General

Planning Travel and Insulin management requires preparation, but it shouldn’t stop you from exploring the world.

There are lot of things to plan when taking a trip. Patients with diabetes taking Insulin should be able to enjoy their trip without any problem. However, this could only happen if things are planned well in advance. [1]

If you are not sure, it is important to liaise with your doctor well in advance of the trip.

It is important to make sure following things are covered:

• Make sure to take enough supplies. This includes, Insulin, tablets, needles, pens and syringe.

• Letter from your doctor detailing the need of your medication.

• Blood glucose monitors

• Hypoglycemia treatment (e.g. glucose tablets)

• Sharp disposal box

It is also important to plan what food and meals will be available. During travel, it might be a good idea to keep more closer eye on the blood glucose (check more often).

Storing Insulin at the right temperature is important. If the weather at your destination is hot then keep the Insulin in a cool place. Avoid exposure of direct sunlight. If the weather at your destination is freezing cold then it is important to make sure that Insulin does not freeze. [2]

Always put and store Insulin in hand luggage. Keeping Insulin in the hold of the plane will freeze the Insulin causing it to lose its effectiveness. [3]

It is important to make sure to cover yourself with right vaccination and travel insurance.

References and Further Reading

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Tips for Traveling With Diabetes.
2. National Health Service. (n.d.). Storing and travelling with long-acting insulin.
3. Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Insulin.

Planning Travel and Insulin management requires preparation, but it shouldn’t stop you from exploring the world.

There are lot of things to plan when taking a trip. Patients with diabetes taking Insulin should be able to enjoy their trip without any problem. However, this could only happen if things are planned well in advance. [1]

If you are not sure, it is important to liaise with your doctor well in advance of the trip.

It is important to make sure following things are covered:

• Make sure to take enough supplies. This includes, Insulin, tablets, needles, pens and syringe.

• Letter from your doctor detailing the need of your medication.

• Blood glucose monitors

• Hypoglycemia treatment (e.g. glucose tablets)

• Sharp disposal box

It is also important to plan what food and meals will be available. During travel, it might be a good idea to keep more closer eye on the blood glucose (check more often).

Storing Insulin at the right temperature is important. If the weather at your destination is hot then keep the Insulin in a cool place. Avoid exposure of direct sunlight. If the weather at your destination is freezing cold then it is important to make sure that Insulin does not freeze. [2]

Always put and store Insulin in hand luggage. Keeping Insulin in the hold of the plane will freeze the Insulin causing it to lose its effectiveness. [3]

It is important to make sure to cover yourself with right vaccination and travel insurance.

References and Further Reading

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Tips for Traveling With Diabetes.
2. National Health Service. (n.d.). Storing and travelling with long-acting insulin.
3. Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Insulin.

Blood glucose testing is an integral part of making sure that our diabetes is under control. Blood glucose or sugar levels helps to identify patterns. This will help identify what is causing the blood glucose or sugar to go high. Furthermore, blood glucose or sugar can help by demonstrating if diabetes medications are working or not. And if the dose of medication needs adjusting. [1]

Below are some of the tips which can help make blood glucose or sugar monitoring easier: [2]

• Wash the hands with water and soup.
• Make sure that hands are dry.
• Avoid using alcohol wipes.
• Try using fresh lancet every time. The more the lancet is used the more it will hurt.
• Set the lancet to a shortest possible depth to get enough blood required by the blood glucose metre. Shorter the depth, less painful it is and less tissue damage.
• Avoid using thumb and index finger. As they are used more for daily function.
• Spread the sites – avoid using same fingers.
• Avoid centre area of the fingers.

Use the side of the fingers.

After pricking, either milk the finger or hang your fingers to let gravity help in getting enough blood for blood glucose testing.

Picture by Image by stanias from Pixabay

References and Further Reading

1. Mayo Clinic. (2024, January 16). Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how.
2. Healthline. (2024, April 29). 6 Tips to Successfully Using a Blood Glucose Monitor.

Blood glucose testing is an integral part of making sure that our diabetes is under control. Blood glucose or sugar levels helps to identify patterns. This will help identify what is causing the blood glucose or sugar to go high. Furthermore, blood glucose or sugar can help by demonstrating if diabetes medications are working or not. And if the dose of medication needs adjusting. [1]

Below are some of the tips which can help make blood glucose or sugar monitoring easier: [2]

• Wash the hands with water and soup.
• Make sure that hands are dry.
• Avoid using alcohol wipes.
• Try using fresh lancet every time. The more the lancet is used the more it will hurt.
• Set the lancet to a shortest possible depth to get enough blood required by the blood glucose metre. Shorter the depth, less painful it is and less tissue damage.
• Avoid using thumb and index finger. As they are used more for daily function.
• Spread the sites – avoid using same fingers.
• Avoid centre area of the fingers.

Use the side of the fingers.

After pricking, either milk the finger or hang your fingers to let gravity help in getting enough blood for blood glucose testing.

Picture by Image by stanias from Pixabay

References and Further Reading

1. Mayo Clinic. (2024, January 16). Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how.
2. Healthline. (2024, April 29). 6 Tips to Successfully Using a Blood Glucose Monitor.