How do you carry your medical equipment?

[CWJ]

Hello fellow diabetics

My name is Charlotte I am 23 yrs old and have had type 1 diabetes for 5 yrs now.
I am currently doing some research regarding the variety of products that are out there for our medical equipment to be carried in.

Having had the hospital provided cases I want to know if there are any fashionable cases and or even bags specially designed for our equipment to be carried.

If any of you have suggestion please let me know below.

If you have time would you also answer the following questions for me:
ANYONE- I want to know from ALL ages and gender !!!!!

1. How do you carry your medical equipment?

2. Do you think there should be more options available, and if there were would you purchase?

3. Do you find it hard to fit the bulky equipment into smaller, fashionable bags?

 

[silentsquirrel]

Cheap and cheerful pencil case does it for me! Think it was £1 from Morrisons.

 

[Ljc]

A clear plastic pencil case

I haven’t seen a diabetic kit case that would suit my needs or my pocket.

I don’t go in for small fashionable bags , I like to carry the kitchen sink with me lol.

 

[mikeyB]

Shirt pocket - insulin pen and phone (to read Libre sensor).

Wheelchair back pocket - Jelly babies. I would normally have these in a jacket pocket, but the bulge might affect streamlining. Certainly affect the line of the tailored Italian suit.😎

 

[nonethewiser]

Pockets mainly, have a bum bag for days away if needed.

More options would be good, not something I would purchase though.

N/A

 

[Flower]

A great big cross body handbag. I've broken the strap on too many to count now with all the stuff I lug around . My meter and finger poker are in a separate pouch but all the pump spares, batteries, glucose sweets etc are just lobbed into my bag. I wouldn't buy anything specifically designed.

I once tried to downsize to a smaller bag but ended up giving it to a friend who didn't have a chronic medical condition 🙂

 

[Robin]

Capacious handbag for me too, if I’m shopping, otherwise fleece pockets or a bumbag in summer, for walking.
I don’t tend to go anywhere posh enough for a small bag, unless I’m on holiday, in which case I put my libre reader and an insulin pen with the needle already attached, into a small evening bag and leave anything bulkier in the hotel room.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

pump hangs from pocket testing gear goes in a pocket as does hypo treatment. If you don't like bulk then use a smaller meter instead of house brick size 🙂

 

[persephone]

my pens are in a novo nordisk case I was given. meter and finger prick in the little bag they came in everything stuffed into a big bag with a shoulder strap. I tried a smaller bag but its not worth the hasle of trying to fit everything in it. The only thing i made a point of buying was a Frio wallet for when we went on holiday to Egypt to keep my insulin cool.

 

[grainger]

Everything is mainly thrown in whatever bag I am using at the time. Pump generally in pocket or attached to bra. Simple as possible - always.

 

[SB2015]

- Pump hooked onto bra,
- test kit with tester, strips, piercer and nail file, medical record, one, emergency contact details, pen, £5 note, spot plasters for a bleeder, glasses cleaning cloth, ... along with
- swiper for Libre
- spare pens (is more than an hour from home) ,
- jelly babies,
- spare cannula, battery, insulin vial and cartridge
all in a large handbag!! Gone are the days if small bags.
I make my own bags for each thing and a posh test kit case with handwoven cover.
Might as well have nice stuff if I have to use it every day.

 

[Carlos]

I have a pouch that takes two insulin pens and some needles, that goes into my jacket pocket, or in the backpack. Dextrose tablets in shirt or trousers pocket. Tester and fingerprick in own pouch, again in jacket or backpack.

 

[Radders]

Pump on belt. Libre reader in pocket. Meter, strips and pricker in its case in handbag. Dextrosol in handbag. In summer handbag is usually replaced by a bumbag.

 

[PhoebeC]

Everything is mainly thrown in whatever bag I am using at the time. Pump generally in pocket or attached to bra. Simple as possible - always.

Yeah I’m the same. My pens are in the nick case they came in with my needles and my tester is in It’s case, that’s it

 

[Hazel]

In a Kipling, I think they called in a purse.

It takes insulin pens, and needles, and a 7 day pill box

Meter, strips, lancets etc in the black case that came with it - Accu Check Performance Nano

 

[Carolg]

In a Kipling, I think they called in a purse.

It takes insulin pens, and needles, and a 7 day pill box

Meter, strips, lancets etc in the black case that came with it - Accu Check Performance Nano

Hello hazel, nice to see you

 

[Carolg]

Don’t travel light. Test kit in its pouch, insulin in a hard pencil case if I’m going out at tea time. Jelly babes and fibre bar in zip pouch in bag

 

[trophywench]

I hardly ever carry pump spares or a Novorapid pen, we seldom go far for the whole day. I've got 4 hours worth of insulin on board, it's unlikely I'll die in the interim and if it seems I might I expect someone could ring 999 LOL

I'm more likely to leave home to go to Dover to catch a train to France, the moho full of spares for 2 months cos we're away for 4 weeks, gallon of insulin in fridge and suddenly realise I've left my pump on the bathroom window sill. It's what happens when you've just got out the shower, husband comes in from work and starts firing questions at you, have you done this where's that are you ready yet why haven't you blah blah LOL

Meter and hypo remedy, that's me lot.

 

[Matt Cycle]

It depends how long I'm going to be out for. When on pens I had a pen in one pocket with dextrosol tablets and the meter in its case in the other and that was it. No spare needles or anything. Now on the pump it's on my belt, dextrosol in pocket. The Contour Next is slightly bulkier compared to the Neo so I may put that in a jacket pocket. If I'm out for longer I usually carry a small backpack not for diabetes things specifically but can shove the meter in there if I'm carrying it. Occasionally take a spare pen but rarely cannula/insulin or batteries. Once the pump battery goes into the red you have approx 9 hours left (I know because it once went in the red just as I'd left for work. By the time I got back home that evening I got a half hour left critical message flashing). It's rare I'm going to be out for more than 9 hours and if I needed to I'd buy one or would have changed it before I left if it had been amber for some time.

 

[Lisa66]

I use a little zip up case called Joes Small One or something like that. Holds 2 pens, meter, pot of strips, needles, etc., all neat and tidy, room for couple of extra bits and bobs, pretty compact for the amount it holds, chuck it in handbag and off I go. I know if I’m not out for long I don’t need it all, but it doesn’t take up much room and I find it easier to keep everything together so I don’t forget something on a longer day out.