Type 1 Diabetes Print What to Know When Traveling With Type 1 Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Joel Forman, MD on August 05, 2016 Joel Forman, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine, and public health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Learn about our Medical Review Board Joel Forman, MD Written by linkedin Written by Gary Gilles Gary Gilles is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) who has written about type 1 diabetes and served as a diabetes counselor. He began writing about diabetes after his son's diagnosis as an infant. Learn about our editorial policy Gary Gilles Updated on November 14, 2019 Fertnig / Getty Images More in Type 1 Diabetes Glucose Monitoring Traveling with type 1 diabetes can be a hassle. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, your diabetes management can be affected anytime you have a disruption to your regular schedule. Here are some travel tips to help keep you in good control. Always Carry Important Documents Any time you are away from home, you should always carry a letter from your doctor and a backup prescription for insulin and any other medications you might be taking. The letter from your doctor should explain that you have diabetes and list the medications (insulin) and any other items (syringes, lancets, etc.) that you need to manage your health. You should have enough insulin to get you through the trip, but the backup prescription can be used in case of emergency. Pack Wisely A good rule of thumb is to pack twice as much diabetes-related supplies as you think you will need. That includes: An extra glucose meterSyringesTest stripsLancetsInsulin It’s always better to have more than less. If traveling by air, pack half of these supplies in your carry-on and half in your suitcase. That way if you and your luggage get separated, you’re covered. But always keep your insulin and other medications with you in your carry-on bag. And don’t forget to bring enough carbohydrate snacks to treat a hypoglycemic reaction, should this be necessary. Consider Time Zones When you cross time zones you must factor in the change to your insulin routine. Whether you travel east or west, your day becomes longer or short and this may require you to take more or less insulin than normal. Discuss this with your doctor before you depart. Check Out Access to Care If you are planning an extended trip, it is advisable to check out your accessibility to a pharmacy, medical center, or diabetes specialist in the area you will be staying. This enables you to get the help you need without having to cut your trip short. Factor in Increased Activity Traveling often involves more walking, climbing, and standing than your normal routine. Be sure to check your blood sugar often to ensure that your additional activity doesn’t cause you to have a hypoglycemic reaction. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. 21 Tips for Traveling With Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/traveling-with-diabetes.html. Published September 17, 2018. Additional Reading Travel Tips. Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California, San Francisco. When You Travel. American Diabetes Association. Continue Reading