Anxious traveller

[shiffcam13]

Hi. Have a trip planned to visit our daughter in Australia via NZ in January. Will be first time on a plane since diagnosis (confirmed LADA earlier this year, started insulin in August.). Have requested a letter from my diabetic team and travel agent has notified the various airlines. Insurance updated. Pretty anxious about the flights, food, glucose levels, time zones, transporting insulin etc etc, pretty much everything really. So, looking for any tips anyone might have. Will I need a letter from my GP too? Ps hope libre sensor will still work

 

[Josh DUK]

Hi. Have a trip planned to visit our daughter in Australia via NZ in January. Will be first time on a plane since diagnosis (confirmed LADA earlier this year, started insulin in August.). Have requested a letter from my diabetic team and travel agent has notified the various airlines. Insurance updated. Pretty anxious about the flights, food, glucose levels, time zones, transporting insulin etc etc, pretty much everything really. So, looking for any tips anyone might have. Will I need a letter from my GP too? Ps hope libre sensor will still work

Hello @shiffcam13 ,

Thank you for posting and your trip sounds incredible. I am slightly jealous I must admit! We do have loads of threads on traveling with diabetes, but it may be easier if I share Diabetes UK page regarding traveling.

Travelling with diabetes

Travelling with diabetes means there are a few more things to think about before you set off. But living with diabetes shouldn't be a barrier to taking trips or holidays at home or abroad. Plan to take two to three times the amount of insulin or other diabetes medication and equipment you’d...

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Inka]

Hi. Have a trip planned to visit our daughter in Australia via NZ in January. Will be first time on a plane since diagnosis (confirmed LADA earlier this year, started insulin in August.). Have requested a letter from my diabetic team and travel agent has notified the various airlines. Insurance updated. Pretty anxious about the flights, food, glucose levels, time zones, transporting insulin etc etc, pretty much everything really. So, looking for any tips anyone might have. Will I need a letter from my GP too? Ps hope libre sensor will still work

It’s perfectly normal to be a bit anxious. Don’t panic - make lists and sort your cabin bag as this will be where you have to store your insulin. Some airlines allow an extra bag for meds, which is great, but check first.

I take a letter saying I have Type 1, am on a pump, and carrying insulin and sharps. I also take my prescription with me.

Pack at least twice as much of everything as you think you’ll need; take plenty of Dextro tablets in your hand luggage too. I find I go low in the airport then high on the plane. I just tolerate being moderately high as it’s better than the alternative.

 

[shiffcam13]

Thanks for your replies and helpful info. Think you’re right @Inka running a bit high not such a disaster for duration of flight etc. what sort Trust our first trip since T1D arrived to be a ‘big’ one ‍♀️. Desperate to see our daughter though, so Diabetes not going to prevent that

 

[shiffcam13]

Clearly emojis are different on this site. That last post of mine reads a bit weird!

 

[Brambleberry]

HI
I am literally in Australia just now! I flew in on Friday 9th. I dont take insulin but do take glicozide. So take advice from GP about what to do in your case. For me T2 and GP advised not to take my glicozide just metformin. But you have LADA and that is quite a different matter. So if unsure speak with GP. I was told to simply take the normal meals and not worry about BG being a bit high for the sake of a day or so. She would rather that than risk a hypo. I carried chocolate with me just in case. But again I would ask advice.I know as long as you have your prescription you are ok to travel with your sharps and insulin. In fact the airlines carry sharps boxes so I found out! I got through with lancets no questions asked did not even look at baggage! As long as you declare your prescriptive meds Australia are fine, and don't even check. But they do like you to declare it anyway. So I always do as a frequent traveller to Australia.

 

[shiffcam13]

HI
I am literally in Australia just now! I flew in on Friday 9th. I dont take insulin but do take glicozide. So take advice from GP about what to do in your case. For me T2 and GP advised not to take my glicozide just metformin. But you have LADA and that is quite a different matter. So if unsure speak with GP. I was told to simply take the normal meals and not worry about BG being a bit high for the sake of a day or so. She would rather that than risk a hypo. I carried chocolate with me just in case. But again I would ask advice.I know as long as you have your prescription you are ok to travel with your sharps and insulin. In fact the airlines carry sharps boxes so I found out! I got through with lancets no questions asked did not even look at baggage! As long as you declare your prescriptive meds Australia are fine, and don't even check. But they do like you to declare it anyway. So I always do as a frequent traveller to Australia.

Hi @Brambleberry thanks for your reply. Interesting to know about sharps boxes. Will declare as you suggest and have requested a letter from DSN so hopefully should be straightforward. Have a fab trip.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Always take meds in hand luggage.
And split them between you if there is more than one of your travelling in case of mishaps with anything.

 

[helli]

I never knew airlines carried sharps boxes. But wouldn’t want to rely on that when travelling - I am don’t eat all my meals on planes. I always carry a small bottle (the type you get from Boots to decant shampoo and the like into when travelling) in my hand luggage for sharps. I transfer these into a larger bottle such as a water bottle) later.

The other advice I would add to the above is to ensure your hypo treatment is with you in your seat on the airline rather than in the overhead locker. I know from experience how embarrassing it is to be shouted at by the air crew when I had to stand up to get my dextrose when the seat belt sign was on.

Some people tell security and air crew about their diabetes. I only tell them my very personal information if asked such as whether I am carrying anything sharp.

