Prevention of complications - holiday
All of us look forward to holiday - escape and rest from work-related duties and everyday troubles. You may first be troubled with a question whether you - being diabetic - can leave your home, especially if you are treated by insulin.
You can, such a rest will be of great help to all diabetics. Just you have more carefully think about everything what is necessary to do before you leave your home and what you must pack - for short weekend only or for longer holiday.
Holiday abroad:
- be careful about the choice of country, especially concerning exotic countries (specialized care is not available and within an easy reach everywhere)
- vaccination before you leave, it they are necessary
- whole set of glucometer (glucometer, spare test strips, spare batteries, lancets)
- pay yourself travel health insurance and make sure that it covers remedies and medical assistance in situations of diabetic complications
- take with you all your regularly used medicines; be careful with insulin - keep it together with you in your hand-baggage on the board (temperature in baggage space of the aircraft is markedly below zero Celsius - insulin must not freeze! Also high temperatures are harmful for insulin, so it is proper to carry it in special cooling case at seaside in countries with hot clima.
- all the time, carry a note that you are diabetic written in foreign language
- don't forget list of remedies, which you use regularly, name a and telephone number of our diabetolog
- consult you doctor how to solve the time lag at your destination
- after consultation with your doctor, take with you also some remedies against diarrhoea and vomiting
- at your destination, make yourself sure about availability of medical assistance
Home holiday:
- glucometer with spare accessories
- all regularly used medicaments
- note with reminder that you are diabetic, list of regularly used medicaments, name and contact to your diabetolog
- verification of availability of medical assistance
