Before leaving on my crazy adventure around the world, I looked everywhere for information on what other people in a similar situation to me had done. I am a Type 1 Diabetic, I have been for 25 years and was hoping to find some advice from others who had packed up their lives to travel.
Unfortunately I was disappointed to find almost nothing that helped me. I was led in circles by authorities such as Australian Customs, Australia Post and Diabetes Australia who would just refer me to each other. No one was able to give me a straight answer to questions like: Can I get an insulin script filled overseas on a tourist visa? Can I obtain pen needles in another country? Could I possibly have pen needles posted from Australia to wherever I am in the world?
Having come up against dead-ends in my search for information and ultimately just doing what worked best for me, I thought I would post what I have done and how I did it in the hope that it may help other diabetic travelers.
Traveling around the world for almost 9 months, I have been lucky that I have not really encountered any major problems with either my diabetic health or supplies. When preparing to leave, I decided that the best option for me was to take all the supplies I would need with me. So I packed up 700 pen needles, 30 vials of insulin, test strips, spare pens and other bits and pieces, put everything in my backpack and went on my way.
No I didn’t refrigerate the insulin vials, and yes they are still working fine almost 9 months on. In truth when I was in the really warm climates of Asia when I first started back in May, I would try to find a fridge to store my insulin pack. However I found that became annoying as when I am on the move to a new city or country everyday or two, insulin stored in a fridge somewhere is easily forgotten and left behind. I found that keeping all my insulin stored safely in my carry-on backpack, protected as much as possible from breakage without being store in a fridge was the best solution for me. And it hasn’t failed – not once. I’m not sure how long you could keep insulin out of the fridge, but mine has not seen one for at least 7 months and it is still working fine.
I don’t like re-using needles. If I can avoid it I will. The risk of infection and using the same needle until it is blunt is not something that I am happy to do – hence why I packed all my pen needles into a Kathmandu cell bag and stored them easily within my large backpack. It didn’t bother me giving away that extra space in my backpack. I felt confident that I had all the supplies I needed and I was careful and conscientious enough to keep everything as safe as possible.
If the worst had happened and I lost my luggage, or my insulin vials were smashed, or something was stolen, then I would have dealt with acquiring new supplies. But having decided to take everything with me, acquiring more whilst on the road became a backup plan, one I thankfully didn’t need.
These solutions meant I haven’t had to change my plans or adventures anywhere in the world. I just concentrate on being me and living an amazing life 🙂
Hi! I’m in desperate need of some guidance here. I have a strong desire to take off on a trip with no end in sight. I also want my boyfriend, who is type 1 with no insurance, to come with me. I worry and wonder about how to make that happen. I was thinking that maybe in other countries insulin could be acquired without any paperwork or somehow for cheap or maybe even that there is travelers insurance that could help? Resources are very hard to come by. Any guidance and/or knowledge would leave me forever grateful.
Thank you!!!
Hi Karin,
The first thing I would say is for your boyfriend to pack as much insulin, needles, strips etc supply as possible. Last year when traveling I took 9 months worth, and I have done the same again this time. There are rules etc in some countries that tell you to only bring a 3 months supply. But supplies vary for each person and I have never been stopped in any country about the amount of supplies I have.
In regard to sourcing supplies whilst traveling I can’t really help you yet. I am going to have to deal with this issue in a couple of months here in South America and I’m really not sure how it’s going to go. Having said that, there are T1 diabetics everywhere in the world, so the supplies have to be available somewhere. If I can just get them from a pharmacy, or I need to see a doctor first with a prescription and the cost is all unknown to me at the moment, but I do know it varies country to country.
The other option I’m considering is having my family send me insulin supplies from Australia. Again I haven’t done it before and know your frustration at the lack of information available, so I can’t confirm anything.
But I absolutely think yes ask your boyfriend to pack a year’s worth of supplies and go. Or if he really doesn’t want to do that and you can’t convince him to go with you, don’t hesitate, travel solo. You won’t regret it.
Let me know what happens, I’d love hear if you find a solution I haven’t yet heard of 🙂
Hi ,
Thanks for such a helpful video. i was just searching for something to clear all my doubt. this video is a great help and really inspiring for me.
I am Type1 from 15 years. i have got job in bangkok and almost done with all paper work & work visa .
what is your thought if i take only 1 month supply and go for local prescription there as i am worried about temperature.
Have you ever been to Thai ?
