If you know me, you know I love travel and adventure. If you’re here on this site, you probably do too. Being a type 1 diabetic does not at all mean there are or should be any restrictions on when, where, or how we travel, but it certainly means we need to consider quite a bit more in our packing plans and make many more life affecting decisions when thinking about what to bring.
We all know that feeling. You’ve made it to your destination, or you’ve been there for a few days, and then you realized you’ve forgotten something. For most people this may mean, finding a nearby store to pick up that bottle of sunscreen, or a swimsuit. For a type 1 diabetic whose literal survival depends on technology, medical paraphernalia, and medications it’s never just as simple as finding a local market or curio shop. Hence why, when I travel (especially internationally) I always ensure I not only have a back up plan and a back up to the back up plan, but I will sometimes go 4 levels deep in this way of thinking.
I am currently using the Omnipod 5 insulin pump with the Decxom G6 CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor), both of which are read and controlled on my Samsung S22 Android phone. The Omnipod requires a new pump applied every 3 days, the Dexcom sensor replaced every 10 days and the Dexcom transmitter replaced every 3 months. Essentially what this means is, at a bare minimum with no back up plan I need 1 pump for every 3 days, 1 sensor for every 10 days and an extra transmitter if traveling more than 3 months from the day I first applied my current transmitter. The Dexcom also requires a separate controller to be used for sensor swaps. This also means that I need to pay attention to expiration dates on the equipment I am currently using, remembering when I applied each one and time when and where I will need to apply a new (fill in the blank from one of the above) Many of these items, especially the Dexcom sensors are not exactly small or easy to conveniently packaged to fit in to a backpack or suitcase.
My first layer of back up plans is my old insulin pump and all the accompanying supplies. I bring this in the event anything goes wrong with my Omnipod system and want to ensure I can manage my blood sugars with a continuous basal rate of insulin and not rely on multiple injections throughout the day. For this, I use the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm 650. Of course, this too comes with extra reservoirs, tubing sets and infusion inserter and don’t forget the AAA batteries! Again, not small and not convenient to pack when considering trying to pack light or for longer trips.
Handy but last resort, I carry prefilled insulin injector pens as well as syringes with plenty of insulin vials to last me until I can replenish or get home.
Basically the way. T1D typically has to think is as if the zombie (or other type) apocalypse occurs then how long can I stay alive! Now, this may be a grim way to look at things but it does apply to all types of delays and/or emergencies. When traveling one never knows if there will be a hurricane, some kind of transportation labor strike, any type of travel logistics hiccup or simply an illness or injury that derails your travel plan.
It's a lot of extra thought, planning and valuable space in the luggage especially on trips where I am living out of a single backpack, but when I realize I can only live as long as the insulin I have on hand it helps me feel reassured I am ready for anything. It adds a fun challenge of finding ways to organize and store all the bits of gear, like a hard sided R2-D2 box, or a padded wine pouch covered with ocpti and anchors! It also helps those I've left at home who care about me and want to know I'm safe and healthy.
One more helpful note about traveling and diabetes supplies. According to the US FDA insulin may be left unrefrigerated at a temperature between 59°F and 86°F for up to 28 days and continue to work. This is helpful to know, since we never know what kind of refrigeration resources we have. In addition, if you are still concerned about keeping the stuff cool, just about every hotel (at least within the US) can and will provide a small refrigerator if you mention it is for medication purposes. It's a good thing to call ahead and ask if this is a concern for you. I typically do not refrigerate my insulin when traveling, but I do make efforts to keep it out of extreme temps.
The flip side to insulin as any T1D will tell you is sugar. Always make sure you are prepared for those low blood sugar events. Keeping any type of sugar or Glucose that is fast acting and not affected by temperature is critical. My go to is always rolls of fruit flavored Mentos, Swedish Fish or tubes of Glucose tablets. These both store easily and work pretty quickly in my experience.
I hope this helps. If you have travel packing advice and would like to share it, please go to my contact page and send a message. I may just add it here for everyone to learn from as well.
Stay safe and travel on my friends!
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