Traveling with Diabetes – Packing for Your Vacation Made Easy

By Marci Sloane|2024-06-27T09:50:39-04:00Updated: May 11th, 2011|General Information, Newsletters|0 Comments

It’s about that time of year when many of us are planning our summer vacations. Preparing for a vacation can add unnecessary stress. Stress is unhealthy and can impact your blood sugar levels so it’s time to put yourself at ease with your preparation and let your traveling with diabetes be easy and fun. Start enjoying your vacation even before you leave with these packing tips. Below are some tools you may consider using on your next excursion!

For those people taking insulin or other inject-ables that must be kept cool you may consider bringing a travel wallet with you. These travel wallets protect by insulating the insulin/injectable pens and/or syringes in a small portable refrigerator. One example is the BKooler Travel Wallet that only requires re-usable ice packs. No ice or batteries or any power source is required so you are free to travel with peace of mind. Even smaller is the Frio Wallet (available in many sizes) keeping your insulin pens and vials safe from the warmer weather. All that is needed to activate its cooling power is cold water.

If you need more room for storage you may consider a larger cooler. A device such as Medicool’s Medicooler Micro-Refrigerator is lightweight and stores more items like insulin inject-ables, pens, medications, vials, etc. The Medicool Refrigerator comes with a standard plug, but also included is a 12V adapter ensuring that no matter how you travel, you will have the ability to keep your insulin cool and safe.

Another tool that can address your traveling needs is a diabetes carrying case organizer. These devices can hold more than the wallet so you can fit insulin pens and or syringes, vials, and meter and supplies.

The Medport Daily Organizer is one such carrying case that keeps you prepared. It uses a re-freezable ice pack and even has a Sharps disposable container so you can properly dispose of your needles and lancets.

While on vacation our focus shifts from our day-to-day responsibilities to enjoying the freedom and relaxation. Ezy-Dose has many different items to make life a bit easier for a person with diabetes. Their product’s main feature is to organize and transport diabetes supplies such as insulin, vials, syringes, sharps containers, etc. Also available is an organizer for your medication and/or vitamins. Pill boxes are convenient to travel with and you won’t have to worry about whether or not you remembered to take your medication or vitamins. Pill boxes allow this luxury! There are many types available on the market. Stackable, easy-to-open compartments, pods (boxes/compartments) that separate, large boxes, boxes with days of the week, some have Braille, etc.

If you take insulin/inject-ables or other medication, if even if you don’t, please remember to carry glucose tablets with you at all times. When you are on vacation your usual routine changes and you want to be prepared for possible low blood sugars. Diachieve Glucose Tablets come in refillable travel tubes that fit right into your pocket, purse, car, etc. You may also consider carrying Extend Bars or Glucerna Bars so you have a lasting source of carbohydrates during your travel or site-seeing days. These bars are designed to release the glucose slowly into your bloodstream to protect you from highs and lows for several hours. They are delicious and come in many flavors. Remember that being prepared will help reduce the stress that comes with traveling. When you have diabetes these above mentioned tools can allow you to focus on having fun and relaxing because that’s what vacationing is really about!


NOTE: Consult your doctor first to make sure my recommendations fit your special health needs.

About the Author: Marci Sloane

Marci SloaneMarci Sloane, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. She grew up in NYC where she graduated with a degree in Nutrition and Physiology from Teachers College at Columbia University. For over a decade, Marci managed a Diabetes and Nutrition Education Center at a multi-bed hospital in South Florida and has been counseling people on healthy eating, weight loss, and managing diseases and conditions such as: diabetes, pre-diabetes, healthy eating, heart disease, weight loss, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension, hypoglycemia and a host of other nutrition-related diseases. Marci is an American Diabetes Association Valor Award recipient and lectures frequently to the public and healthcare professionals. Marci was a featured panelist for the Sun-Sentinel's "Let's Take It Off" weight loss program, was highlighted in the Palm Beach Post: Meet Your Neighbor, "Woman's book on healthy eating uses humor as a key ingredient" and was a participant in their Diabetes Series in 2007. Marci Sloane is a member of the American Diabetes Association’s Health Professional Committee.

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