I appreciate any help or any other suggestion for me if you like to share .
Thanks 🙂
Hi Vishal,
Congratulations on your new job! I love the crazy city of Bangkok, there are so many things to see and do.
I would suggest taking as much insulin as you can and trying to find more once you’re there. I haven’t purchased insulin in SE Asia so I’m not sure what the process is for travelers and non-residents. But if you take as much as possible with you, you will at least have a good amount to last you whilst working out how to get more supplies over there.
I suggest keeping insulin in the refrigerator if possible due to the heat. However in the two months that I was there I didn’t keep mine in the fridge and it was fine. Insulin seems to be more affected by varying temperature and being placed in and out of the fridge more than just keeping it at room temp.
Good luck!
Hello!
Really helpful advice – so inspiring to read that T1D comes second in your life to traveling and experiencing new cultures, respect! I feel exactly the same and have also done some backpacking in South Asia but this was only for 6 weeks. I’d taken everything with me like you did which was fine and definitely the right thing to do. I also had the luxury of the odd fridge in hostels, but I’m really not sure of how beneficial this was to keeping the insulin ‘unspoilt’ – it did continue to work for the 6 weeks but I can’t say past that point.
I’m slightly hesitant about my next trip… my boyfriend and I are going to travel South America for about 3 months in August 2016, so excited!! However I’ve always been told by health professionals that unused insulin really shouldn’t be kept out of the fridge for more than a month to be at its most effective, and otherwise you risk it becoming ‘dud’. From your experience it seems that this didn’t happen, but of course we are all different and I can’t expect the same to happen to me! Wondered if you had any advice so far on your South American attempts to get supplies? As a non-resident I would assume there will be a price attached… but hopefully not an access issue?? Are you being asked for specific documentation? Other than the blood results that you are indeed Type 1!!
Thanks for any info and hope you’re enjoying your trip(s).
K.
Hi Kerry,
I’m pleased that the post was able to inspire you. Being T1 has definitely come in second place in everything I’ve done in my life (much to my mothers dismay!)
You’ll love South America, it’s an amazing place that I’ve had no troubles in at all so far. I’ve been here for 6 months now and have kept all of my insulin out of the fridge for the entire time without too many issues. I did have one vial of Humalog fail when I was in NY a couple of weeks ago, but the expiry date on it was January so I’m thinking that with it being so close that was the main cause.
In regard to supplies I haven’t purchased any yet however I have seen items like test strips in pharmacies here. Very similar in price to the USA one bottle of test strips was about USD$36 and was just sitting among diabetic supplies on the shelf along with sugar tablets etc. I’ve Googled getting insulin in Ecuador where I’ve spent the majority of my time and it seems like the types I am on would be available, but as for the price I’m not sure.
In regard to the documentation I travel with I always just have a doctor’s letter specifying that I’m a diabetic, but I haven’t needed to use it at all. There seems to be a very big security stigma with South America that I just haven’t found to be true at all. I haven’t felt really unsafe anywhere I’ve been so far (Ecuador, Colombia, Peru), hostels and hotels have been great, and there are thousands of backpackers everywhere for you to meet.
So have an amazing time when come over in August and don’t worry too much, if you do a little planning before you leave everything will be fine.
Hi all,
Thank you so much for your advice and for posting an article like this.
I am 25 and was diagnosed at 22. My partner and I are wanting to travel, not sure where, for how long or whether we will return home (UK) at the end…it’s all new and exciting..and scary. The first worry I had was about the ‘betes’ and how the hell it’s possible to travel around the world and manage getting supplies, carry supplies -what if they’re stolen?- and all the other worries that come with it. It’s almost tempting to think, ‘screw it, I’d rather be safe and secure here with the NHS supplies etc’ HOWEVER, like most diabetics I’ve spoken to we are NOT letting it control our dreams and opportunities! SO, I’ve stumbled across this website and read everyone’s comments and I’m so happy that this is here and to have read what I’ve read.
It’s inspiring and makes me want to do it even more. Gets me thinking about what I can do to help others plan (when i know what im doing or have done it/doing it)
I wish everyone the most happiness and go get it attitude!! Let’s take comfort in knowing that we are lucky enough to live in the world at this time where medication is, more or less, available. I’ll draw upon this thought when I may find myself worrying about the problems that could lie ahead.
Thank you for sharing your posts.
