Hi, I have previously commented/asked for advice on threads regarding travel. Truth is I'm really stressing out about going to Florida next Sunday as I'm scared how my pump will function on the long flight and with the change in the hour when I get there. Are there any seasoned travellers out there who would like to try and offer me some reassurance/advice. I'm hoping if I hear how others cope I'll calm down a bit !
My go-to practice for flying half way around the world (which I loosely define as any trip taking more than 18 hours one-way, or crossing more than 4 timezones):
Make sure I have vial of insulin and syringes in easy access location in carry-on bag, not because I've ever needed them mid-flight, but because it makes me feel more like I've taken all reasonable steps to making sure if something does malfunction, my backup plan is ready to execute at a moments notice.
Write down my standard pump settings, and leave them in my kit. (Which I should do anyway, but I often don't until I'm packing for a trip.)
Although some airlines provide decent meals, I've encountered some pretty lousy food over the years so I bring enough food to double as lunch (or dinner, or whatever) to eat while in transit, in addition to the standard arsenal of emergency snacks. This regularly means half of my bag is packed full of food, and I only eat about half of it, but thats more comfortable for me than having to eat whatever random food anomaly the airlines are serving.
Especially while in the air, check, check and check again; correct as needed; repeat often. I tend to check every hour or two (unless I'm sleeping), and immediately before landing. I also often eat a snack before getting off the plane regardless of my blood sugar because walking all over an airport has a tendency to drop my BG fast. Both in the air, and in an airport, I run intentionally a little high so I have some room for error. I don't generally put in a full correction until I've reached my final destination (like the hotel), although I do make smaller adjustments to try to avoid getting too high also. This is what I attempt at least, it seldom works as gracefully as I hope!
Time change-wise, because I have different basal rates set for night and day, it works best for me to adjust the time on the pump according to what I'm doing, regardless of what the clock says. When I go to bed, I adjust my pump time to 11pm since thats when my lower night basal rate starts. When I get up the next day, regardless of the actual time wherever I am, I change my pump to 7am, since thats when my morning rates kick in. After a day or two I find that I'm getting up and going to bed per normal-to-the-timezone-I'm-in so I generally only have to do this once or twice. If you have different basal rates for different times of day, try to match them up to your body instead of a clock. If you have a single basal rate, it shouldn't matter what the time on your pump is.
There's all sorts of precautions and planning for "what ifs" you can find on the internet, but what I've found is that ultimately if I threw a few snacks, a couple syringes, and a good book or two in a bag, I'd be all set for 99% of what happens while traveling. Sure, maybe having the perfect travel pillow and my favorite no-leak waterbottle and some headphones will make it more comfortable, but I don't think diabetes-wise at least I've run into anything besides an unexpected low (which I easily fixed with the arsenal of snacks I carry for just such reasons) or an occasional stubborn high (which nearly always corrects to normal once I reach my destination). There's lots of opinions on ways to travel, and ways to travel with diabetes, and things you must take and should take and need and whatnot, but for the most part, assume that it'll be a regular day, you'll need all the regular stuff, and then bring a couple extra test strips and snacks and you'll be fine. Of course you should have a "backup" plan, but you should have one of those while you're home too. Its easy to stress out over all the 'what ifs', but a lot of them are no bigger of a deal mid-flight than at home!
(What if your pump suddenly up and dies mid-flight? You check your blood sugar and correct via syringe as necessary; when you get to your hotel you call your pump manufacturer and they overnight you a replacement. What if you get low? You eat a snack. What if you hate airplane chicken? Eat everything else, and a snack from your stash. What if your infusion set pulls out mid flight? You put in a new one when its convenient, unless you've just eaten and miss a meal bolus, you'll be fine for an hour or two unconnected in case it isn't feasible to leave your seat. What if you get stubborn highs? Keep making small corrections, use a syringe if you keep getting higher. If you want to replace a site mid-flight, use the bathroom, but set your kit in the sink so it doesn't roll off the counter. Remember you can replace just the actual infusion set, you don't have to change the tubing or reservoir at the same time, save those for when you're on solid ground and have elbow room.)
Happy travels!
