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Any Narrowboaters out there?

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
runner

runner

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
Hi, we plan to be spending most of our time cruising the UK canals next year - just wondered how you manage your prescriptions etc, if you move around?
 
I did 3 boating holidays away back in the 80s - Norfolk Broads, French canals, River Thames - but never for the length of time that you are suggesting.

Here's an idea. Can your GP give you several prescriptions pre-dated to cover the whole time you will be afloat? Then you can get them from local pharmacies on your travels (bigger ones eg. Boots) so you can keep topped up. Or, can your GP post prescriptions to you?
 
Hi C&E Guy, yes, we'll have a chat with our GP - thanks.
 
@runner - We're sailors, but sailing yachts, as opposed to narrowboats. You might find the following link gives some insight into some of the things that are available. http://www.boatmail.co.uk/poste-restante-mail-pick-up-points.html If you ask DrGoogle to search for post restante services, you'll see lots come up.

As a sailor, I would probably ask questions, such as yours in the members forum at YBW.com. I feel fairly sure there'll be some sort of online narrowboater's community around the place.

Enjoy your adventure.
 
Hi, thanks all. I am in touch with fellow boaters FB, but thought I would see if anyone here had particular advice. Can't wait!
 
Just wondering if there’s any narrow layers out there since I last
posted?
 
I hate predictive text! Narrowboaters!
 
Various Narrowboaters are active on Facebook and post vlogs on You Tube. Do you continually cruise or are you static in a marina or mooring?

(CC is just a canal term, it is not literal!)
 
Hi. been narrowboating for 25 years, the last 10 in our own boat. Never cruised for more than 4 weeks at a time so regular prescriptions have not been a problem, but there has been the odd occasion when I've forgotten to take enough of the important stuff - test strips, pen needles, and once, to my shame, insulin! Always found local surgeries helpful - I can recommend Brewood and Audlem, both of which gave me a same day appointment and an emergency prescription (I always carry a copy of my prescription with me) and we were on our way within a couple of hours. If all else fails, in an emergency I have bought test strips from a pharmacy.

If you have Libre, make sure you have enough spare sensors. I find my brain takes a day or so to adjust its spatial awareness to narrow passages and door frames!

Never got the opportunity to CC, and the OH wasn't keen, so I'm quite jealous!
 
All I would say that depending on the canal there can be lots of miles between small towns as canals are mainly away from towns and it can be miles to nearest town with no guarantee of a chemist or GP surgery there. I needed an inhaler not insulin and was almost calling an ambulance and that too was no good as no phoneline signal. My hubby was skipper and I was inside when it hit me. I can imagine a hypo needing something so not sure how many are on the boat. I seemed to crawl to him before he could get to stop the noise of the boat to help me but he noticed and soon got help. All I am trying to flag up is speak to your GP and get spare if you can and as others say take extra supplies and other ways of testing. Also do not feel I am being rude but locks take up a lot of energy some more than others you can climb and walk and push heavy doors and soon not realise you have used up your energy amounts so keep your food stocks up too. I cannot think of a better holiday but the last one the cold was awful with my arthritis it was a hire boat and we slept in the wind and the door was not great and I ached with cold damp wet and came of the boat very ill. So take lots of warm clothing even if its hot and sunny there will be cold winds and rain and its not always plain and happy sailing. Enjoy as the scenery the pace of life and some of the pubs are the best along the canal. Not to mention new places to stop and visit. Have fun and take care and hope your Gp will keep your supplied.
 
Green with envy! Love to do what your doing. Watched that chap on bbc travelling the canals of england on his boat the naughty lass. If i wasn't ill and was physically capable, i would sell my house and live on a narrowboat. My suggestion to your problem would be to order your scripts online and work out where you would be in the 72 hrs or so it takes for your script to be filled. Then nominate a chemist close to your location. Eg.. if your at wigan pier nominate a chemist as close to it as possible. Hope this helps.. good health and best wishes for your adventure.
 
Hello @runner
I'm a narrow boater and currently out on the waterways hopefully for most of the summer.

I persuaded my GP to double up my metformin prescription before I left.
Then, as the prescription gets sent electronically to a pharmacy. I will need to find a pharmacy wherever I am that can deal with it, and the GP practice will send the next renewal there. - Have yet to see if this works!. If not my son says he will do a collection and come and find us wherever we have got to.
Amazing weather for boating just now. We are currently stuck because of a damaged lock, but in a lovely place to explore.

Generally find that boating and Diabetes are 'good friends'. We cater for ourselves most of the time so eating plan is much the same as at home, except not so much room for storing any 'temptations'. Plenty of exercise as well with operating the locks. Only downside is that internet link is very variable so forums and postings are more intermittent.
 
