extended travel..

[neverforever]

Hi Im type 2, and will be travelling for about a year, any advice on taking meds with me or being able to obtain when abroad?Looking at USA, New Zealand and Europe. thanks

 

[AndBreathe]

When are you due to go?

 

[neverforever]

When are you due to go?

Hi looking to go to USA for March 2016 so a few months yet but trying to work out the best way round things.

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi looking to go to USA for March 2016 so a few months yet but trying to work out the best way round things.

Excellent, so you have a little while.

I was diagnosed around 3 weeks before heading off for a trip lasting 9-12 months, to a third world country, so I can identify with your thinking, if not your full circumstances.

Cutting to the chase, I would spend the next 3-4 months really shaking diabetes by the throat to see what I could do, in terms of potential for improvements, before heading off anywhere. For me, in your shoes, that would by trying to get myself off medication. Without medication, the world is much more accessible as your oyster.

I don't know how you are currently approaching your lifestyle, but at the most basic level, I'd get seriously into carb control, and if I had any weight to lose, or if I had any spare round my middle, I would seriously consider the Newcastle Diet, as a means of a seismic shift in my body's profile and potential physical coping mechanism for food.

My HbA1cs are in my signature, so that gives you a little background information.

In my own case, I desperately didn't want to go onto any medication, and certainly no so soon before going away to a country with patchy health care. So, my compromise was to negotiate a period working on diet and exercise, with a very expensive review at 4 months. My review costs a 10,000 mile round trip and a month break in my trip, so you can see where the expense came in! But, at the 4 month mark, I had a non-diabetic HbA1c and have only improved since.

I'm not saying you would necessarily be able to emulate my HbA1cs, because our physical states are all different, but it surely has to be worth it?

Moving forward, if you are still taking medication, then you will need to have a frank discussion with your GP about how your trip is covered. The stark reality is that leaving the UK for more than 90 days at a stretch can result in your entitlement to UK health care, under the NHS. This can also apply to those who split their year between locations. Like many examples of rules and guidance, it can be open to interpretation. Personally, I had an excellent relationship with my GP, who rather than wanting to strike me off the practise books, wanted to go n my trip, in my stead. But, his interpretation pivoted on retained property, businesses and stated intent. So, you may feel this last paragraph is superfluous to you, but it must be bourne in mind.

In UK, as you know, both medications your profile states you take are prescription only. I imagine they probably are in most countries, but Dr Google might help clarify that.

If you know where you are going to be on given dates, it could be possible to have your prescriptions picked up by a trusted relative or friend, then forwarded to you? You could have to clarify any relevant Customs restrictions of sending medication, by post.

Gosh; that's all been rather a ramble.

There's lots of planning to be done, and please let me know if I can help in any way. Between myself and my OH, we have travelled extensively and therefore investigated many scenario.

Good luck with it all. Life is all about adventures and the changes they induce in our lives.

 

[neverforever]

Thank you so very much, you have addressed and raised many issues that i was unsure or uninformed about. Fantastic. I will see my gp and see if I can work something out.

My relationship is good and they have been very good with me always, but of course they may be restricted. I had wondered about collecting meds etc, although not desirable if i had to return for a week I could!!!! as Iam looking at mainly USA and venturing from there.

I agree totally with the shaking it by the throat.. i have lost weight and am increasing my fitness, but still have some to go, and take your advice regarding Newcastle diet, Iam embarking on this type of regime as we speak.

If I may I would take you up on your offer of further questions if needed as you have an impressive wealth of knowledge, thank you again

Excellent, so you have a little while.

I was diagnosed around 3 weeks before heading off for a trip lasting 9-12 months, to a third world country, so I can identify with your thinking, if not your full circumstances.

Cutting to the chase, I would spend the next 3-4 months really shaking diabetes by the throat to see what I could do, in terms of potential for improvements, before heading off anywhere. For me, in your shoes, that would by trying to get myself off medication. Without medication, the world is much more accessible as your oyster.

