Festival & Background Insulin.

[Claire007]

Hi there, quick question re timing of my levemir.

We're going to a festival this weekend,( me, husband & two teen sons) I'm only 3 weeks into diagnosis so everything is still new, hence we've knocked the idea of camping at the festival on the head, and booked into a nearby Premier Inn instead. Not very rock n roll but I need my comforts!

So I take levemir twice a day, once before bed (around 11pm) and then when I first wake, 7ish. So if I'm going to be up until say 1am, should I still take it at 11 or just wait until I go to bed? (As I'll probably sleep in later)

So, instead of my usual festival supplies of vodka & cider, I have jelly babies, glucotabs, carbs & cals & a frio wallet.

Any other top festival tips welcome.

Cheers.

 

[June_C]

So, instead of my usual festival supplies of vodka & cider, I have jelly babies, glucotabs, carbs & cals & a frio wallet.

Sorry I can't help pass on any tips or answers, but I love the reality check. Diabetes sucks and your example of swapping alcohol for jelly babies and frio wallets really illustrates the diabetic strait jacket we all have to live with. Hope you still have a lovely weekend though.

 

[tim2000s]

Hmmm. Not so sure about a strait jacket. I've always managed to enjoy a beer or three at all the festivals I've been to. If you are planning not to drink anyway, and will be carrying your short acting, you might as well take your basal pen and use it at the same time as usual. I've never found a UK festival hot enough to need a frio wallet and just use the novo pen wallet, which holds two pens.

 

[noblehead]

@Claire007, there is some degree of flexibility with taking basal insulin, if your want just take it later on that evening as you say you'll be taking your morning dose later as you'll be sleeping in, it may mean your bg might climb slightly with the delayed basal dose on the night but it shouldn't rise that much, just enjoy your day and just make sure to test your bg regularly and keep fast-acting glucose and snacks to hand.

 

[Claire007]

Thanks for your replies, I'm using this one as a practice run for Glastonbury, and the plan is to steer clear of the alcohol for this one as its early days. If I have one or two it's only going to make me want more
My nurse said to run a bit higher, between 7 & 10 for a few days should be ok.

 

[Trixy83]

I'm going to a festival next month. I was diagnosed in January so a wee bit longer than yourself but it will be my first since diagnosis as well. I plan to reduce my basal slightly on the grounds that I will be doing loads of walking and jumping about. I'm taking plenty money to make sure I eat and I'll probably take less bolus than I would at home and I'll do lots of testing. I'll be happy if I run around 8-9 for the 5 days instead of my usual targets. I refuse to let it change how I would usually go. So as well as the supplies of lots of strips, insulin, jelly babies etc I also have my usual of several liters of spirits, camping gear and everything else "normal" for a festival.

 

[tim2000s]

I'm going to a festival next month. I was diagnosed in January so a wee bit longer than yourself but it will be my first since diagnosis as well. I plan to reduce my basal slightly on the grounds that I will be doing loads of walking and jumping about. I'm taking plenty money to make sure I eat and I'll probably take less bolus than I would at home and I'll do lots of testing. I'll be happy if I run around 8-9 for the 5 days instead of my usual targets. I refuse to let it change how I would usually go. So as well as the supplies of lots of strips, insulin, jelly babies etc I also have my usual of several liters of spirits, camping gear and everything else "normal" for a festival.

TBH, as long as you are hypo aware and able to BG test, I don't see any reason for a festival to be different from a non-Diabetic. I've only ever been to festivals as a D and have always gone with non-D mates. My festival experience has not been any different from theirs (aside from not getting quite so drunk as them, falling over guy ropes and then ending up face down in a pile of someone else's vomit, but that's normal festivals for you).

 

[Jaylee]

Smashing advice all round.. Speaking as someone on the other side of the stage monitors..? Make sure you got someone clued up on D with you just to be the "voice of reason." Lol someone should say this.. & carry some sort of visible D ID.

Have fun!