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Type 1 Insulin on plane

B

Besty W

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Location
Leicestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi I'm going on holiday for one week, I am planning on taking a reserve pen for both rapid and long acting. Should i pack the reserves in hand luggage or my main bag which will go in the hold? I'm concerned about temperatures in the hold,

Any advice gratefully received
 
I carried everything on me and had a letter from my doc to show at the airport.
 
Besty W said:
Hi I'm going on holiday for one week, I am planning on taking a reserve pen for both rapid and long acting. Should i pack the reserves in hand luggage or my main bag which will go in the hold? I'm concerned about temperatures in the hold,

Any advice gratefully received
Click to expand...

I keep everything in my carry on luggage. Make sure you pack plenty of reserves. They may insist the pens go into a clear bag too. Have a nice holiday :)
 
Besty W said:
Hi I'm going on holiday for one week, I am planning on taking a reserve pen for both rapid and long acting. Should i pack the reserves in hand luggage or my main bag which will go in the hold? I'm concerned about temperatures in the hold,

Any advice gratefully received
Click to expand...

I agree with what has been said = carry your Insulin in hand luggage and a letter from your GP too. Most GP's charge for letters mine charged me £25.00. ( I take 3 Insulin Pens - 1 is always a spare, just in case). And carry your meter, test strips and lancets also in hand luggage. :)
 
I've always been advised to never put insulin in hold luggage as the fluctuating temperatures - particularly the extreme cold - could damage it.
 
Besty W said:
Hi I'm going on holiday for one week, I am planning on taking a reserve pen for both rapid and long acting. Should i pack the reserves in hand luggage or my main bag which will go in the hold? I'm concerned about temperatures in the hold,

Any advice gratefully received
Click to expand...
It's best to keep it with you. Ensure you have some form of documentation from your GP, some countries can be very fussy about people carrying syringes through customs. Even asprin can land you in hot water.
 
I fly a lot for work and depending on the airport you can be asked to do a multitude of different things with your insulin.
I always have a letter from the gp with me and just go with the flow of what they ask you to do.
 
DiabeticDadUK said:
I keep everything in my carry on luggage. Make sure you pack plenty of reserves. They may insist the pens go into a clear bag too. Have a nice holiday :)
Click to expand...

To add to the above also split your supplies between yourself and a travelling partner (if possible), that way if one bag goes missing you'll have enough supplies to last until you see a Dr.

Liam1955 said:
I agree with what has been said = carry your Insulin in hand luggage and a letter from your GP too. Most GP's charge for letters mine charged me £25.00. ( I take 3 Insulin Pens - 1 is always a spare, just in case). And carry your meter, test strips and lancets also in hand luggage. :)
Click to expand...

Anyone under the care of a hospital diabetes clinic will likely find that they'll provide a letter free of charge :)
 
Thank You for that information @noblehead :).
I am under the Hospital Diabetic Clinic (and have been for 4 years now) and no one told me I was eligible to a "free of charge" letter. My GP never said anything neither, just charged me the £25.00. I think in the future it is worth asking if in doubt about anything. :)
 
It might be worth contacting the airline that you are travelling with to ask if there are any special regulations you need to be aware of, and telling them when you will be travelling.
Far better to discover the rules early on than when you arrive unprepared.
 
Besty W said:
Hi I'm going on holiday for one week, I am planning on taking a reserve pen for both rapid and long acting. Should i pack the reserves in hand luggage or my main bag which will go in the hold? I'm concerned about temperatures in the hold,

Any advice gratefully received
Click to expand...

Hi,

Never put it in the hold.. Carry all D stuff in the cabin.
Personally? I've traveled about & never had an issue..
Though they did query me over a 5 pack of Mars bars that threw up an "anomaly" on the X-ray. A USB storage key ring, a guitar effect pedal & a toy Star Wars light sabre...
It's amazing how I can get all my D stuff in!

On the whole.. Diabetic paraphanalia. They know what they are looking at when they scan it... ;)

Have a great break!
 
Sue81 said:
depending on the airport you can be asked to do a multitude of different things with your insulin.
Click to expand...

Hopefully nothing too X-rated. Though that could depend on the country, right? :***:
 
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