I don't know how you are currently approaching your lifestyle, but at the most basic level, I'd get seriously into carb control, and if I had any weight to lose, or if I had any spare round my middle, I would seriously consider the Newcastle Diet, as a means of a seismic shift in my body's profile and potential physical coping mechanism for food.

My HbA1cs are in my signature, so that gives you a little background information.

In my own case, I desperately didn't want to go onto any medication, and certainly no so soon before going away to a country with patchy health care. So, my compromise was to negotiate a period working on diet and exercise, with a very expensive review at 4 months. My review costs a 10,000 mile round trip and a month break in my trip, so you can see where the expense came in! But, at the 4 month mark, I had a non-diabetic HbA1c and have only improved since.

I'm not saying you would necessarily be able to emulate my HbA1cs, because our physical states are all different, but it surely has to be worth it?

Moving forward, if you are still taking medication, then you will need to have a frank discussion with your GP about how your trip is covered. The stark reality is that leaving the UK for more than 90 days at a stretch can result in your entitlement to UK health care, under the NHS. This can also apply to those who split their year between locations. Like many examples of rules and guidance, it can be open to interpretation. Personally, I had an excellent relationship with my GP, who rather than wanting to strike me off the practise books, wanted to go n my trip, in my stead. But, his interpretation pivoted on retained property, businesses and stated intent. So, you may feel this last paragraph is superfluous to you, but it must be bourne in mind.

In UK, as you know, both medications your profile states you take are prescription only. I imagine they probably are in most countries, but Dr Google might help clarify that.

If you know where you are going to be on given dates, it could be possible to have your prescriptions picked up by a trusted relative or friend, then forwarded to you? You could have to clarify any relevant Customs restrictions of sending medication, by post.

Gosh; that's all been rather a ramble.

There's lots of planning to be done, and please let me know if I can help in any way. Between myself and my OH, we have travelled extensively and therefore investigated many scenario.

Good luck with it all. Life is all about adventures and the changes they induce in our lives.

 

[AndBreathe]

Thank you so very much, you have addressed and raised many issues that i was unsure or uninformed about. Fantastic. I will see my gp and see if I can work something out.

My relationship is good and they have been very good with me always, but of course they may be restricted. I had wondered about collecting meds etc, although not desirable if i had to return for a week I could!!!! as Iam looking at mainly USA and venturing from there.

I agree totally with the shaking it by the throat.. i have lost weight and am increasing my fitness, but still have some to go, and take your advice regarding Newcastle diet, Iam embarking on this type of regime as we speak.

If I may I would take you up on your offer of further questions if needed as you have an impressive wealth of knowledge, thank you again

Ask any time. I'll help where I can.

As an aside, with you be meeting up with anyone whilst you're away; like a rendez-vous with a friend or relative? That can be an ideal way of getting "stuff".

Our travel arrangements are a bit different in that we have an overseas base, but travel from there periodically, but it means we have friends who like to visit, and we know a number of other ex-pats, so we all help each other out in these circumstances.

Just a thought.

When I ended up coming back for a month (I did a few other things as I was back, rather than solely for my review), it was fine, but also makes your scripts very expensive! In my case, I came back to find my HbA1c had come back in non-diabetic numbers. I had my next HbA1c overseas, and it cost my something like US$85 for the diabetic panel - HbA1c, lipids etc. That seemed like much better value to me, bearing in mind I was (and am) medication-free.

Have you sorted your travel insurance for the long trip?

 

[neverforever]

Ask any time. I'll help where I can.

As an aside, with you be meeting up with anyone whilst you're away; like a rendez-vous with a friend or relative? That can be an ideal way of getting "stuff".

Our travel arrangements are a bit different in that we have an overseas base, but travel from there periodically, but it means we have friends who like to visit, and we know a number of other ex-pats, so we all help each other out in these circumstances.

