During certain times of year, families plan to hop in the car for a fun and exciting holiday or visit with relatives and friends. The holiday season, may also be a time when travel by car is necessary. For anyone, there are certain plans that need to be made before any road trip is safe and enjoyable. Driving any distance for people with diabetes, whether type 1 or type 2, can be unpleasant at least; dangerous, at worst. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can strike unexpectedly, leading to shakiness, dizziness and disorientation. Although diabetics can take preventative measures to control their blood glucose before driving a distance, having the necessary diabetes supplies in the car during road trips is also vital to driving as safely as possible.
Before heading for the open road, there are two things patients should do. They should discuss their trip with their healthcare team and follow up on the specific recommendations that will likely come from this consultation. Secondly, the car kit should well stocked with a range of necessary diabetes supplies such as lancets and a glucose meter. It is important to remember that a glucose meter should be taken out of the car in very hot or cold conditions. Temperature has a direct impact on meters and may cause inaccurate readings.
In addition to stocking the car with the necessary diabetic supplies for monitoring blood glucose levels, snacks are also important to include. Snacks may consist of healthy options such as apples, vegetables or even air-popped popcorn. There should also be snack bars and juice boxes that can be accessed for a quick pick-up should hypoglycemia strike. Just because there is a destination waiting doesn't mean the diabetic should rush their trip. The eating schedule that the patient follows at home should also be followed while traveling as closely as possible.
When travelling, the diabetic should wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace or whatever accessory they choose to identify their condition. In the event of an emergency of any sort affecting the patient, it is imperative that medical personnel be aware of a diabetic condition.
Taking care of the diabetic body takes a little more than packing snacks and diabetes testing supplies. Each patient should also be in tune with his or her own body; daily logs or journals help this process and signals that something isn't right are more easily picked up immediately. When driving, especially, the diabetic should listen to internal cues. Should dizziness or shakiness occur, the best course of action is for the patient to pay attention to these symptoms and pull off the road to test his or her blood sugar. If the blood glucose reading is under 80, it should be treated immediately with fifteen grams of carbohydrate and rechecked in fifteen minutes before driving is resumed. This is one of the reasons why portable diabetes monitoring systems are a preferred product to be carried in the car
A safe road trip for the diabetic means more than inflated tires and a full tank of gas. Understanding how to travel safely allows the patient to enjoy all aspects of their journey and arrive in a state of well being.
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