre-meal test?

Yes i do drive.

If im going for a meal i would do a test before i left the house and from that reading i have a good idea how much i need to take for the meal.
If however i didnt have a chance to do a test, e.g. if i went straight from work, then depending on what im eating i have a pretty good idea if i need to up or down the amount im taking, cause my levels are always pretty steady. this seems to work for me.

i always take my pen with me if i know im going to be eating or not going home for quite a while and i always have a pack of fruit pastals in every coat.

 

[Caroline]

Since I bought a puncture kit to keep in my bag I have foundmyself a new job at work.

I bought my new meter the evening before and hadn't had a chance to set it up so did it next morning at work. One of my colleagues, curious to know what I was playing with as I like gadgets then asked me to set up his too.

Several people have since asked me to please help set theirs up too. I like my One Touch Ultra II meter. It is the first one I had and the one I have got used to using. I'm sure other meters are just as good, it just depends on what you're used to.🙄😛

 

[sofaraway]

Yes i do drive.

If im going for a meal i would do a test before i left the house and from that reading i have a good idea how much i need to take for the meal.
If however i didnt have a chance to do a test, e.g. if i went straight from work, then depending on what im eating i have a pretty good idea if i need to up or down the amount im taking, cause my levels are always pretty steady. this seems to work for me.

i always take my pen with me if i know im going to be eating or not going home for quite a while and i always have a pack of fruit pastals in every coat.

So you don't test before driving? The DVLA does say that you have to, hope you never have an accident.

My levels are generally pretty steady and are what i expect them to be,but sometimes I get a result that surprises me. I could probably go without my before lunch reading as I'm never high then, but I like to test because that just covers another variable.

 

[Ikklemo]

I always carry my testing kit with me and normally some glucose tablets as well.

In fact I'm probably a bit OTT with testing kits as I have a spare meter at home, and yet another that I can take on holiday with me so should I lose it it is not a problem. All my meters are the Optimum Xceed and very easy to use where ever I happen to be.


😎😎

 

[DanW81]

So you don't test before driving? The DVLA does say that you have to, hope you never have an accident.

My levels are generally pretty steady and are what i expect them to be,but sometimes I get a result that surprises me. I could probably go without my before lunch reading as I'm never high then, but I like to test because that just covers another variable.

Well tbh the DVLA would say that wouldnt they, to be on the safe side.
Like i said i always test before i leave the house, driving or not. If its on the low side ill eat/drink a bit to get it normal. Dont want to sound big headed, lol. but i would like to think im a bit of an expert regarding driving & medical issues, as i had my license revoked for 2 yrs due to being diagnosed with epilepsy. The fact i was also diabetic made it more complicated, after a long 2 yrs its all fine now!

Surely its not just me, but i always get very good signs for when its dropping low and am always able to fix this before it becomes a problem. And like you said my levels are all pretty steady, maybe the odd suprise, but i am generally able to predict what my level is going to be, so dont feel the need to take my meter with me everywhere.

 

[Copepod]

spare meter when travelling?

I've just been asked to update a section on travelling with diabetes in a general overseas travel book. The doctor who asked me seemed surprised that I carry a spare meter when travelling overseas, although I generally go to relatively remote regions and participate in activities where kit (and me!) is likely to get wet / muddy / broken etc. So far, though, waterproofing techniques etc have always meant I've come back with all kit and body working OK.

So, I'd be interested to hear if people take a spare meter when going on a traditional 2 week family holiday beside the Mediterranean, for example?

 

[aymes]

I've just been asked to update a section on travelling with diabetes in a general overseas travel book. The doctor who asked me seemed surprised that I carry a spare meter when travelling overseas, although I generally go to relatively remote regions and participate in activities where kit (and me!) is likely to get wet / muddy / broken etc. So far, though, waterproofing techniques etc have always meant I've come back with all kit and body working OK.

So, I'd be interested to hear if people take a spare meter when going on a traditional 2 week family holiday beside the Mediterranean, for example?

I would usually take a spare one with me, and also spare insulin pens etc never needed to use any of it though.

 

[kincaidston]

i take a spare one with me but thats because it is smaller and easier to keep warm when i'm away snowboarding, leave my bigger one in the chalet during the day... also don't care so much if something happens to it

 

[sofaraway]

So, I'd be interested to hear if people take a spare meter when going on a traditional 2 week family holiday beside the Mediterranean, for example?

yes i have done and will next time I go. spare meter, spare pens, and a couple of flexpens incase my novopen breaks. twice a smany strips as I think i'll need, twice as many needles.

 

[Viki]

me too - spare everything and loads of it!! went to jamaica in nov and was so paraniod i needed pretty much an extra suitcase to take all my supplies with me!!

 

[Copepod]

low weight kit

The doctor's enquiry prompted me to weigh my blood glucose meter kit (our digital kitchen scales usually only get used for weighing postal packages, baking ingredients for birthday cakes and sports drinks powders for adventure races) - Optium Xceed weighs 42g, finger pricker & 3 lancets weighs 13g; 50 strips weigh 22g, so 1 kit for 2 weeks weighs 77g. Adding a second meter, finger pricker and lancets adds only 55g (as I'd split the 50 strips between the 2 kits). I haven't added the weight of the case, as that depends on where I'm going / what I'm doing - but only a few grams for a cloth case or small plastic food box. No way would that fill a suitase, even with some insulin pens and cartridges - just a side pocket of a rucksack or a medium sized bumbag.

 

[Jules A]

So, I'd be interested to hear if people take a spare meter when going on a traditional 2 week family holiday beside the Mediterranean, for example?

Yes, spare meter and pens and at least twice as much insulin, test strips, lancets and needles as I think I'll need. I split them between two different pieces of hand carried baggage with the insulin in two Frio pouches to keep it cool.

I keep my spare insulin in the Frio pouches all the time I'm away rather than putting it in the room fridge as I nearly had a malfunctioning fridge freeze it when I was in Oz. Fortunately I noticed a frozen bottle of water before the insulin froze as I would have lost my whole supply.