It's easy to travel with diabetes but you must plan ahead

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13: Debbie Jones is currently a vice president of the International Diabetes Federation and a diabetes nurse educator at the Bermuda Hospitals Board’s Diabetes Education Centre. She writes a monthly diabetes column for the Bermuda Sun to help educate people about one of Bermuda’s biggest killers. The column appears every second Wednesday of the month.

Summer is here, school is out and everyone is ready for a vacation.

If you have diabetes, it has to come with you on your trip, but it should not be seen as a burden. With a bit of advance planning, you can avoid unnecessary problems.

First of all, do some research and find out if you need immunizations. The travel clinic at the Ministry of Health on Victoria St. will give you all the answers, but go early to make sure you have time to get all of the required immunizations.

Make an appointment to see your physician and have a thorough check-up before you travel. While you are there, ask your physician for prescriptions for all of your medicines, as well as a prescription for strips for your glucose meter.

Ask your physician for a letter explaining why you are carrying a glucose meter and insulin and medications, including the generic name as well as the brand name. Keep a copy of the names of your medications in your passport and give a copy to a friend or family member who is not traveling with you- just in case you lose your medicine or run out while you are on vacation.

Make sure you take extra medications with you — extra glucose checking strips and extra batteries. If you are on insulin and make daily adjustments, it is probably wise to carry an extra glucose meter. Remember to take the prescription with you as the inspectors may ask to see a prescription, especially if you are carrying insulin and syringes or an insulin pen. Make sure medications are in the original packaging with the prescription label clearly visible.

Wear identification, such as a bracelet or necklace. Find out how long the flight will be and if the airline serves any food. If not, carry food with you, but if you are travelling to the United States you will need to make sure the food you are carrying will not be confiscated by the US authorities. If you call ahead of time they will give you a list of food items allowed to be taken through US customs.

Make sure you pack your diabetes supplies in your carry-on luggage, as you don’t want to pack it in your luggage and risk losing it. Make sure you pack more than you need. Last year many people were stranded for more than a week when the volcano in Iceland erupted.

If you are travelling to a foreign country where the language is not English, do a little research. Find out what insulin is called in that country. Try and find out where the medical clinics are and, if possible, a name of a physician.

Remember: never leave your medications in the glove compartment or trunk of a car. Do not put your medicines on a window sill where the sun is shining. If you are traveling to Chile or New Zealand, where it is very cold, remember that insulin freezes so keep your medications inside.

Take care of your feet when you travel and always wear shoes. Never go barefoot.

When you are in a restaurant, always ask for bottled water. Do not drink the tap water and avoid eating foods which may have been washed with tap water.

And of course, most of all, make sure you have fun.

It’s easy to travel with diabetes but you do have to plan ahead and be organized. Good planning means a relaxing time that is fun and enjoyable.