Hi Mindy,
Thanks for the comment, I’m happy the blog has helped you with your travel concerns. Having traveled so much over the past 2 years I can absolutely say that being a diabetic should definitely not hold you back. With a little bit of planning and some care whilst you’re on the road you will have no problems at all.
Good luck and I’d love to know what you get up to 🙂
Hi, am going travelling around SEA in a couple of weeks for 3 months and i am just doing abit of research into other people’s experiences as a type 1.
What did you take for if you had a hypo? I don’t know what’s best glucose tablets or glucose gel ?
Thanks
Hi Louise,
When traveling I carry an emergency supply of glucose tablets just in case I’m really stuck and can’t find anything else, but I’ve found it really easy to buy soda, candies, or fresh juices everywhere in the world when I need them, especially SE Asia.
I used to carry a bag of gummi bears or something similar in my handbag/backpack as they’re pretty tough and survive hot weather without melting too badly. But since going vegan I now carry a squeeze bottle of honey with me everywhere. Similar to the glucose syrup it’s available in most places so I can buy it in a jar or tub and refill my squeeze bottle container easily. I like it because it’s really fast acting and doesn’t contain any fake colours or preservatives, so healthier for me to consume regularly.
I hope that helps!
Hey,
Interesting read.
I did a similar thing as far as travelling around Asia went, although I only managed 6 months. If you read the rules for some countries (such as Taiwan) the specify medication can be taken in to cover you for a set period of time (I think taiwan was a month, think Malaysia might have been 3 at the time), but i digress. I took the same view of carrying all my supplies with me, but tried to keep it in a cool bag to protect it from the heat, initially with ice blocks packed in occasionally to help, but in the end I was just concerned with it not being sat in mid thirties heat and all seems to be fine.
The only hardship I came up against was finding replacement blood testing strips for my “freestyle” meter which were no where to be found in Thailand or Vietnam (had picked up some earlier in Hong Kong and Malaysia) but needed more at the end of the trip before It was time to go back to the the UK. To that end I ended up having to by a new accucheck meter and box of strips to see me home, but these were also using a different measuring scale than I was used to so also ended up walking around with a conversion chart on me.
I had all the letters from my doctors etc available when flying to cover me in the case of customs questions, but this was never required.
Oh, and I found that Menthos sweets were a really good supplement for glucose tablets as the packets always came in a little plastic wrapper which protected from the humidity if in my bag or pocket for a while.They are widely available, cheap as you like and have plenty of flavours available to make sugar lows something not wholly unpleasant.
Information far too late, but glad you are enjoying your travels. All the Best
Hi James,
Thanks so much for writing about your trip and tips. It’s great hearing what others are doing. I haven’t had to yet buy any of my supplies overseas as I’ve fortunately been able to take as much as I need, but I’m going to have to over the next year. I also have a freestyle meter so your tip has made me think that I should try and look for another type/brand before I go again.
Hi
Just read your blog and I have been type 1 diabetic for 15 years now! I go travelling around SEA for 6 months in 4 weeks time and i am SO excited I do have anxieties around it regarding diabetes however it will be fine! I am on an insulin pump so have quite a lot of supplies i need to take with me! But its all good! Will take up the majority of my backpack but who cares will be so worth it!
Thanks for your blog!
Hi Sara,
SE Asia is amazing and I’m sure you will have an excellent time. I always carry as many supplies as I can take because I much prefer to have everything and hopefully nothing goes wrong, rather than needing to always be thinking about where to get supplies. Deal with that issue if and when you need to.
Have the best time!
Carly
I just wonder if you are carrying your 7 month supply of insulin vials with you every minute of the day? Obviously right now you are in a safe hotel room so could probably leave it in your room and not worry…but if you are staying in hostals and going on bike rides etc. then surely not every second of the day you are carrying around both backpacks AND daily small bag with your supplies in…so how are you working around that? So at any point when you are staying in one location are you carrying your pens and meter but leaving behind needles, vials etc. ?
Like you I don’t feel comfortable to leave insulin vials around but at the same time I would like to do things like go out dancing and sport activities where I’m not required to lug around every single possession!
Hi Lauren,
The first time I travelled around the world solo I stayed mainly in hostels and yes took 9 months worth of insulin vials with me. I didn’t refrigerate them at all, I just left them in on of those small cell bags in my smaller carry-on backpack most of the time. If I needed to use that small backpack for a day trip then I would take that insulin pack out and lock it in my large backpack. I never had any problems at all. I always carry my two pens and a couple of pen needles with me at all times for daily use, but the majority of my supplies are kept in lockers in hostels, or just locked in my large backpack.
