Travelling with Diabetes - www.diabeticdiscoverer.com

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Alex Armstrong

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Type 1
Hello my name is Alex Armstrong. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 3. I am now 25 and currently travelling the world, at the moment I am in Taiwan. Before I left I struggled to find information on travelling with diabetes. There was lots of information on 2 week holidays but nothing on travelling for a year. Because of this I started my own blog and website to try and connect with fellow diabetics and prove that diabetes shouldn't hold you back. Even though its tough you should do what you want to do and not let diabetes stop you. It's very daunting to start with, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel and with the right support and guidance you can achieve anything you want. Don't Let Diabetes Stop You.
www.diabeticdiscoverer.com
 

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Hi Alex, welcome to the forum 🙂 Good for you for not letting diabetes stand in your way, I will read your blog with interest 🙂 We've got quite a few travellers here too who haven't let it hold them back 🙂

p.s. I have removed your other thread as it is a duplicate of this and we try to avoid duplicating threads as it can lead to some confusion over which to respond to! 😱 😉(known as 'crossposting')
 
Hi Rosie, whereabouts will you be going?

Just a word of caution, American food tends to have a lot of added sugar, read the nutritional data labels carefully. Also, our nutrition labels give values for:
  • Total carbs (just subtract the dietary fiber to get net carbs
  • Show values for serving size rather than per 100g
 
Martin Canty said:
Hi Rosie, whereabouts will you be going?

Just a word of caution, American food tends to have a lot of added sugar, read the nutritional data labels carefully. Also, our nutrition labels give values for:
  • Total carbs (just subtract the dietary fiber to get net carbs
  • Show values for serving size rather than per 100g
Click to expand...
I'm going to Boston & New Hampshire.

I know American food has high sugar I have been plenty time before diagnosis, I went to Vegas last year so I sort of some ideas on the food labels.

Thanks for the tips, I might have to still use the 100g for working out carbs for odd portions then on the packet, for example 30g of cereal etc.
 
The good thing is that I think that most of the restaurant chains have nutritional data sheets (may have to ask for them)

I love the New England area..... If you are passing, Ben & Jerry's (ice cream manufacturer) is worth a visit when you are in New Hampshire.
 
Martin Canty said:
The good thing is that I think that most of the restaurant chains have nutritional data sheets (may have to ask for them)

I love the New England area..... If you are passing, Ben & Jerry's (ice cream manufacturer) is worth a visit when you are in New Hampshire.
Click to expand...

Thanks, yes I will have to look at their websites, If I get good enough WiFi signal! I might do pop in to Ben & Jerry's if we have time or ask my travel companion (aka my parents) to!
 
Hi Alex
I just left a message on your blog. Great site. Just what I need, since I'm planning to move to Taiwan in April. I'm interested to know how you arranged for 6 months of supplies. The diabetes nurse suggested that 3 months would be possible. Perhaps I just need to ask for more?
Where's the best place to find out how much supplies are likely to cost abroad, particularly Taiwan if you happen to know?
Thanks
Henry
 
Welcome to the forum Henryhere. Please introduce yourself in Newbies thread and join in as much as you like.
 
Good on yer Alex. Go for it!

I have been round-the world five times now, and have never let the big D limit my travels. I go by the maxim of the 7 P's: proper prior preparation prevents p*** poor performance. In other words, make sure you plan for what supplies you need, take a big excess, and check out in advance what to do if something goes wrong e.g. find out what brands of insulin are available in your target country and how to get them.

A few years ago I bought a property in the West Indies and now spend most winters here (I'll go back to the UK at the end of April). I have no problem getting 5 or 6 months supply of essentials before I leave England. At first, my GP's dispensary said I could only have three months' supply, but I made an appointment with the doctor with the opening gambit "sorry to waste your time, but ....", and she overruled the pharmacist (afterall it's not as though I stop paying my taxes when I'm away). Now, I just speak to the pharmacist a few weeks' before I'm due to leave and all's well.

Most airlines will let you take an extra cabin bag if you have a medical need, but a new discovery last year: some airlines, notably BA, will let you take an extra hold bag as well. I had to plead my case (so to speak) to a member of the medical customer service team, and my booking was altered to allow an extra checked bag. This was really useful for me as the supplies needed for my pump and CGM are very bulky. One other tip though: spread your supplies over all your cases (even better if you are travelling with your partner) just in case a bag goes astray en route. But the insulin must stay with your cabin bags, of course.

Bon voyages!
 
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