Pumps on a Plane

No, this isn't a blog about some sort of trashy sequel to Snakes on a Plane. I am back after a weekend in Prague celebrating my 21st birthday. I have had my insulin pump for over 3 weeks now and this was our first adventure abroad together. To say the least, I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. I had a few worries and played out horrific ‘what if’ scenes in my head in the run up to my trip.

Having volunteered myself as a human guinea pig, I can now inform and advise fellow pump users, or people thinking about pumps, to the do’s and don'ts of pumping on a plane.

At the Airport

DO prepare yourself for a frisking. Airport security was one of my main concerns in pump travel. We’ve all been there. You remove your jewellery, your hat, your shoes and even your belt. But still as you walk through the airport detector (holding your trousers up so they don’t end up around your ankles), you beep. So what chance did I have with a metal, liquid machine attached to me? None!

I'm not taking my shoes off...you might steal them!

DO carry medical proof. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, it is really important to have a letter from your consultant handy should anyone question your pump. Even if you aren’t planning on flying, you should still really carry something around with you just in case. As soon as I beeped, I thrust my doctor’s note in front of the security lady’s face. She didn’t seem fazed by it at all and probably sees them all the time. Nonetheless, she had to ‘swab’ my pump screen and give me the once over. Apparently the ‘swab’ is to test for chemicals, according to Google.

DO take some hypo treatment with you. Hypos are nasty and a pain at the best of times, but more so when you are just about to board a plane or checking your bags in. Because airport security is so strict these days, you aren’t allowed to take any liquids on board over 100 ml. Well, not if you’re diabetic! You are entitled to take some gluca-gel or a little can of fizzy pop on board a plane to treat a hypo. Of course the security guards will examine the cans and poke around in your bag, but once you wave your medical letter in their face, it is A-OK. I can’t stress enough how important a medical necessity letter is for a smooth and stress-free journey. I just wish mine said:

Kim is Type 1 diabetic, and as a result suffers from poor blood circulation. This means she will require a foot massage every 60 minutes.

Don’t cause a scene. Yes, it is embarrassing being beeped and searched at the airport but it happens to a lot of people, not just diabetic pump users. Try not to be rude to the security guards; they are just doing their jobs at the end of the day. I for one am thankful that security is as rigorous as it. We would be the first to complain if it wasn’t and something went wrong.

Don’t take off your pump. It won’t be any easier disconnecting the insulin pump going through security. They will still have to search your bags and it will probably look a bit weird if you’re not wearing something that is so vital it can’t be stored in your case. Don’t be ashamed of the pump. It is your right to wear it and nobody can make you take it off. All hell would break loose if they did.

Photo from here

Don’t forget to change the time on your pump if you are in a different time zone. Always stick to local time when it comes to going abroad. Things will get complicated if you try and stick to ‘home’ time.

I have quite a lot to blog about this week following my trip away, so I have decided to break down my posts into smaller chunks so it is easier to digest. I wish I had this mentality when it came to eating birthday cake. 

Come back tomorrow for my blogs on foreign food (mmm!) and how I found the insulin pump on my travels once I made it to the other side. 

Beautiful Prague

 If you would like to know more about planes, airports and insulin pump therapy, check out this website for more info.