Vacations, airline travel, cruises, and long drives to a vacation destination are all possible. It takes some planning and some extra work, but you can do it.



You need to plan for them and prepare for possible emergency, allowing for a safe and enjoyable vacation for you.

&bull Consult with your doctor and your medical support team about changing insulin doses and an extra prescription for insulin.

&bull Carry a snacks and juices and plenty of water wherever you go. This will help if you need something quick to bring up sugar levels. Keep extra diabetes supplies in the same pack. If you keep everything together, they will be handy when the need arises.

&bull Be sure to pack extra supplies in a hand bag or purse, it's a good idea to even pack your diabetes and extras in several bags.

&bull Always wear your medical alert bracelet and any other medical information that might be needed.

&bull Your friends and families should know the route you are traveling.

&bull Making reservations for busy restaurants may help you avoid long waits. They also may be able to provide you with nutritional information about menu selections.

&bull Remember that any change in physical activity, even packing or loading up the car, can cause blood glucose levels to swing high or low.

&bull Insulin should not be allowed to freeze and must be kept out of direct sunlight, as should all supplies, sunlight can affect test results. Ice packs can be used to keep insulin chilled.

&bull And lastly, can't say this often enough, always have plenty of extra insulin and food for any unforeseen moments on any excursion.

The Transportation Security Administration section of the Department of Homeland Security has many good tips on flying when you have diabetes. If you need further information from them, you can call them at (866) 289-9673.

Going to a theme park or water park? Be safe and keep your insulin supplies in a waterproof bag to avoid water damage.

When traveling in a boat, the diabetic should be aware of any seasickness they may suffer from. The main problem of the dependent insulin diabetic patient is that seasickness can upset their diabetic condition and cause them to have problems.

Will you be flying? If you happen to have an insulin pump, ask them to do a visual inspection of your insulin pump and do a physical pat down. If you go through the metal detector, you will set it off. Most should know what an insulin pump is but it doesn't hurt to remind them. If they ask you to remove your pump, remind them that it is a needle under your skin.

Once you have had your supplies screened, the following are diabetic supplies that can be carried onboard with you.

- Glucagon emergency kit

- Urine ketone test strips

- A disposal container or something similar and an unlimited supply of used syringes and testing strips

- Insulin pump and supplies including all supplies needed for cleaning, extra plastic tubing, infusion kits, batteries, catheter, and needles

- Insulin dispensing products, including vials, pens, jet injectors, infusers, and any preloaded syringes as well as insulin

- Lancets, testing strips, glucose meters, alcohol swabs, and any other meter-testing supplies

- Unlimited number of unused syringes as long as they are with your insulin or other medication that is injected.

Remember when flying; don't check all of your diabetic supplies. If you have watched the news, you know there is many bags lost each year.

Checking your blood sugar more often during time away from home is best. It is recommended you check at least six times a day to avoid any problems. Be prepared for changing blood sugar levels because of heat, excitement, and schedule changes. It is also recommended is to drink at least 64 ounces of water each day and more if you are more active than usual. You should drink the same amount of water even if you are visiting a beach or a pool.

The insulin pump is becoming more popular. It can give you the flexibility of vacation schedules without worrying about injections. The pump is more popular, especially for children with diabetes. As new technology makes these pumps even better, more children and adults will have the freedom to travel.