Just a thought.

When I ended up coming back for a month (I did a few other things as I was back, rather than solely for my review), it was fine, but also makes your scripts very expensive! In my case, I came back to find my HbA1c had come back in non-diabetic numbers. I had my next HbA1c overseas, and it cost my something like US$85 for the diabetic panel - HbA1c, lipids etc. That seemed like much better value to me, bearing in mind I was (and am) medication-free.

Have you sorted your travel insurance for the long trip?

Hi
Ive not yet inquired about travel insurance for the long trip. I had to just get some for a two week vacation in Spain, this was the first time as a diabetic, so I was interested to see what would happen. Just for this it cost an extra £7.00. So no worry there. Im intending to call them this week to get a quote for the long trip and see what happens with that.

I have a few friends coming at different times, and had wondered about them collecting a script/meds for me, wondering how that would sit with customs?? if checked?? I wouldn't want to do that if Im honest in case there was a problem. If my gp is unable to give me enough meds then I will have to factor a return. although annoying could easily be done, only USA to UK.
I have an appointment with my nurse next week so Ill see what she says..
thank you again for your help.

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi
Ive not yet inquired about travel insurance for the long trip. I had to just get some for a two week vacation in Spain, this was the first time as a diabetic, so I was interested to see what would happen. Just for this it cost an extra £7.00. So no worry there. Im intending to call them this week to get a quote for the long trip and see what happens with that.

I have a few friends coming at different times, and had wondered about them collecting a script/meds for me, wondering how that would sit with customs?? if checked?? I wouldn't want to do that if Im honest in case there was a problem. If my gp is unable to give me enough meds then I will have to factor a return. although annoying could easily be done, only USA to UK.
I have an appointment with my nurse next week so Ill see what she says..
thank you again for your help.

I don't take meds, so can't speak from experience of that, but I have had a friend bring me 20-odd boxes of test strips, and that was absolutely fine.

To be honest, when you look at the size of a transatlantic flight, and the number of people on it, your friends would be incredibly unlucky to be chosen for a random check.

I've taken some outrageous things through Customs, and the thing of most interest to the Cusotms officer was a folding mountain bike, in a bag. Being a mountain bike, it has full-size wheels to there was no disguising it was in there. He asked a few questions, wanted to look at it, then got bored and sent me on my way.

On one occasion, I had a bag almost as tall as I am, containing a replacement part for our boat, which we couldn't source on the other side. That time, I had to go pick up my baggage the day after arrival as all my luggage was delayed/lost. So, I was the only person going through customs. He asked how long and where I was staying and wished me an enjoyable trip.

Bottom line is they are looking for narcotics or cash being smuggled/laundered, not the odd bottle of Scotch. And if found, I feel confident the officer would assume the meds were for your friends. I'd pack them still in the pharmacy bag, and put them in hold baggage.

It's up to you and your friends.

Because we go so often, for so long, we don't use specific travel insurance, but have other arrangements. For a long trip, it is important to have potential costs covered though, particularly if you are going to the US.

Get hard-core low carbing and see if you can shift some of the meds though.

 

[SunnyExpat]

Never had any problem.
My GP is very good, I maintain a stock, and take them with me.

Having said that, it's also worth getting a letter from your GP, stating what meds you are on, and if you need to you can buy them there at a cost.
But not recoverable from your insurance unfortunately.

If you order your prescription online, you should have no difficulty if someone picked them up for you, and brings them out.

Not entirely sure I would 'hard core low carb' as you may find it's difficult to maintain out there, depending on your budget.
I would suggest the Newcastle Diet seems to have better results post diet, then you can find a diet that suits your lifestyle, and work around that.

 

[AndBreathe]

Never had any problem.
My GP is very good, I maintain a stock, and take them with me.

Having said that, it's also worth getting a letter from your GP, stating what meds you are on, and if you need to you can buy them there at a cost.
But not recoverable from your insurance unfortunately.

