Diabetes in thailand

[Ulfric Reinholdt]

Hey , im arriving tomorrow, one thing im always cautious about is my type one diabetes. It is well controlled but i found when i was in bali the tropical heat makes it harder to look after as i reacted to insulin higher. 
I got all medication packed up, just wondered if any one had any tips?

 

 

[fredjas]

I would make sure your room has a refrigerator to store the insulin.. Also many bars have diet coke in stock and bottled water.. i assume being a type 1 you do not drink alcohol.. I also would carry your diabetic supplies on the airplane rather than checking them in luggage ..I am not sure if Thailand is diabetic friendly when it comes to getting your required insulin if you need replacements You would probably have to see a Doctor. I do know you can buy diabetic type 2 medicine in the form of tablets over the counter in most Pharmacy's..

 

Other than that I wish you good luck and happy hunting

[Ulfric Reinholdt]

Thanks fredjas , i do drink a stubie or two and i have good HBaC readings, ive found using a low carb diet wrks best for me with diabetes. it allows me to excercise and drink without eating extra food or altering levels, but thats another story.

[Luv2Phuket]

My fairly random (and somewhat common sense) tips:

 - keep as close an an eye on your glucose levels as possible.  I had a couple of times when I crashed mid-afternoon -- nothing takes the shine off of being ready to do a Soi 6 ST like having a glucose level in the low 40s.  Had another "incident" leaving WS.  Glucose dropped suddenly and I wasn't thinking all that rationally.  Instead of buying juice in 7-11, I ended up going all the way back to my hotel, even though I barely had my wits about me.  

 - juice is readily available if your glucose level plummets (in the instances above, I had to drink a few pineapple juices).  The fat in chocolate slows its absorption so it takes longer to get you back up

 - along those lines, always keep juice in your room

 - cargo shorts are great - slide your insulin pen, monitor, lancet device and a small ziploc bag with some strips into one pocket and you're set

 - lots of things are cooked with extra sugar in Thailand -- I loved the corn from the street vendors until I saw how much sugar they were pouring into it.

 - my STUPIDEST mistake: on the flight home, I packed my extra test strips in my checked bag, only to discover I had only 3 or 4 strips to last me for about 15 hours.  Luckily, I was on Cathay and they have GREAT service -- they pulled my bag in HKG, and I was able to get the spare strips out.  Don't be stupid like me and be sure to check that you have sufficient strips, insulin, etc. for the flight.

[PattayaGik]

 - juice is readily available if your glucose level plummets (in the instances above, I had to drink a few pineapple juices).  The fat in chocolate slows its absorption so it takes longer to get you back up

 

I was under the impression that fruit juice was slow to get you back up? Do others have more knowledge to offer?

[kev0184]

I get my insulin from the pharmacy by tims on 2nd rd, no doctors note required if you run out or smash them like I did.

[Luv2Phuket]

I was under the impression that fruit juice was slow to get you back up? Do others have more knowledge to offer?

 

From the American Diabetes Association's website (I added the bold):

 

How do I treat hypoglycemia?

The quickest way to raise your blood glucose and treat hypoglycemia is with some form of sugar.  Many people with diabetes like to carry glucose tablets. You can get glucose tablets at any drugstore and at many other stores as well.

Other sources of sugar or simple carbohydrates also work well to treat hypoglycemia, such as fruit juice, hard candies, or pretzels or crackers.  The important thing is to get at least 15-20 grams of sugars or carbohydrates. A food's nutrition label can tell you how much you need to eat of that food to get enough to treat an episode of hypoglycemia.  To treat hypoglycemia you should stick with something that is mostly sugar or carbohydrates. Foods that have a lot of fat as well as sugars and carbohydrates, such as chocolate or cookies, do not work as quickly to raise blood glucose levels.

[PattayaGik]

From the American Diabetes Association's website (I added the bold):

 

How do I treat hypoglycemia?

The quickest way to raise your blood glucose and treat hypoglycemia is with some form of sugar.  Many people with diabetes like to carry glucose tablets. You can get glucose tablets at any drugstore and at many other stores as well.

Other sources of sugar or simple carbohydrates also work well to treat hypoglycemia, such as fruit juice, hard candies, or pretzels or crackers.  The important thing is to get at least 15-20 grams of sugars or carbohydrates. A food's nutrition label can tell you how much you need to eat of that food to get enough to treat an episode of hypoglycemia.  To treat hypoglycemia you should stick with something that is mostly sugar or carbohydrates. Foods that have a lot of fat as well as sugars and carbohydrates, such as chocolate or cookies, do not work as quickly to raise blood glucose levels.

 

Thanks for the additional research footypjman, sounds like I better keep a couple of bottles of fruit juice in the fridge during my next visit.

[Albez]

I was under the impression that fruit juice was slow to get you back up? Do others have more knowledge to offer?

The quickest way I find when my sugars are low is to drink some juice.. Its almost an instant recovery.

[Albez]

One tip I would give is not to check out of the hotel and leave ur insulin behind in the fridge like I did. It was only after arriving in Phuket that i realised all my insulin was left in Bangkok so had to go to the hospital and buy some there. Luckily they had the insulin that I take else I would of had to fly home.

[Mark1988]

In the hotter climate I always have to inject less insulin and check myself more often than I do at home. Also I do a lot of walking in Thailand so again this keeps bringing my sugar levels down. I found Gatorade drinks to bring my sugars levels up quickly if I was going low. I always bring extra pens incase the heat during a day out effects my insulin in anyway. In the U.K we can get little pouches called, Frio, you place them in cold water for short time which it absorbs then it keeps your insulin cold for good few hours. Very good if out around the town all day or on a trip or even moving towns as they come in all different sizes each holding different amounts of insulin pens.

 

My nurse give me little plastics cards to put in my wallet that says I am type 1 diabetic incase something bad did happen and I collapsed, maybe someone would check my wallet for deatails. also carry my doctors letter with insulin names on them so all information is always with me.

 

Better safe than sorry I guess

[Luv2Phuket]

In the hotter climate I always have to inject less insulin and check myself more often than I do at home. Also I do a lot of walking in Thailand so again this keeps bringing my sugar levels down. I found Gatorade drinks to bring my sugars levels up quickly if I was going low. I always bring extra pens incase the heat during a day out effects my insulin in anyway. In the U.K we can get little pouches called, Frio, you place them in cold water for short time which it absorbs then it keeps your insulin cold for good few hours. Very good if out around the town all day or on a trip or even moving towns as they come in all different sizes each holding different amounts of insulin pens.

 

My nurse give me little plastics cards to put in my wallet that says I am type 1 diabetic incase something bad did happen and I collapsed, maybe someone would check my wallet for deatails. also carry my doctors letter with insulin names on them so all information is always with me.

 

Better safe than sorry I guess

 

All good tips!  I need to get one of those cards or a necklace before my next trip.