Disney - Lantus

[chantaljade]

Hello,

Newbie here so please don't go hard on me if I mess up!

In a couple of months time i'm going to Disney in Florida and have a few questions about my lantus.

I take 29 units every night at 9pm on the dot but i'm a bit confused to what I will have to do when i'm away and on the first night (we arrive at 3pm US time.)

Any help would be great - the 'diabetic nurse' at my doctors is a bit poo and always tells me i'm well overweight (i'm not, i'm a normal size 12 at 5ft 4 while she's closer to a size 32 so she makes me angry!)

Thanks,
Chantal x

 

[PhoebeC]

What time UK will that be?

 

[Josh DUK]

What time UK will that be?

I believe Florida is 5 hours behind the UK. If she lands at 3pm, it would be 8pm in the UK.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Florida is east coast, and 5 hours behind England.

 

[PhoebeC]

Thanks Josh!

I would say take it at 4pm which would be 9pm here.

I know if I go somewhere an hour or two different I would try to get into the new time zone over a few days but it would take you ages to do that. So I don’t think it would be worth it.

Only issue you will have is how it reacts with your other insulin and meals etc x

 

[Robin]

Hi Chantal. I think there are a few options, and which you choose will be up to how it fits in with your planned activities. Some people (and this is the approach I adopted when I went to the US) would cover the 5hr gap with a bit of short acting, then take the Lantus at 9pm US time. This has the advantage of you being more likely to remember to take the lantus, if it’s your habitual time. The disadvantage is that when you come back the other way and lose 5hrs, you could get an overlap.
Plan B, as @PhoebeC says, is to keep to the 24hrs between doses and take it at 4pm.The disadvantage is, will you remember, and will it be convenient if you’re in the middle of a theme park at 4pm.
Plan C is, gradually push back your Lantus by an hour a day before you go, then push it back another couple of hours the next day when you’re there, and your back to local time. Then reverse the process gradually after you’ve got back.

 

[trophywench]

I'd do what Robin said myself and adjusting to to time clock wherever you happen to be as soon as you land is the best advice - I know for instance it works well for Australia, and assume it did for Florida too as I haven't died since we went there - well over 20 years ago and on MDI.

You needn't take Lantus 'precisely on the dot' of any time, just approx. the same time - no insulin has ever been THAT picky!

 

[chantaljade]

Thanks everyone for all your amazing replies - the 'diabetic nurse' at the doctors had NO IDEA and said to ring the hospital :/ i'll take a look at all your advice and figure out the best plan!

 

[PhoebeC]

As the nurse said to me at my practice yesterday “you (diabetics) are the real experts, you know what to do better than medical professionals, and you know yourself most”
Which in one way is nice to hear and other completely scary!