6 tips on travelling with diabetes

6 tips on travelling with diabetes

There's no reason diabetes should hold you back from travelling, as long as you take some reasonable precautions to make sure that while you're getting away, your blood sugar isn't

By Richard Laliberte

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3. Anticipate airport security

With the increased security at airports, expect your supplies to get a thorough once-over. But you should be able to board a plane with insulin, syringes, and insulin-delivery systems as long as you can document that you need them. The letter from your doctor will help, but it won't be sufficient on its own. Make sure you carry your insulin vials in their boxes, which bear preprinted pharmaceutical labels, and once you use the insulin, keep the box. (Don't open your glucagon kit unless you need it.) It's okay to carry lancets on board as well, as long as they're capped and you also carry a glucose meter with a manufacturer's name printed on it. Be sure to call ahead for current policies before you leave. If you use an insulin pump, don't disconnect it prior to entering airport security. However, if you're wearing a continuous glucose sensor, you'll need to disable it because the radio frequencies it emits can interfere with the plane's in-flight navigation system.