If you order your prescription online, you should have no difficulty if someone picked them up for you, and brings them out.

Not entirely sure I would 'hard core low carb' as you may find it's difficult to maintain out there, depending on your budget.
I would suggest the Newcastle Diet seems to have better results post diet, then you can find a diet that suits your lifestyle, and work around that.

I've never had any issue eating low carb overseas. I have never, ever been to an establishment, or eaten in friends' houses, where there was nothing for me to eat. In my experience, 'mericans, like UK have more than their fair share of gluttons, but they also have a fair dollop of "you can never be too thin (or too rich)" folks who seem to want to reject eating anything except Caesar Salad, and hold the Croutons.

So much of our way of living is centred in our minds, rather than so much on our environments around us.

There are exceptions to every rule.

 

[SunnyExpat]

I guess it depends which burger bar you go to on the Amtrak station when you're grabbing food on the go?

 

[AndBreathe]

I guess it depends which burger bar you go to on the Amtrak station when you're grabbing food on the go?

Eat the burger, and ditch the bun, if that's all that's available. How hard is that? A little thinking almost outside the box.

 

[SunnyExpat]

Why?
I prefer to be able to eat both, and I find if I do eat carbs, admittedly my own 'good' ones, I can easily manage a few bad ones, when the need arises.

That's the 'out of the box' thinking I prefer to have, the 'you have to ditch the bun' is a little too rigid for my preferences.

I find a 'too rigid' lifestyle detracts from my enjoyment too much.

 

[AndBreathe]

Why?
I prefer to be able to eat both, and I find if I do eat carbs, admittedly my own 'good' ones, I can easily manage a few bad ones, when the need arises.

That's the 'out of the box' thinking I prefer to have, the 'you have to ditch the bun' is a little too rigid for my preferences.

I find a 'too rigid' lifestyle detracts from my enjoyment too much.

Your last paragraph at 09:34 stated, refering to low carb, was, "Not entirely sure I would 'hard core low carb' as you may find it's difficult to maintain out there, depending on your budget.". All I was doing was to demonstrate how it could easily be maintained, if that was what the person there wanted to do.

Quite clearly we all make our own decisions on where our compromise lines sit, relating to diet, drugs, exercise and every other aspect of our lives.

I'm not getting into a willy waving competition on this thread. My objective in my responses here has been to provoke thoughts about doing things differently, and maybe even applying my personal experience, having done some of the very things the OP will eventually face.

On my long trip, I had a magical time, and can honestly say I missed out on nothing. Personally, I would rather forego a cheap, nasty, bright yellow burger bun than potentially feel tired and probably send my bloods onto a roller-coaster. The roller-coaster is highly unlikely to happen now, having reached a point I have today, but I do accept that this happy, contented place I find myself in may change over time, as straightforward aging takes it's toll, aside from any lifestyle changes I may choose to make, or slip into.

Post ND, as I understand it, the most popular way of continuing to be normo-glycaemic is by following a reduced carb diet. I do not believe Professor Taylor considers successful candidates from his studies and programmes had had an absolute body reset and can just get full-time carb-tastic.

 

[SunnyExpat]

..............I'm not getting into a willy waving competition on this thread. ................

What a charming phrase, but not something I ever tend to do.

 

[SunnyExpat]

But back to the op, I think the question on meds has been answered.

Food depends on the type of trip you are planning.
Obviously driving from hotel to hotel is going to be different to backpacking across America.
(Just had a friend come back from doing that over summer, on one trail, through the Californian wilderness, where you carry your own food in a bear canister, and enough food for up to 10 days between resupplies. You don't find much apart from dried carbs and beef jerky that'll keep for 10 days that you'll want to carry. It's on my to do list, and I'll cope with that diet if I'm walking.)

So really, have a good read of the forum, plan ahead, get into a routine, and you'll find you'll manage perfectly.