My Mum has surprised me with a week away in Fuerteventura, as a belated birthday present. As I was only diagnosed a year ago, with Type 1, I did not realise that I would need a doctors letter to travel. Now my doctor wants £45 to do a letter for me. I don't understand, no one asks to have diabetes and why would you be carrying insulin and needles. Also because I have left it late they cannot guarantee I will get the letter.
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Travelling abroad
- Thread starter Rae1709
- Start date
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GPs often charge for such letters but the diabetes clinic typically provide them free of charge. If you attend a hospital based diabetes clinic, I recommend asking your diabetes team.
If you do get a letter, make sure it is written in such a way that it can be used for multiple trips (my letter is about 6 years old).
It is rare that the letter is needed so many people travel without them. I prefer to carry mine with my passport just in case.
So I would not stress too much if you don't get one in time.
A few other things to consider when travelling
- take at least twice as much diabetes kit (insulin, pens, test strips, lancets, spare batteries for your meter, hypo treatment ... ) as you think you will need.
- keep all insulin kit in your hand luggage
- keep your hypo treatment near you on the flight, not in the overhead locker as you may have a hypo when the seatbelt sign is on.
Have a great trip
If you do get a letter, make sure it is written in such a way that it can be used for multiple trips (my letter is about 6 years old).
It is rare that the letter is needed so many people travel without them. I prefer to carry mine with my passport just in case.
So I would not stress too much if you don't get one in time.
A few other things to consider when travelling
- take at least twice as much diabetes kit (insulin, pens, test strips, lancets, spare batteries for your meter, hypo treatment ... ) as you think you will need.
- keep all insulin kit in your hand luggage
- keep your hypo treatment near you on the flight, not in the overhead locker as you may have a hypo when the seatbelt sign is on.
Have a great trip
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
If you don't get the letter in time or decide to forego it, then it would be a good idea to take a copy of your repeat prescriptions showing the insulin etc is prescribed to you.
Hope you have a great holiday. Enjoy!
Hope you have a great holiday. Enjoy!
Thank you Helli, this has put my mind at rest. I have asked the diabetes centre and hopefully they will be able to help. Thank you once again.
rebrascora is spot on, NHS prescriptions are well recognised even abroad. Also take confidence that airport security staff deal with a good number of Type 1s every week. I usually explain to staff when putting my stuff on the tray at security that I am carrying insulin (and a cool pouch for it) and place it on the tray separately. This is proactive and you might hear them tell their colleagues at the x-ray machine that it's coming through.
Have a fab holiday
Have a fab holiday
Thank you so much.
Martin62
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I didn't know that you needed a letter, last time I flew I just put enough needles for the flight in with my insulin pens etc and placed them in the tray with my phone & wallet to be scanned, pointing out my diabetic stuff to the operator . No one asked me for a letter or anything .
Martin
Martin
Robin
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I've never been asked for mine, but I know some people have, and several times, I think it’s the luck of the draw.
I flew in October, first time with diabetes. I asked the GP for a letter and they told me they could just print the repeat prescription for free and that should also be enough. So I went with that. And I worried a lot about how going through security with all these diabetes related things will go. But no one at the airport (Heathrow) cared about the paper or the insulin or the needles or any other of these things at all.
On the other hand the piece of cucumber I had in the bag (to accompany my sandwich) raised their suspicion and they had to manually inspect it. Apparently it showed as liquid on the scanner. So be careful with cucumbers 🙂
On the other hand the piece of cucumber I had in the bag (to accompany my sandwich) raised their suspicion and they had to manually inspect it. Apparently it showed as liquid on the scanner. So be careful with cucumbers 🙂
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