Travel Tips for the Diabetic

November 4, 2015

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Planning ahead when you travel can greatly reduce all sorts of stress, leaving lots more time for fun. This pre-trip preparation can be particularly important for travelers with a medical condition such as diabetes, who must be more diligent about their health related plans. These 5 Diabetes Travel Tips are simple to implement and crucial to your diabetic maintenance while away from home, especially if your are traveling abroad or for long periods of time. This slideshow has some quick medical preparations can help ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Just try to remember... Whatever your mode of transportation, traveling should be fun. A bit of pre-trip planning and a positive attitude can help to keep you feeling healthy, freeing you up to make the most of your trip knowing you’ve prepared for medical situations. We hope this slide show was helpful and informative. Should you have questions, or suggestions, please feel free to fill out our Ask the Doctor form. Also, don’t forget to check out our complete listing of Blood Sugar products.

Yours in health,

Dr. Gregg Gittins

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Tip #1

Check in with your regular doctor and have a pre-travel check-up. Make sure your A1C blood sugar levels (i.e., a measure of your average blood glucose control for the last 2 to 3 months), your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels are OK. It is also important to check to see if there are any additional shots that may be appropriate for any countries or regions you plan to visit.

Tip #4

Keep your medication in its original prescription packaging, complete with all pharmacy labels. Unlabeled or mislabeled medications can create misunderstandings about why you are carrying drugs, even pharmaceuticals, while traveling; this can be especially important if you are on insulin and using syringes.

Tip #5

Be aware of time zone changes, especially when adjusting your watch. Remember when you travel east your day becomes shorter; if you travel west you’ll be gaining hours and your day will become longer. You may need to adjust the timings of your medication to maintain consistency in your schedule (one more advantage to traveling with a well packed carry-on luggage).