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Travelling - Australia

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orangehead

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6
Hi guys,

I'm planning on going travelling in Australia. My friends are there at the moment and ive decided to join them. I'm thinking of going for 6 months or a whole year (or longer if I love it there). The problem is my friend's are travelling from hostel to hostel, so i dont know how im going to store my insulin and keep it cool. Also, do I take enough insulin, needles, strips etc etc to last a year? Or do I get my insulin from there.

Has anyone done this type of travelling? How did you cope in terms of medication etc?

Any other general advice would be good too! :D

Katie
 
Katie have a fab time - very envious. The following advice is offered under the "other" banner: when you arrive in Oz go through the red channel and declare your needles. You will be whisked through in a jiffy instead of waiting 45 minutes in the queue for the green channel! :wink:
 
Hi there,
I am an Australian living in Queensland and also worked in the backpacking tourist industry for many years. I can tell you that any hostel will have no problems storing insulin in their fridge for you and helping you out as best they can. You'll also find there are all sorts of products to keep your insulin in good order. I think you need to contact Diabetes Australia and get a letter from your doctor before you leave. I have seen that their are a lot of bg meters advertised around this site that I have not seen here so you'd need to check where to get strips etc. A lot of stuff can be bought over the counter and it is really only insulin and hypo kits that you'd need a script for.

Anyway, If you have any questions I'd be happy to help. What parts of Oz do you plan to visit? When do you plan coming out here? I'm sure that first long haul plane ride and the time change will be your biggest challenge.

Cheers Jen.
 
Thank you for all your help and suggestions guys

Jen&Khaleb said:
Hi there,
I am an Australian living in Queensland and also worked in the backpacking tourist industry for many years. I can tell you that any hostel will have no problems storing insulin in their fridge for you and helping you out as best they can. You'll also find there are all sorts of products to keep your insulin in good order. I think you need to contact Diabetes Australia and get a letter from your doctor before you leave. I have seen that their are a lot of bg meters advertised around this site that I have not seen here so you'd need to check where to get strips etc. A lot of stuff can be bought over the counter and it is really only insulin and hypo kits that you'd need a script for.

Anyway, If you have any questions I'd be happy to help. What parts of Oz do you plan to visit? When do you plan coming out here? I'm sure that first long haul plane ride and the time change will be your biggest challenge.

Cheers Jen.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much jen, you answered the questions I really wanted to know - like they'd be happy to store my insulin, I was worried about this :) I will contact Diabetes Australia and do some research into what I need to take and what I can get whilst I'm there.

I have no idea where im going yet. My friends are there already and have been for nearly a year now and ive recently decided to join them. I'm just going to save up some money and possibly go out in August, so it depends where they are at the time :) I am quite worried about the flight, ive only been to spain before and i havent been anywhere alone.

I'll definitely be back with more questions once I know more about when/where i'm going.

Thanks!
 
Hi,

A couple of years ago I travelled for a period of about 9 months and had to take 9 months worth of insulin, needles, etc all with me as I was going to quite a few third world countries. I carried my insulin in travel cooler bags which I think someone else mentioned earlier - Frio. They were a huge help. Also, make sure you carry a letter with you from a Dr stating that you have Diabetes Type 1 and that is the reason for traveling with needles and insulin, just in case you are questioned at an airport. It can also help you if you had to go to a Dr while abroad to get a perscription for more insulin or anything.
Never pack your insulin in your main bag that is being checked in. The temperature in the luggage hold can get to well below freezing and would therefore damage your insulin. You will need to carry it on board with you.
You will have an amazing time and being somewhere like Australia you will never have trouble obtaining more insulin through a Dr if you need to.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks alot, it certainly did help :)

I shall get a note from my doctor. I wasn't sure about the temperature in the luggage hold, so I will remember to keep my insulin with me now!
 
I'll vouch for the frio packs- I used them when I went trekking in the Australian outback!

I hope you have an amazing time, I loved it out there!

sugarless sue said:
This product may be what you are looking for or something similar.

http://www.friouk.com/
Click to expand...
 
Folks,

I've just got back from a month in the US, and as such I have discovered a few tips when travelling with Insulin.

This was the first time I have travelled internationally since being on Insulin. I declared the fact that I was carrying needles to the check-in staff, pre-security, the main security / x-ray staff, gate staff, and also to the cabin crew. Everyone, apart from the cabin crew weren't bothered at all. The cabin crew just told me to call if I needed anything, and that was it.

