Travelling with diabetes: Tips to help you prepare

Living with diabetes can mean paying closer attention to everyday routines, from what you eat and when you move, to how you manage sleep and medication.

And when you decide to take a break and go on holiday, sadly, diabetes won’t be taking any time off.

Being on holiday changes your daily routines, so will affect your diabetes management. A bit of prep and planning before you travel can help you stay well and feel more confident managing diabetes while you’re away.

Once you’ve planned your holiday, whether it’s a road trip across the country or a jet-set European vacation, it’s time to plan your diabetes management while you’re away.

Medication

If you’re taking any medication to help manage your diabetes, figure out how much you’ll need for your whole trip, then order extras. If bags go missing or very hot or cold temperatures spoil the efficacy of your meds, you need to have some back-ups. If you’re going somewhere very remote, it might be worth asking your hotel if you can ship your medication to the hotel in advance, so you know it’s there when you arrive.

Monitoring equipment

If you’re testing your blood glucose levels, you’ll need to make sure you have all the monitoring equipment with you. Speak to your doctor or local pharmacy if you need to order extras.

Travel insurance

Full comprehensive insurance that includes pre-existing conditions is important. If something goes wrong and you need medical help, knowing you are fully covered and won’t face a huge bill after any treatment is great peace of mind.

Medical information

A copy of your prescription and medical identification in your spoken language and the local language is important, especially if you’re carrying needles and medications or if you’re going to be somewhere quite remote.

Airline rules and regulations

If you’re travelling by plane, contact the airline and ask about their rules around travelling with medication and any equipment that you need. Some may want everything in carry-on rather than in checked luggage. Checking ahead will save you time and stress at the airport when you should be getting into holiday mode.

One of the reasons we all love a holiday is that we get to take a break from our everyday routine. But when you’re living with diabetes, it can be important to stay on top of the usual schedule as well.

If you need to take medication at specific times, take into consideration time zone changes and where you’ll be, ensuring you always have your medication on you. Set alarms on your smartwatch or phone to remind you.

Things won’t always go to plan when we’re relying on planes and trains, so divide your medication and equipment between your bags, so you always have what you need with you.

If your medication needs to be temperature-controlled, you can buy travel pouches that help with this online or from your local pharmacy.

Holidays are about relaxing and having a great time. Whether that’s exploring a new city on foot or lazing by the pool with a cold drink in hand.

There's no reason that living with diabetes should stop you from enjoying all your travelling adventures, providing you stay mindful of how best you can manage the condition and stay feeling well.

Talk to your doctor before you travel if you have any concerns about food, exercise or your medication.