Equipment You Need to Take Abroad

• Double the amount of insulin you need.
• Double pens or syringes, tablets or needles you need.
• Should you be travelling with a companion, divide the amount of medication you have between both of your pieces of hand luggage.
• Keep a cool bag for insulin storage.
• Keep blood glucose monitoring equipment, together with sufficient supplies of lancets, strips, as well as a spare battery for the meter.
• High altitude, humidity and heat are known to affect test strips and meters.
• Be wary of false readings.
• Carry Hypostop, dextrose tablets, Ketosix and Glucagen injections should they be appropriate.
• A diabetes identity card or piece of jewellery that identifies you as a diabetic.
• Carbohydrates in your hand luggage that cover any delays in travelling.
• Diabetics are often not advised to order a special "Diabetic" meal for the flight as they frequently contain minimal carbohydrate. Alternatively, you ought to carry extra carbohydrates in terms of sandwiches, cereal bar, and fruit and so on.
• A letter from a GP or Hospital Diabetes Team, with a relevant contact telephone number and address ought to be carried which confirms the need to carry syringes and needles.
• A first aid box.
• An up to date list of all current medication, i.e., copies of current repeat prescription requests.
• List vaccinations taken for the trip.
• You ought to find out what vaccinations you need for your destination. Sometimes these can induce sickness or flu-like symptoms; so it is best to get these symptoms out of the way 4-6 weeks before travelling.