Travelling abroad with insulin pump

[smc4761]

Hi folks, hope I can get some advice from insulin pump user, who have traveled abroad and their experiences.
I have been on Medtronic 640 for just over 3 years now and love the flexibility of the pump

I am due to go on my first holiday abroad, Turkey in just over a month, which will be my first holiday abroad with a pump. It can get hot in Turkey at that time of year, so having been many times before to Turkey, I know I will be in and out of the pool several times each day. With the heat I will also be sweating a lot more than normal.

What has been your experience, with the cannula when you go into water multiple times and with sweating, sun tan cream etc. I am concerned that the cannula will become loose. How do you stop water entering the cannula in water when you have disconnected the pump.

Going through UK airport should not be an issue as I have my letter from hospital. However what have people experiences been going through security at foreign airport where language may be an issue. Of course I understand that security must deal with pump users on a regular basis

As I will also take pens as back up not sure if it is worth the hassle and may just go back to MDI for a few week.

Any help greatly appreciated

 

[sleepster]

Hi @smc4761,
I've had no problems with cannulas coming loose with heat, swimming pools etc, unless you normally have problems with cannulas coming loose I wouldn't worry too much about it happening on your holiday. Obviously take plenty of spare cannulas etc. I think it's recommended (as with other diabetes stuff) to take twice as much as you need.
I use Mio cannulas and they come with little clips to put on your cannula when you disconnect to stop water etc getting in, you get a packet with 2 in each box of cannulas, I'm not sure if the other Medtronic cannulas have the same do you use Mios?
Airport security has been mostly fine for me, if I don't need to go through a body scanner I usually keep quiet about my pump, if there are body scanners then you'll need to tell them you can't go through with your pump. Options are disconnect your pump and hand it to somebody you trust and go through the scanner, or you'll get swabbed, usually hands and pump, and patted down or get waved over with the wand.
I've had problems in the US, and in Ireland was told if my pump set off the metal detector I'd have to put it through the x-ray (don't do that!). I've been told to take my pump off for security in other places but I have just showed them the Medtronic airport card and it was fine. I've never shown my letter from the hospital.
Hope that helps

 

[smc4761]

Hi @smc4761,
I've had no problems with cannulas coming loose with heat, swimming pools etc, unless you normally have problems with cannulas coming loose I wouldn't worry too much about it happening on your holiday. Obviously take plenty of spare cannulas etc. I think it's recommended (as with other diabetes stuff) to take twice as much as you need.
I use Mio cannulas and they come with little clips to put on your cannula when you disconnect to stop water etc getting in, you get a packet with 2 in each box of cannulas, I'm not sure if the other Medtronic cannulas have the same do you use Mios?
Airport security has been mostly fine for me, if I don't need to go through a body scanner I usually keep quiet about my pump, if there are body scanners then you'll need to tell them you can't go through with your pump. Options are disconnect your pump and hand it to somebody you trust and go through the scanner, or you'll get swabbed, usually hands and pump, and patted down or get waved over with the wand.
I've had problems in the US, and in Ireland was told if my pump set off the metal detector I'd have to put it through the x-ray (don't do that!). I've been told to take my pump off for security in other places but I have just showed them the Medtronic airport card and it was fine. I've never shown my letter from the hospital.
Hope that helps

Thanks Sleepster
I do use Mini med Mio cannula. All I can think of, in the way of little clips, is the thing below, I have highlighted. I assume I get an "airport card" from Medtronic

 

[sleepster]

Ooh those don't look like my Mio cannulas. I'm not very good at describing but it's like what connects the tubing to the cannula, without the tubing. Like this below. I currently have the clear ones so if I took a photo it probably wouldn't be much help! I'm not familiar with what's in your picture I'm afraid.

It might not be called an airport card, apologies, my brain is not being very co-operative today. It's a small leaflet in the size of a credit card, there should have been one with your pump but may have been hidden away somewhere in the packaging. This is it anyway https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/sites/default/files/library/download-library/workbooks/x23_airport_card.pdf you could print one or Medtronic may send you one. There's only a bit about airports on there but I find the 'I am wearing a required medical device prescribed by my physician' bit quite handy for showing people. Alternatively there is a letter here https://www.ipag.co.uk/medtronic-diabetes-insulin-pump-airport-security-letter/ which I have printed but have never needed to show, I'm sure Medtronic would send you one if you asked but I didn't have enough time so just printed it from there.
Sorry if anything I've said doesn't quite make sense!

 

[smc4761]

Ooh those don't look like my Mio cannulas. I'm not very good at describing but it's like what connects the tubing to the cannula, without the tubing. Like this below. I currently have the clear ones so if I took a photo it probably wouldn't be much help! I'm not familiar with what's in your picture I'm afraid.

It might not be called an airport card, apologies, my brain is not being very co-operative today. It's a small leaflet in the size of a credit card, there should have been one with your pump but may have been hidden away somewhere in the packaging. This is it anyway https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/sites/default/files/library/download-library/workbooks/x23_airport_card.pdf you could print one or Medtronic may send you one. There's only a bit about airports on there but I find the 'I am wearing a required medical device prescribed by my physician' bit quite handy for showing people. Alternatively there is a letter here https://www.ipag.co.uk/medtronic-diabetes-insulin-pump-airport-security-letter/ which I have printed but have never needed to show, I'm sure Medtronic would send you one if you asked but I didn't have enough time so just printed it from there.
Sorry if anything I've said doesn't quite make sense!

Hi Sleepester,

Thanks for your help really appreciated. The clips you have shown are very similar to what I get with my Min Med Mio, so I know what to do.

I have a letter from the hospital team about all my medical equipment so that should be OK

Leaving the country with the pump will not be an issue as obviously all speak English

It may be fun and games at the Turkish airport trying to explain I cannot go through a body scanner with my pump, if that situation arose

 

[sleepster]

I've had more problems explaining to English-speakers that I can't go through the scanner than I have with speakers of other languages, although I haven't been to Turkey. The airports I thought I'd have problems at were probably the least problematic in my experience a lot of airports don't make everyone go through the scanners anyway, it's more of a problem when everyone has to go through and they think you're being difficult.
I'm sure you'll have no problems and I hope you have a good trip