 

[Brambleberry]

I planned to check my BG on the second flight ( 14hrs) but the people sitting next to me were so grumpy I felt very uncomfortable with them so didn't. At least I knew I could do that not like people on insulin.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

At least I knew I could do that not like people on insulin.

For what it's worth, I can't remember anyone ever having any problems with me injecting myself or testing my blood, on flights or elsewhere. (Perhaps they do and are just polite in ignoring me, or (at least as likely) they're close to fainting in shock and I'm not noticing.)

Like @helli I don't tend to tell anyone I have diabetes, but it's just because I'd rather they didn't try to "help" me by offering food choices or other things that would just be a bit annoying. If the person sitting next to me notices me injecting or something I'll happily talk about it but I don't proactively talk about it.

 

[helli]

For what it's worth, I can't remember anyone ever having any problems with me injecting myself or testing my blood, on flights or elsewhere. (Perhaps they do and are just polite in ignoring me, or (at least as likely) they're close to fainting in shock and I'm not noticing.)

Likewise. If I am talking to someone when I need to inject, I will tell them so they can look away if they have a needle phobia. But I have felt having to inject to stay alive trumps not liking needles, especially when the needle is so small. I rarely notice anyone watching me and know I can be pretty discrete injecting in my seat - I used to sit opposite someone at work and inject every day but he only noticed after 18 months when I was talking to someone else about having diabetes.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Try not to worry @shiffcam13

Airport staff will be courteous and well used to people travelling with diabetes.

I’ve not been asked for a letter, but it’s reassuring to have one with you. Alternatively a repeat prescription slip would probably be fine.

Keep your meds in hand luggage, NEVER in the hold (if insulin freezes in the sub zero temps at altitude it could be rendered useless 😱 )

There are a bunch of travel links here too, which might be handy

Managing Life : Type 1 Diabetes Resources Online

A selection of online resources to make type 1 diabetes a little easier to live with - checked and reviewed by both healthcare professionals and people with diabetes

www.t1resources.uk

(including a downloadable travel card for taking tech through security)

And above all enjoy your trip!

 

[AirportInfoGuy]

It’s perfectly normal to be a bit anxious. Don’t panic - make lists and sort your cabin bag as this will be where you have to store your insulin. Some airlines allow an extra bag for meds, which is great, but check first.

I take a letter saying I have Type 1, am on a pump, and carrying insulin and sharps. I also take my prescription with me.

Pack at least twice as much of everything as you think you’ll need; take plenty of Dextro tablets in your hand luggage too. I find I go low in the airport then high on the plane. I just tolerate being moderately high as it’s better than the alternative.

When I go low, usually at 2.9. I find a Mars bar raises me to around 8 before it drops back down to 2.9.
I wonder if this is the case for everybody as a nurse once told me the reasoning behind eating proper meals (to make blood sugars stable for longer periods.
The Mars bar supported my sugar levels for 2-3 hours before dropping back down.
In which case, what would work best for me in this scenario would be to have a proper meal at the closest point before the flight, monitor your sugar levels after the meal, then an hour later to adjust via sweets or insulin.
Dextos are also fast acting (I find). They can blow your head off or last 5minutes. It depends if you know how to take them. I obviously don't.

 

[Drummer]

Split your equipment and non temperature sensitive supplies between as many different people and bits of luggage as possible - think of the worst case scenario where things go missing or are mislaid/left behind.
Carry your kit out of the door yourself and hang on to it during transit.
I am usually well organized but, long ago now, managed to be without nappy changing kit for a young baby as I assumed that it would be picked up for me after making one last change before setting off for the car with the baby - I thought it was pretty obvious I needed it but apparently not.
I could have arrived a widow.

 

[Inka]

When I go low, usually at 2.9. I find a Mars bar raises me to around 8 before it drops back down to 2.9.
I wonder if this is the case for everybody as a nurse once told me the reasoning behind eating proper meals (to make blood sugars stable for longer periods.
The Mars bar supported my sugar levels for 2-3 hours before dropping back down.
In which case, what would work best for me in this scenario would be to have a proper meal at the closest point before the flight, monitor your sugar levels after the meal, then an hour later to adjust via sweets or insulin.
Dextos are also fast acting (I find). They can blow your head off or last 5minutes. It depends if you know how to take them. I obviously don't.

Hi @AirportInfoGuy Chocolate isn’t recommended as a hypo treatment because the fat in it means it doesn’t work fast. Good hypo treatments are Dextro, full sugar Coke, jelly babies, Lift glucose shots, etc followed by 10-20g of longer acting carbs eg digestive biscuits, a slice of bread, etc.

Do you have a Libre? If you’re not feeling the signs of a hypo until you’re 2.9 then maybe you’re going low at points without realising it. Over time this can blunt your hypo awareness, so it’s something to avoid as much as possible.

It’s ok to test one hour after a meal just to see how things are going, and top up with glucose or extra carbs if you’re heading too low, but it’s best to avoid correcting then as the meal insulin is still working so if you correct a high at that point you could drop low later.

On a basal/bolus regime you should be able to skip meals and have steady blood sugar. If you’re dropping low between meals, then I’d do a basal test first and then look at your meal ratios (insulin to carbs) to see if they need adjusting. How long have you been diagnosed? What insulins do you take?