Can't beat the 'beatis, my grandpa used to grumble. Meaning, he felt powerless against his diabetes.It's a different world now, one that includes insulin pumps and a TSA. How to keep these two entities from making your life miserable during holiday travel is our subject today, with a little help from the CDC's just-released Tip Sheet, Managing Diabetes During the Holidays.
Packing Medical Supplies
If you read these guidelines carefully, you might spot a theme:
- pack at least twice as much medication as you think you'll need
- pack the right amount of blood-testing supplies - then double that too
- if you're traveling to a place with limited medical resources, double down again
If you're traveling long distances, make sure you move around or get up and walk every 30 minutes, to combat your increased risk for blood clots.
For time (zone) travelers, experts recommend Type 2 Diabetes patients ease into their new schedule by beginning to adjust medication times for insulin in increments in the 3-5 days prior to your departure.
However, if the time change is greater than four hours, ask your doctor to revise your dosing schedule to reflect your new time zone, to reduce the chance for a dosage error.
XO, RX
Carrying a prescription (in the original packaging) along with a letter from your doctor specifically outlining your treatment plan (e.g. "take prescribed medication every 3 hours, take insulin shots 3 times per day") will reduce the chance of TSA hassles, like confiscation of syringe or other medical devices.
Pump Up Your Caution
Related Resources
Stopping Diabetes Before It Stops You
Unexpected Ways Technology is Changing Medicine
Don't Be A Christmas Casualty
Happy Holidays from the Health Traveler!
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