DBW-Friday-Tips and Tricks

Let's round out the week by sharing our best diabetes tips and diabetes tricks. From how you organize supplies to how you manage gear on the go/vacation (beach, or skiing, or whatever). From how you keep track of prescription numbers to how you remember to get your orders refilled. How about any “unconventional” diabetes practices, or ways to make diabetes work for YOU (not necessarily how the doctors say to do it!). There's always something we can learn from each other. (Remember though, please no medical advice or dangerous suggestions.) .

When I go on trips, I always bring more insulin, syringes, strips, lancets than necessary.  I'm afraid I'll run out. I know I can purchase them without a prescription, but I'd rather not. I'm sure when I go on my first trip with my pump, it'll be the same.

When I go on trips, I have a meter case to place my extra meter.  I place the meter case in my overnight bag.  I have an area in my overnight bag where I put all my diabetic supplies.  Although now with the pump, I'm thinking I'll have to have another bag to have as my diabetic bag.

I have one glucagon kit, a container of honey because that is what I've always used to get me out of my insulin reactions- that is what my "diabetic doctor" called my lows so it's what we still call them today, I don't like referring to like most of the diabetics do as hypos.  I also have a bag of individual sized candy bars, some fruit snacks, and a wallet full of coins for vending machines. We have a small cooler that is plugged into the cigarette lighter then can be plugged into an outlet in a hotel or home for my insulin and juice and other food items.

I don't need the prescription number for my pump or blood sugar testing supplies.  I just call the company give them my name and what I need.  As for my insulin, I just get on-line and click when I need a refill.  If I have to call it in, I take the box which has the number on it and read it off.  I'm terrible with numbers so it's useless for me to try to remember their numbers.

I've discovered if I'm in an insulin reaction, I don't refer to low blood sugars as "hypos" but insulin reactions, because that is what I learned to call them. I don't look at how much insulin in on board, or how many carbohydrates the food item I plan to eat has because my body is crazy.  Sometimes a 10 ounce contain of juice will raise me fine when I'm 67 other times I'll need a 12 ounce container of pepsi with real sugar.  I never know what I'm going to need. This has happened since I started using the pump.

Right now our only bathroom is mess so all of my supplies are in what was our daughters bedroom. One dresser drawer contains the extra pump supplies, another drawer contains all my CGM supplies. Because I have a horrible allergy to Dexcom's adhesive. I have to use IV3000, I have a box of those on top of the dresser, along with an open box of the infusion set, cartridge, sensor, alcohol pad. I'm not sure if I'll continue to keep these where they are, or move them into the bathroom once it's finished. My meter, another box of alcohol pads, box of lancets, bottle of strips and a calendar where I put down what my CGM, meter, time and insulin dosages are all on on a small desk by the door to the bedroom. These will be moved back to the bathroom once it's finished..

Since before going on the pump, I didn't count carbohydrates but I used the system I used when I was diagnosed. Calories, types of foods. So I can tell, just by looking at a food how much in cups, it contains. If I'm in doubt, I have a measuring cup close at hand that I grab. I always have 12 oz of milk to drink with dinner/supper, and I have a few mugs that are 12 oz..

I created an excel spreadsheet that contains a list of foods and their carbohydrate count as well as the amount of insulin I'd need for 4 different IC rations. I need to switch ratios because my body just goes crazy. I have a 1:5, 1:6, 1:7 and 1:8, IC rations in the spreadsheet for the times I have to stop using my pump. I did purchase a book, but I don't like it. So I did my own. I have it set up by dairy, starches, snacks, fruits, juices, meats, meals, other foods and fast foods. Now it's the way I label foods, so if someone else sees it they might argue with how I've labelled the foods.