You can still enjoy travel with diabetes. Planning your trip can help avoid any problems.
Before you travel
Before you travel overseas you need to:
- make sure your travel insurance covers health problems related to your diabetes
- get your free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you are travelling in the EU or Switzerland
- find out where you can get insulin and supplies for your pump in the place you're travelling to
- bring a copy of your prescription
- contact your care team for advice about adjusting to different time zones
- get a letter from your GP or diabetes team if you're flying - this is to say you have diabetes and need to take your treatment and equipment on the plane
- check with your airline before you travel about taking a pump or glucose monitor on board - some airlines need you to have paperwork for medical equipment
Packing for your trip
When you're packing:
- pack 3 times as much insulin, test strips, lancets, needles and glucose tablets as you'd expect to need
- if you use a pump, pack insulin pens in case it stops working
- put insulin in your hand luggage - the hold of the plane will be too cold and could damage the insulin
- take a cool bag to stop your insulin getting too hot
- take plenty of snacks in case there are any delays
- do not put your pump or glucose monitor through the hand luggage scanner or x-ray machine - let airport security know so they can check it another way
While you are away
To reduce your risk of a hypo or hyper when you are away, check:
- your blood glucose levels more often - hot and cold weather can affect your blood glucose levels
- how to calculate your insulin dose based on the temperature or activities you do - contact your diabetes team before you go
- your blood glucose levels when you are sunbathing
