Traveling to UK, storage help?

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Pleslie73

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Hi!

My family is traveling to London in July of this year from the States. My oldest is a type 1 diabetic, we are celebrating her university graduation with this trip to see the sights and meet family. In US, it’s almost a given to have a mini fridge in every room. Don’t remember seeing one last time my husband and I were over and stayed at a Point A hotel (two and 1/2 years ago).

So…I suppose my question, to anyone kind enough to answer and with experience would be: how accommodating are major hotel groups with providing refrigeration needs to diabetic guests in and around the London area? Any recommendations or positive (or negative) experiences?

Also, while a guest in your wonderful country, were something to happen to her insulin, who would I contact to replace? NHS? Or just casually meander into a Boots and see what they could do?

Sorry for the rambling discourse. Just trying to iron out some potential issues ahead of time.

Any help would be welcomed, needed, and appreciated!

Best to you all, and thank you so much!

Susannah Price
Knoxville, TN
 
Hi Susannah

I would drop an email to the hotel you are planning to book with and enquire about the fridge status. They might be able to accommodate you even if it is not a standard thing.

As for medication needs the best way while in country would be to call 111 (the non emergency general NHS helpline) and they would tell you where to go to get a new prescription.
Bring a full list of meds with both their generic name as well as brand name.
Maybe if you post the insulins she is on some of the folks here could tell you if that brand available here 🙂

I'm unsure what costs involved, of course I would suggest appropriate travel insurance should be in place to cover as much of this as possible.

I'm sure others will be able to offer up some more advice x
 
Pre pandemic, I travelled frequently. Often to places without fridges. Insulin lasts outside a fridge for about a month and, if I am concerned it would get too hot (unlikely in London), I use Frio wallets
I always take more than twice as many diabetes supplies (insulin, test strips, needles, lancets, etc.) than I think I will need. As soon as I arrive, I split my supplies in case one set should get lost or damaged.
If the unthinkable was to happen and all my supplies were lost/damaged/used up, I would call my travel insurance company for advice and confirmation they will fund replacements.

If you are concerned about a fridge in the hotel, I recommend asking the hotel as they seem to vary in London.

If you are travelling from the US, I believe you will find we have the same insulins. The only one I am aware of with a different name is Novolog/NovoRapid. I usually travel the other direction a few times each year for work and never had an issue.

Prepare well, enjoy your trip and don't fret about your daughter's diabetes.
 
As @gll says, your first port of call if you need to replace insulin (after contacting your travel insurers) will be the NHS, as you will need a prescription. No insulin is available over the counter in the U.K. You can phone 111, or you can visit a local doctor's surgery and register as a temporary patient.
 
Hilton Hotels have fridges in rooms. No idea if that's in ALL of their rooms, in all hotels, but I have definitely stayed in them.

I have a friend using this hotel regularly and they always have a fridge in their King Room. Not sure if room size is a factor.
 
I use the mini-bar fridge for my insulin. I also take a Frio wallet, but tbh I usually just leave it somewhere cool unless I’m away for a long time.

If I remember correctly, the Jolly’s hotel I stayed in near Westminister had a mini fridge, but do check first in case it’s changed. I’m sure there are lots of others too. You can often look at what the rooms have before you book.

Do get good insurance to cover the diabetes. If her insulin needs replacing, you’ll need a prescription as others have said. You’ll then probably have to pay for the insulin rather than get it free (as you’re not U.K. citizens) but the price of insulin in the U.K. is far, far less than the US.
 
Overwhelmed. Thank you all so very much! This all seems like solid and sound advice. Yes, well-aware of the disparity between full price insulin in US and UK (or for that matter anywhere else in the world) it’s truly disgraceful. Walgreens (Boots American corporate cousin) charged my daughter $200 for one vial on novalog last week when they were out of stock on the cheaper generic version. But I digress. The Frio wallet a couple of you mentioned sounds intriguing. I’m not sure I am familiar with that product but I will definitely investigate further. And yes, travel insurance just seems prudent.

Thank you all again for your responses and significant help, as well as allowing me to post in your forum
 
Here’s the Frio link. Not sure if they’re worldwide though:

https://friouk.com/

Although this is a U.K. forum there are members from all round the world so you’re most welcome 🙂 I hope you have a fabulous time in London.
 
As someone mentioned, it would be a good idea to contact the hotel and ask them about the fridges. I work a hotel's restaurant and this summer we stored some insulin for a customer in one of the kitchen fridges. Probably would be better in your own room, but if that's not possible they may be able to find some solution.

(Now that I inject insulin myself I wonder why this customer used the insulin straight out of the fridge?? Maybe it works best for some people, I was told it's more uncomfortable when it's too cold)
 
No prob whatsoever getting Novorapid in the UK - I've been using it since 1998!

And Oh yes, my insulin and Frio wallets have travelled to various parts of the planet with me, and I'm not dead yet, so .....

Would it be any use ringing the ADA to ask if a similar product is available in the USA?
 
Elenka_HM said:
Now that I inject insulin myself I wonder why this customer used the insulin straight out of the fridge?? Maybe it works best for some people, I was told it's more uncomfortable when it's too cold)
Click to expand...
I would keep my day to day insulin out of the fridge but, when traveling, I always take spares. If I was at home, these would live in the fridge.
Unless my room was incredibly hot, I would rather risk insulin out of the fridge for up to 30 days than risk it in a hotel kitchen fridge which I feel I would have no control over it being damaged or thrown away.
 
helli said:
I would keep my day to day insulin out of the fridge but, when traveling, I always take spares. If I was at home, these would live in the fridge.
Unless my room was incredibly hot, I would rather risk insulin out of the fridge for up to 30 days than risk it in a hotel kitchen fridge which I feel I would have no control over it being damaged or thrown away.
Click to expand...
That's also true, you can keep the insulin you are using out of the fridge, I do it as well. It would make more sense to keep the spares in a fridge, but I remember they sent me to get the insulin for the customer at breakfast time, so I assume they were using it then. I am getting this questions in my head now, at the time I didn't know about that and just found ironic they keep it in a fridge with desserts 🙄:D I agree, not the ideal place but I guess that was the best option they found.
 
I wonder if you could get a Frio ordered and delivered to the first hotel you are staying at, if you thought that might be helpful at some points of your trip (eg smaller more independent hotels)?

I am always a little bit wary of hotel fridges personally. If the thermostat is a bit flaky and you put your stock of ‘spares’ in there for safe keeping it would be a nightmare if you found it frozen 😱

Hope it all works out, and you you have a wonderful and memorable visit for all the right reasons 🙂
 
... and I wonder if they couldn't post one to the US?
 
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