Traveling with T1D

I’ve been traveling quite a bit these past couple of months: from Aruba to Cincinnati to Florida to LA! All this traveling has inspired me to talk about traveling with T1D, so that is exactly what I am going to talk about today!

When I first got diagnosed last year, I took a long weekend trip two months after being diagnosed. In hindsight, it was probably way too soon for me to travel. I just wasn’t in the right headspace, but I wanted to get away to some warm weather. I didn’t want to say no and let my new diagnosis of diabetes get in the way or hold me back in any way. That trip was definitely a memorable one for me because it was my first time going away with diabetes. I googled ALL of the things to make sure I was prepared because I was definitely nervous. Since then, I’ve (kinda) gotten the hang of packing and traveling so I thought it would be helpful to have everything I’ve learned in one place.

Packing

If you weren’t an over packer before, now you most certainly will be. I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to my diabetes supplies.  If I’m going on vacation, the LAST thing I want to do is run out of supplies. I want my vacations to be as stress free as possible. Sometimes there are things that are out of our control, so I want to control whatever I am able to control.  Even if you’re not going away for that long, you never know what could happened – a flight could be delayed or cancelled, etc. So here is my list of things I pack when I’m getting ready for a trip.

1. Extra Dexcom – Depending on how long I am going away for, I always bring an extra Dexcom or two. In case your Dexcom fails, it’s always good to have a few backups.  
2. Extra test strips and lancets – I always carry my glucose monitor on me everywhere I go. The Dexcom is great but you should never rely on it. Just in case the Dexcom doesn’t work, it’s always good to be able to finger prick yourself if you need. I always bring a whole box of lancets and test strips so I have a ton. This is your only other option of testing your glucose, so you want to make sure you have more than enough ways to test it.
3. Extra Insulin – Always bring extra insulin! I am currently on a pen, so I always bring an extra background insulin and an extra fast acting insulin. Since these need to be refrigerated, I’ll pack it the morning of, and put it in the hotel mini-fridge once I get there.
4. Alcohol wipes – It’s always good to have these for Dexcom changes or finger pricks.
5. Snacks – I always have snacks that I bring for lows. I usually bring gummies or dried fruit (things that you can bring through TSA) and buy an apple juice once I get through security. I also have learned to start bringing other snacks with me in case I get hungry like granola bars. Sometimes you don’t know your schedule and I’ve found that it’s just helpful to have.
6. Frio Cooling Case (for beach/warm weather vacation) – If you are on shots this is a game CHANGER. I highly recommend purchasing this because insulin needs to stay at a certain temperature to work. This will keep your pen cool while on the beach all day. I love it because it’s one less thing I need to worry about. When my insulin is in there, I know it will stay at a good temperature.

All of my extra supplies are kept in one bag. I love the little MZ Wallace travel bags, but you can put them in packing cubes, etc. I always like to keep ALL of my diabetes stuff on me. If I am checking a bag, I always keep my little bag with all of my supplies in my personal bag. I also want to mention that all of your supplies can go through TSA. I go through the scanner with my Dexcom and haven’t had any issues, but I would reach out to your diabetes care team just to be sure.

When traveling and being out of your routine, your insulin resistance may increase, and your blood sugars may trend on the higher side. HAVE COMPASSION WITH YOURSELF. I can’t emphasize this enough. Trust me, I know how easy it is to get frustrated, but I really encourage you to ENJOY yourself and stay in the present moment.

Hope this was helpful and please leave any questions or concerns in the comments!

xoxoxox