From that point on, I didn't bother to say anything when at the airport. The upshot is that nothing gets said, and no-one really cares.

Anyway, that aside.... The Frio bags previously mentioned are brilliant whilst on the plane, and getting to your final destination.
Due to the weather where I was, they didn't keep the Insulin cool enough. I ended up going to a Walmart to get a small cool-box with ice packs. I then kept the Frio bag in that - this kept the Insulin at the right temperature.

If you don't have access to a fridge where you are staying, I've found that filling the bathroom sink with cold water, and then dropping the Insulin cartridges into the basin keeps them nice and cool.
If you're staying in a hotel, your might find an ice machine close by.... a few cubes in the basin will also help out in warmer climates.

Whilst I accept this isnt the best choice, it certainly worked very well for me.
No doubt someone will come up with much better suggestions. Sometimes you have to work with what resources you have available at the time.

For anyone who's concerned about airport security etc, disclose the fact you have needles for Diabetes. If you can, carry a prescription or doctors note for everything.
You should find that you will have absolutely no problems at all.

I guess the key thing is to always have a backup plan !!

One other thing, I carried enough supplies of everything to last me 1.5 times the length of my stay.
That way, if any unforeseen circumstances came up, I wouldn't have to worry about having enough needles or Insulin.

I'd also suggest getting your prescriptions sorted out the week before you go. Advising your doctor that you will be away, and may require extra supplies.

I hope that helps a few of you !

Stay safe.

Adam.
 
Hey Katie!

I'm also called Katie and have type1 and I'm thinking about going out to work in Oz for a year in January. I've just started on a pump so I'm trying to get info on getting pump supplies etc when I'm out there. It's all a bit complicated - I think I have to get a medicard, then somehow register with the NDSS, then order and pay for stuff I need when I'm there (makes you appreciate the nhs!).

We should share info and tips!

Katie
:D
 
Hey Katie,

It may sound a little complicated but it isn't really that bad. I have also lived in England so know a little of the system over there. A Medicare card is the same as your NHS card and joining the NDSS is only a form. Certain chemists carry all the products you need and you get a list of them in a brochure or (like me) you can order over the internet and get it posted to you. This wouldn't be such a good idea for a traveller though. As we are all a part of the Commonwealth you are able to access a lot more compared to if you were from the US etc. Outside of the Commonwealth there are no discounts on anything.

Cheers, Jen.
 
Hi Jen,

Thanks for the info - so I can just buy my supplies in the chemist with my medicare card? That's not so complicated then :D

Do you know how it would work if I needed to see a specialist? I don't imagine that I would but do we have access to a diabetes consultant/team/nurse should we need it?

Thanks again,

Katie :)
 
Hi Katie,

Yeah, you just need your Medicare Card and NDSS Card. Most things are just available to buy but you pay heaps without the cards.

If you needed to see a doctor you could ring any GP who could refer you to a specialist or go to a hospital if urgent. You could even phone a hospital and ask to speak to their diabetic educator for advice. I have done this a few times when Khaleb has been sick. Endocrinologists are only found in hospitals of Capital Cities or very large hospitals.

Jen
 
While working in the backpacking industry for many years I heard some amusing stories of what people from other countries thought Australia was like. Some people brought their own chewing gum, thinking they couldn't buy it here. Quite a few people think they are going to see Kangaroos hopping down the main street of Sydney and Koalas in every second tree. Some people just didn't understand that you could drive the coast of Queensland for 24 hours and not reach the border.

You'll have a great time out here. The weather alone would make it worth your while. I've lived in England so I know.

Jen.
 
Hello again everyone :)

Thank you so much for all the advice you've given :D

I disapeared because I didn't have the money for a plane ticket before, but ive just bought one. I'm going on the 21st of Feb! I can't wait, i'll be there in time for my birthday on the 24th, yay.

Is the other Katie about? I wonder how her travels are going...

I just have one worry left... The higher security policies they now have about taking liquids on airplane. Does anybody know how much Insulin I can take on? I want to take as much as possible so that I don't have to get much when I'm there. Has anybody taken alot in their hand luggage?

Katie x
 
In Australia we have a website called Smarttraveller. Try them for some info or contact your airline. Diabetes Australia is also a useful place to go.

Jen
 
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