Planning ahead when you travel reduces stress. This is particularly
important for a diabetic. These 5 diabetes travel tips are simple to
implement and crucial to your diabetic management. They are
particularly important if you are traveling abroad.
1) Have a pre-travel check-up. Make sure your A1C blood sugar levels;
your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels are OK. Get the
appropriate shots for any country you plan to visit.
2) Wear a diabetes medical ID. Ideally it should be in the language
spoken in the country you're visiting. Not everyone speaks your
language and you don't want medical problems through misunderstandings.
3) Keep your medication and glucose snacks in your hand-luggage.
Check-in baggage does, unfortunately, go astray. Don't risk your
diabetes medication by packing it in your main luggage.
4) Keep your medication in its original box, complete with pharmacy
labels. It will prevent misunderstandings about why you are carrying
drugs and, if you are on insulin, syringes.
5) Be aware of time zone changes, especially when altering your watch.
Remember when you travel east your day becomes shorter; if you travel
west your day becomes longer. You may need to alter the timings of your
medication.
Traveling need not be traumatic. A sensible attitude and a bit of pre-travel planning can make things go far more smoothly.