Your own GP can send prescriptions to anywhere in the UK electronically. The system is called “the spine”. I’m on our GP’s patient panel and a local pharmacist came and gave us a talk on it when it first came in. Presuming you have a way of ordering by email or on your surgery website (and wifi of course), you order as usual and specify which chemist in which town to send the prescription to. i would think it would need a little planning ahead as to where you can pick it up, but it should be pretty easy.
 
trophywench said:
Various Narrowboaters are active on Facebook and post vlogs on You Tube. Do you continually cruise or are you static in a marina or mooring?

(CC is just a canal term, it is not literal!)
Click to expand...
Hi Trophy, we are based in a Marina but spend as much time cruising as possible. Yes I am part of the FB group thanks
 
JJay said:
Hi. been narrowboating for 25 years, the last 10 in our own boat. Never cruised for more than 4 weeks at a time so regular prescriptions have not been a problem, but there has been the odd occasion when I've forgotten to take enough of the important stuff - test strips, pen needles, and once, to my shame, insulin! Always found local surgeries helpful - I can recommend Brewood and Audlem, both of which gave me a same day appointment and an emergency prescription (I always carry a copy of my prescription with me) and we were on our way within a couple of hours. If all else fails, in an emergency I have bought test strips from a pharmacy.

If you have Libre, make sure you have enough spare sensors. I find my brain takes a day or so to adjust its spatial awareness to narrow passages and door frames!

Never got the opportunity to CC, and the OH wasn't keen, so I'm quite jealous!
Click to expand...
Hi JJ, I have a CGM, so have to remember the spare sensors and Transmitter. I left my insulin at home once and had to phone my surgery and arrange for a prescription to be sent to a local pharmacy! Otherwise ask for enough for the trip and store in fridge. We are on The Lady Eleanor - give us a wave if you see us. Currently about to travel up the Hatton Flight - making sure I’ve got some glucose tabs with me too
 
Nayshiftin said:
All I would say that depending on the canal there can be lots of miles between small towns as canals are mainly away from towns and it can be miles to nearest town with no guarantee of a chemist or GP surgery there. I needed an inhaler not insulin and was almost calling an ambulance and that too was no good as no phoneline signal. My hubby was skipper and I was inside when it hit me. I can imagine a hypo needing something so not sure how many are on the boat. I seemed to crawl to him before he could get to stop the noise of the boat to help me but he noticed and soon got help. All I am trying to flag up is speak to your GP and get spare if you can and as others say take extra supplies and other ways of testing. Also do not feel I am being rude but locks take up a lot of energy some more than others you can climb and walk and push heavy doors and soon not realise you have used up your energy amounts so keep your food stocks up too. I cannot think of a better holiday but the last one the cold was awful with my arthritis it was a hire boat and we slept in the wind and the door was not great and I ached with cold damp wet and came of the boat very ill. So take lots of warm clothing even if its hot and sunny there will be cold winds and rain and its not always plain and happy sailing. Enjoy as the scenery the pace of life and some of the pubs are the best along the canal. Not to mention new places to stop and visit. Have fun and take care and hope your Gp will keep your supplied.
Click to expand...
Thanks Nayshiftin. sorry you had such a bad time and hope it doesn’t put you off trying another one. We’ve been boating via hiring for some years and now have our own boat. You‘re certainly right about the locks. I always carry some glucose tabs and have some fig biscuits on board in case.
 
Hepato-pancreato said:
Green with envy! Love to do what your doing. Watched that chap on bbc travelling the canals of england on his boat the naughty lass. If i wasn't ill and was physically capable, i would sell my house and live on a narrowboat. My suggestion to your problem would be to order your scripts online and work out where you would be in the 72 hrs or so it takes for your script to be filled. Then nominate a chemist close to your location. Eg.. if your at wigan pier nominate a chemist as close to it as possible. Hope this helps.. good health and best wishes for your adventure.
Click to expand...
Thank you Hepato. I’ve just realised some of you are looking at an older post about the meds, but thanks for the suggestions anyway.
 
Toucan said:
Hello @runner
I'm a narrow boater and currently out on the waterways hopefully for most of the summer.

I persuaded my GP to double up my metformin prescription before I left.
Then, as the prescription gets sent electronically to a pharmacy. I will need to find a pharmacy wherever I am that can deal with it, and the GP practice will send the next renewal there. - Have yet to see if this works!. If not my son says he will do a collection and come and find us wherever we have got to.
Amazing weather for boating just now. We are currently stuck because of a damaged lock, but in a lovely place to explore.

Generally find that boating and Diabetes are 'good friends'. We cater for ourselves most of the time so eating plan is much the same as at home, except not so much room for storing any 'temptations'. Plenty of exercise as well with operating the locks. Only downside is that internet link is very variable so forums and postings are more intermittent.
Click to expand...
Hi Toucan, we’re about to negotiate the Hatton locks - been a few years since we last went through. So far, our surgery has been happy to prescribe up to three month’s worth of meds and we’re rarely out longer than that. Yes, very hot yesterday- can’t lean on the top of the boat
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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