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Going on Holiday

C

coco4

Well-Known Member
Messages
751
Hi everyone, I read with interest Maazhk's e-mail yesterday making taking a holiday with diabetes so easy. Last Christmas was my 1st Christmas after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, I'm 56 years old. My usual much loved Christmas holiday to Toronto was a disaster, high readings and so much anxiety that led me to Toronto General Hospital with heart palpitaions. Two ECGs later and a claim on my travel insurance heart problems were ruled out, whew! I find that I am so panic stricken I can not even contemplate another holiday anywhere. What I would love to know is how do Type 1s know how much bolus insulin to inject to cover their food when you cannot weigh food containing carbs? Any advice would be welcome, thanks Carole
 
Buy a book called carbs and cals it's really great with pictures and carbohydrate values. With most their are about 6 different portion sizes and weights. Also if you have an iPhone their is an app. So in my opinion it's a great buy.

P.s. ask your DSN about the accu chek aviva expert you get a free copy with that.
 
Hi TT17 and many thanks for your reply. I have the book you recommend, but when I weigh my food the pictures of the various portions of food bear no resemblance to the actual weight of the food. Hence I cannot accurately measure my bolus using the pictures. Where, O where am I going wrong?
 
Hi Carole,

After being diabetic for so long I just kinda know what an average portion is and how to adjust my insulin for it. If in doubt you could take x u it's of insulin with your meal, test half an hour, an hour later and give a correction dose if necessary.

I find that travelling can cause my sugars to become a little erratic, especially where long haul flights are concerned. However, there is absolutely no reason why you can't enjoy a holiday because of your diabetes.

Why don't you try doing an experiment at home? Don't weigh your food for a week. Just use the books and best guess approach. Try and adjust your insin accordingly. Tansy way you're still at home but applying 'holiday rules', so to speak. Just an idea.

Em
 
Hi Em that's an interesting idea applying "holiday rules" at home. Thanks I will give that a go. I just need to acquire some confidence to trust my judgement of portion sizes etc. Maybe like you when I have had diabetes for a while longer I will get to know things a lot better. I hate to let this condition rule my life, but the way I am existing at the moment I'm letting it win.
 
I agree with the others, I have the carbs and cals app on my phone and that is a boon when eating out but generally you do get to know by weighing food at home what your portions look like, however do try to relax being stressed and tense will also affect your BG and holidays generally will also have an effect on your diabetes, different food, environment, weather it all adds up, so relax, just do the best you can and most importantly enjoy yourself. Have a lovely holiday
 
Thanks Neicy0412, I'm looking at Air Canada flights so fingers crossed that I will make a booking. Have a great weekend, Carole :thumbup:
 
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