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Pump care on beach holiday?

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Cumbrianlass

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi - I would appreciate any tips / advice on what I can use to try and keep my pump nice and dry and sand free on a beach holiday, and where to purchase anything I may need from. Will be my first time abroad on my pump!

Cheers
 
Firstly - get it a 'skin' - hopefully then the sand only gets on the skin which you can just brush off or run under the tap.

Secondly get yourself a lanyard so you can either hang it round yer neck, when your hands are full of buckets, spades, suntan oil, towels, sandwiches, bottles of diet coke etc LOL - or wrap round your wrist so it doesn't go walkabout without you.

I got the skins (various colours are available!) and the lanyard from Roche.

AND find one of those 'ziplock' bags (the sort that don't actually have the 'zipper', you just squash them together - spare buttons are attached to new garments with them) but big enough to hold the pump with the tubing poking out of one corner. I can actually recommend the bags that hold approx 150 loose filter tips for 'roll your own' afficionados. There are a small stash of these bags living at our house, one of which would be sent free if you PM me your postal address. They do however say what was in em on the front!

Friend of mine - with a toddler - decided the struggle wasn't worth it and took a pump holiday as well as a holiday, but I've spent 9-ish weeks on beaches since I had mine in May, and NP.
 
Hiya

If you disconnect to go in the sea then your biggest worry will be getting sand in the canula. Not in the bit that is in you but where you clip in canula. One grain of sand is a nightmare. So you should get caps with your canulas. We have never used them except on beach holidays.

Get yourself a Frio bag, you can get large ones or pump sized ones which will keep your pump and insulin nice and cool on holiday.

🙂
 
I thought of a Frio - have used them for everything else over the years so why not my new pump?

Because it doesn't have a clip, or any other means of attaching it to me, I don't want the bulk of the inflated thingy sat on my waistband, I certainly don't want the damp next to me and my clothes and anyway the thing gets pretty hot in me tracky bottoms-pocket anyway, so what's the difference?

Answer - none.

Incidentally, that's where the ziplock bag comes into it's own - coil the tubing up, slip it into the bag and close the fastener. And with Roche cannulas we get a cannula 'bung' with every one. There are dozens of the ruddy things all round our house and our motorhome!

I always use it in the sea, swimming pool or lake - fish have definitely **** and pee'd in the first and latter - and you can't be too careful with the other one!
 
Thanks both, I have ordered a Frio pump case. Thought about getting a Spiebelt to put the pump and Frio case in as well????

Think the ziplock would be a great idea so will PM you thanks.

Never thought about the bloomin sand getting into the cannula - what a carry on! Will make sure I take lots of spare clips!

One good thing is that I have phoned the airline and secured my additional hand luggage for the trip given all the bloomin paraphanaelia we pumpers have to carry - been diabetic for 27 years and never knew you could get extra handluggage for trips abroad due to medical conditions before, just glad I do now! :D
 
Cumbrianlass said:
Thanks both, I have ordered a Frio pump case. Thought about getting a Spiebelt to put the pump and Frio case in as well????

Think the ziplock would be a great idea so will PM you thanks.

Never thought about the bloomin sand getting into the cannula - what a carry on! Will make sure I take lots of spare clips!

One good thing is that I have phoned the airline and secured my additional hand luggage for the trip given all the bloomin paraphanaelia we pumpers have to carry - been diabetic for 27 years and never knew you could get extra handluggage for trips abroad due to medical conditions before, just glad I do now! :D
Click to expand...

wow! I never realised that either......are you sure it's not just an excuse to take more costumes,shoes,boots.....!! 😉
 
trophywench said:
I thought of a Frio - have used them for everything else over the years so why not my new pump?

Because it doesn't have a clip, or any other means of attaching it to me, I don't want the bulk of the inflated thingy sat on my waistband, I certainly don't want the damp next to me and my clothes and anyway the thing gets pretty hot in me tracky bottoms-pocket anyway, so what's the difference?

Answer - none.
Click to expand...

Ah ha well that is absolutely right. My daughter takes her pump off to go in the sea and swimming pool. She doesn't need insulin as she would just hypo so no need to keep it on, gives her a bit of freedom.

Medtronic used to sell something but I think they have stopped for whatever reason. It is a a hard plastic box that fits the pump in and the seal is waterproof on the lid of the box and it attaches to a belt so Jessica always wore that when in the sand and needed her pump on.

It was supposed to be waterproof but didn't need to test it so didn't.
 
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