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Travelling & Diabetes

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Serendipity21

Member
Messages
5
Hey all,

I've always wanted to go travelling, I'm going to Australia in April for three weeks this to me is more a holiday, but I really think when I get back, it's going to give me the travel bug again.
My parents are not supportive of me wanting to travel, as it always follows by "But what about your diabetes?" (I know it's because they care, but it really annoys me that they question "What about", when they're more thinking "you can't because of your diabetes", when it should be, "OK, how CAN you manage your diabetes while you do this?)

I'm quite stubborn and refuse to let my diabetes prevent me from doing anything I want to do in life. Travelling is one of these things....

I was hoping to find someone that has already been travelling (for a lengthy period of time) or a gap year, and to speak with you about how you coped, how you went about it etc?!

I hope that you are all well :) x
 
I did three months of travelling before I went to uni. Absolutely loved it. My only regret is not taking longer!

The only difficulty for me was travelling across multiple time zones and managing my insulin. Wasn't easy, but doable.

I'd also advise you get letters, in the appropriate languages, for airport security. Trying to explain the needles to Thai officials was not easy!

Having diabetes should not stop you travelling. Just make sure you plan mid you're going for a year, for example, you'll probably need to find somewhere that can supply insulin etc while you're out there.

Your parents are just worrying and I'm sure they only want what's best for you. Mine were exactly the same. If they can see that you have thought about what is involved and how you are going to manage it then I'm sure they'll get on board.

Hope things work out. Enjoy planning - so many amazing places to visit!!
 
Have you lived away from home and successfully managed your diabetes? If so, why do your parents think you won't be able to in another country?!? If you can prove that you can cope during your 3 weeks in Australia, they will have much less reason to doubt you.

Logistically, it does require a bit of preparation eg to carry the right amount of insulin, blood testing kit etc, including spares, and get new supplies from appropriate places (where it will be more expensive than free NHS supplies), having appropriate travel insurance to cover activities, countries etf where you are going, plus covering loss / theft of insulin is an optional extra.

Personally, I was diagnosed in New Zealand, 16 years ago as a 30 year old, but since then have continued to travel widely, including leading a month long expedition to Costa Rica, leading on 4.5 month exped to Chile, Falklands & South Georgia, independent travel, some solo, some with partner, in Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, ski touring in Norway, trekking in Atlas Mountains, holiday in Jordan with Mum (she won a prize), volunteering on / competing in adventure races / mountain marathons / rogaines in Belgium, Estonia, Poland (winter), Portugal and all over UK & island of Ireland. Never needed help from anyone due to diabetes - but occasionally appreciated a hand over a rocky stream, for example.
 
Hi,

I have been Type 1 since 2005, and went travelling for around ten months in 2008. It was the best thing i'd ever done, and I think everyone should have the experience!

I don't think it was any more difficult to manage my diabetes than at home. I travelled through south east asia and australia, and I was taking novorapid and Lantus at the time so I rang the manufacturers to check it was available in all the countries I was travelling to. I think the only place I couldn't have got hold of the insulin pens was Laos. Other than that all I had to do was make sure I had plenty of supplies, I carried a 6 month supply of insulin with me in Frio cool packs, which worked quite well for an extended period of time, and when I got to Australia I went to visit a doctor, who had no problem giving me another load of supplies.

If your not taking a friend travelling, I would recommend starting off with some group tours, I did an intrepid one, and It really put my Mums mind at rest knowing I was going on an organised tour with lots of people, and a tour guide that speaks the local language and can get you medical help in an emergency.

I'm jealous! I want to go travelling again!
 
Serendipity21 said:
Hey all,

I've always wanted to go travelling, I'm going to Australia in April for three weeks this to me is more a holiday, but I really think when I get back, it's going to give me the travel bug again.
My parents are not supportive of me wanting to travel, as it always follows by "But what about your diabetes?" (I know it's because they care, but it really annoys me that they question "What about", when they're more thinking "you can't because of your diabetes", when it should be, "OK, how CAN you manage your diabetes while you do this?)

I'm quite stubborn and refuse to let my diabetes prevent me from doing anything I want to do in life. Travelling is one of these things....

I was hoping to find someone that has already been travelling (for a lengthy period of time) or a gap year, and to speak with you about how you coped, how you went about it etc?!

I hope that you are all well :) x
Click to expand...

Hi Serendipity,

I went travelling round southeast Asia for a year in 2002, after being made redundant and splitting up with my then girlfriend. The initial shock of the double-whammy was horrible, but then it was like a big green traffic light saying GO GO GO! I'd always wanted to travel but had never had the guts to quit a job, so this was the perfect opportunity.

My parents were reticent about it, obviously; mum was really worried about the impact travelling would have on my diabetes (I was 29, then, and had had type 1 for 20 years) but as other people on here have said, it was not a problem. It's all about you taking control of the diabetes, and not the other way round, as you yourself have said.

FRIO packs were brilliant for storing insulin – I took about a six-month supply, too, and then just made it to major cities where I knew my insulin was available to get more. So, I suppose a little bit of planning is a good idea!! The only problem, really, is that blood strips / FRIO packs do take up quite a lot of room in your backpack! And if you're planning on doing a serious trek (for example) make sure you take plenty of food with you, too. I had a copy of my prescription and my Medic Alert chain, in case of emergencies, but never needed to use them.

The only time I had trouble was when I started running out of blood strips in Laos - but my dad got a repeat prescription sorted back home and had it posted out to a 'Poste Restante' in one of the Laos post offices. I think I was without strips for about two days in total.

I spent six weeks in China, two months in Thailand, a month in Laos, six weeks in Vietnam, a month in Cambodia, a month in Malaysia, two months in Borneo, a month in Indonesia and then a month in Australia. Just go for it and enjoy yourself!!!

:thumbup:
 
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