[…] The Wanderlust Days is not solely written for diabetics, Carly has Type 1 Diabetes and continues to write about making travel easier for those with her same […]
Do you have any updates on how much it cost you to buy insulin uninsured?
Hi Jasmine,
I buy insulin here in Ecuador for use with pens. Each 3ml vial of Lantus Solostar and Humalog costs approximately $10USD and can be purchased directly from the pharmacy with no prescription. The Ecuador mainland is much less expensive than Galapagos so I purchase when I’m there, or ask family who are planning a visit to bring some over.
Hello, I read your blog and I have some questions, I have type 1 diabetes for over 9 years and I hope you can help me. With my partner we want to travel to Australia with the work and holiday visa which allows us to be 1 year working and traveling in the country, I am from Chile, I am 20 years old and it is the first time I travel abroad, this visa asks me for an evaluation I would like you to indicate to me what documents I need or if a medical reference is sufficient, proving that I am responsible for my illness. What medical papers did you use at the time of having your visa? Is it possible that I am banned or not taken into account when taking out my visa for suffering from this disease? I will be attentive to your response, greetings from Chile.
Hi Rocío,
Unfortunately I can’t be a lot of help to you as I have not had to apply for a visa with a medical criteria before. When applying for travel insurance Type 1 Diabetes is not seen as a special condition, so perhaps it will be the same for your visa application? I wish you luck with it!
Hi there… I m Stephan …33yo And I ve been type 1 for 21 years…. I ve always been addicted with backpacking trips…although it s been a while since I last took off for an adventure, ( as I like to call it). I ve always done short trips ( from 1 to 5 weeks) apart from a couple of times where I traveled 3 months around India and 6 months vouleetering in the UK…. Back in 2012 when I was in India I was able to organize everything just perfectly…. By carrying lots of vials strips and needles with me…. Instead in 2015 when I went to the UK for 6 months I struggled a little bit because the Italian national medical system didn’t want to allow me to get so much stuff at once…. So… I m planning to go back travelling in a few months.. I want to quit my job and going traveling for at least 6 months around Asia…. As I mentioned before it quite difficult to get so much stuff in 1 go… Unless you pay for it. Needles are very cheap..it s not an issue at all… But about accu check Aviva test strips…? From what I know, they re fu… NG expensive…. Do you think I can get something around the world for a reasonable price? Considering I test my bs 5 times a day?… And what about insulin? I use 2 kind of it… Novo rapid solostar which I can supply for about 3 months and toujeoo…solostar (a long acting one)…..
I ve just watched your video and.. The message you give to people is just wonderful… Compliment…. 😊
Hi Stephan,
I always carry all the supplies I will need with me, including enough to last one year. I am fortunate that Australia has a very good public health system and I could buy a year’s supply before leaving without a problem. I never needed to find supplies anywhere in the world until I moved permanently to Ecuador, and thankfully I can buy insulin pens here directly from the pharmacy.
South America is pretty good when it comes to health care and finding insulin at pharmacies without needing to visit a doctor, however Ecuador is probably one of the best South American countries when it comes to health care, and the insulin here is not too expensive.
Asia has the reputation of being able to get medical supplies easily, however I can’t speak from experience as I never tried to find insulin there. My guess is that it wouldn’t be a problem, however you won’t know until you are there. I wish you the best of luck and am interested to hear how you go.
Hi there , my daughter leaves for SEA tomorrow for 9 week. She’s taking loads of novorapid , hoping to keep in cool in Frio pouches but we’re having a last minute panic wondering if it will stay cool enough. Novorapid says it has a shelf life of 28 days once out of the fridge. So I’m wondering what type of insulin you took that was fine in your backpack? Thanks Debbie
Hi Debbie,
I travelled with vials of Humalog and Lantus. I didn’t have any issues for 9 months, but did try and take precautions in places such as South East Asia by always carrying the insulin with me in a backpack, rather than leaving in the hot bus, and I stuffed them all into a small Frio pouch which kept them a little cooler.
All insulin states that it must be kept in the fridge, and any doctor or pharmacist I told that I travelled without it being in a fridge for almost a year thought that was impossible, but it worked for me. Happy travels to your daughter!