As I’m writing this, I’ve just come off a deliiiiightful stretch of five months’ travelling.
You may think that qualifies me as a T1D travel connoisseur, but it’s important to be honest from the jump: it took me many years after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes to feel like overseas travel would be possible, or enjoyable.
And if that’s where your head is at right now, I hope this little ditty helps reassure you that you’ll get there.
What I was afraid of
Diabetes loves routine, whereas travel brings something different every moment. I was afraid that my diabetes would be inflexible and limit me from being spontaneous in the moment, and that I’d be flustered managing diabetes challenges without my familiar environment to fall back on.
Those feelings are real, and those challenges do exist. But so does fun.
What helped me take the leap
My first overseas adventure with diabetes came together quite quickly (nothing like a pressure cooker situation), so I reached out to friends in the diabetes community and asked them:
“How on earth do you travel with diabetes?”
Their advice was practical and reassuring, and still sticks with me today:
- Take more diabetes supplies than you think you’ll need. For me, that meant spare insulin, extra blood testing kits, lots of batteries, needles and back-ups in case anything glitched.
- Keep all diabetes supplies in your carry-on. Insulin can’t be checked because it will freeze, and luggage can be delayed or lost. Get a hefty packing cube and keep everything you need with you.
- Get a letter from your doctor. I never needed mine, but it was reassuring to have documentation explaining my diabetes, medication and equipment if any questions came up.
- Have a plan for time zone changes. Particularly if you’re using long-acting insulin, it’s worth talking to your diabetes team before you go so you know what your schedule looks like.
That was enough to take the leap. It wasn’t a full list with every answer, it was a plan that got me going.
If you’re wondering about the practicalities of insulin, heat and packing for a trip, I’ve broken down more about diabetes and travel here.
What I’ve learned along the way
20-odd countries deep, I reckon I’ve picked up a few tips of my own too:
- Check the rules before you go. Some countries have restrictions on medication quantities. Singapore, for example, needed an exemption for the amount of insulin I was carrying. Easy enough to organise (once I finally managed to fill in the form correctly!).
- Pick a hypo treatment that’s available everywhere. Mine is Mentos. It’s been in every country I’ve visited, with the same carb value, and I know exactly how much I need.
- Expect diabetes to behave differently. Different climates, activities, mealtimes and routines can throw all your normal assumptions and equations out of whack. Did I hypo one million times in Thailand? Yes. Did I manage? Also yes.
- A good CGM earns its keep. My Dexcom G7 survived oceans, mountain hikes, and enough sweat to dissolve my clothing. It stayed on and helped me get ahead of blood sugar dives, especially overnight. Travel is where technology really comes into its own.
- Make the things you need easy to access. Having a dedicated diabetes travel bag, with everything organised and ready to grab, is one less thing to think about. I’ve shared my take on what makes a good diabetes travel bag here.
P.S: take a tour of SideKYT, the bag that’s seen me through every travel adventure yet, here.
The biggest takeaway: it’s not just possible, it’s enjoyable
Me and my diabetes have slept above the clouds in rural Laos, camped on the Great Wall of China, partied at a music festival in Paris, and swum in too many crystal-clear oceans to count.
There were diabetes wobbles along the way, but there were wins too – like finding my favourite, discontinued finger pricker at a random pharmacy in Borneo.
Looking back, the thing that I was afraid of never really happened. Diabetes didn’t stop me travelling or saying “yes” to adventures as they unfolded on the road. Like home life, it was simply a case of being planned, packed and prepared.
And if diabetes has you wondering whether travel is still possible for you, I hope this helps reassure you that it absolutely is.
You'll figure it out.
Bridget xx
Designer & Diabetic
