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Holidays soon!

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L

Lynna

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Hi. Just about to embark on our first foreign holiday with diabetic daughter. Actually 2 'firsts': first holiday somewhere hot and first time with diabetes

I know to take supplies and spares, but how much?
The heat will affect her levels, I presume.
Carb counting will be a nightmare as I am not good at estimating yet.
How much time should be allowed to get through security?
Coeliac disease makes it all even more interesting!

And these are only the things off the top of my head.

Any hints or tips?

Lynn

Ps we are really looking forward to going
 
Hi Lynn,

We take at least double the amount of consumables we would normally need for the duration of the holiday (lancets, strips, needles, pump reservoirs and infusion sets if you are pumping, and insulin). We take a spare meter, a spare ketone meter, spare batteries for meter and pump, spare insulin pen, glucagon injection kit, plenty of dextrose tablets. We also have a letter from our clinic confirming that these items need to be carried (to show at security if asked). All this we take in hand luggage.

For hot climates, we use a Frio cooling pouch to carry the insulin. Have you got the Carbs and Cals book - very useful for estimating carbs, as all the food is photographed in different portion sizes. Hope you have a lovely time - where are you off to?
 
Hi, thanks for reply. We are off to Majorca 🙂
We have the carbs and cals book and the app, but I still have to be weaned off weighing everything!
Do you take reservoirs already filled with insulin for the pump or do you take the insulin and fill them as you need?

Lynn
 
We just take them in their sealed packets and fill them when needed as we would at home.

Majorca will be lovely 🙂. If you are spending lots of time at the beach (unless you have a waterproof Animas pump), you might want to think about leaving the pump in your accommodation and just covering with injections while at the beach/pool. That way you don't have to keep disconnecting for a swim. In the past we have covered his cannula site with a tegaderm dressing to prevent sand getting into the connector.

Hope you have a great time!
 
In addition to other advice, make sure you know the Spanish words for things like sugar, wheat, gluten, with, no, free etc so that you can read labels in shops and ask waiters at restaurants when selecting food.

Personally, I've never bothered with a Frio pouch. My first hot trip after developing diabetes was leading a month long expedition to Costa Rica in summer, so I just took a stainless steel vacuum flash that I already owned. This was before fluid restrictions on planes, so these days, I have to empty water from flask before passing through security, then fill with cool tap water between security and boarding plane. Cheap and easy solution, plus flask gives physical protection against knocks and vibration, in addition to temperature extremes.

Viajar bien es vivir bien - I'll leave that for you to translate online, then you can translate the other words you'll need.

Above all, enjoy yourselves 🙂
 
Hi weve managed afew trips abroad -no problems at all with airports- the my fitness pal site is always uselul when guessing food.You may need to speak to your team about ratios altering for the heat-[ sorry dont know how this works with a pump] we always check where the nearest medical facilities are that take the EHIC cards- have you sorted medical insurance?,Above all have a fab time
 
If you are worried about the amount of clobber you will need to take, you may well find (depending on airline?) that you are permitted to take an extra bag of handluggage to accommodate all the bits and pieces.

There have been threads on the boards where people dug around a bit and found the part of the airlines/carriers website that allowed it (sometimes it's a bit buried!) and could print out that part of the conditions in case anyone at the desk got a bit shirty!
 
Hey,

Just wanted to add I've never needed extra time at security apart from one flight in Thailand where I had to count out every single needle and document everything I had (but I was heading to an island where there was a full moon party the next few days so I think drug security was high!) 😱

Most airlines are really good with this these days and will allow you extra luggage, we always call the airline directly in advance and they can provide you with any details you need. I've also found that even if you get to the gate and then get a strange look just say the words medical bag and they go - OK go on through...

Have a fantastic holiday 🙂
 
Thanks everybody for your comments and advice. We are off on Tuesday and I think I have what we need! Have been in touch with airline and got the ok to have extra bag of meds, plan to be at airport earlier than we need (4.30 am!) have packed extra supplies - then a bit more!
My only problem left is my older daughter claims she doesn't have a thing to wear....!
 
Have a wonderful Holiday🙂
 
Tell eldest daughter you'll just take her to one of the nudist beaches then - there's a very big one at Es Trenc - then lack of clothes to wear won't be a problem for her. HTH .........

Take a copy of her prescription with you because almost everything we use will be available in Majorca, even if you had to take a taxi to a pharmacy in Palma to get it and then in dire straits you would have it all written down officially. Most medical staff in resorts speak at least some English - if not they're sure to have a colleague who does.

I did my knee in once in Majorca, the doc in resort spoke perfect English but he sent me to a clinic in Palma for an X-ray and he didn't know where it was because he was actually S American and only there for the summer and we couldn't find it (one way streets!) We eventually found the clinic by driving the hire car to a taxi rank in Palma (that we'd passed at least 3 times LOL) and asking a taxi to lead us there! He thought we were potty of course - but was quite happy with his easy fare!

Didn't even have to throw plastic at it, just waved the insurance policy which both the doc and the clinic looked up on their list, pronounced it to be OK and gave me first class service with plenty of smiles.

Don't worry (LOL) and have a fab time !
 
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