I was just wondering how do you men carry your diabetes supplies around with you?
For us women, it's pretty simple we can just put it all into our purse and take it with us that way. At least that is what I do.
Do you just shove it all into your pockets or do you carry around a man purse?
So men, how do you carry around your diabetes supplies with you on the go?
Cayla: I use a purse or Bro Sack, or Man bag or:
http://www.tudiabetes.org/profiles/blogs/is-that-a-56-year-old-man-from-indiana-carrying-a-purse
It's all in one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00167PXQC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I carry it in my laptop bag when I go to work.
I use a small pouch made by voodoo tactical. Its used for tactical or military usually. But it works great for me. Fits my meter, strips, lancet, needles and insulin pens perfectly. It has molle attachments to attach it to my backpack also. And a Velcro area that I put a medical cross patch on.
I almost pride myself on how little gear I carry around… Usually just a true2go meter and mini lancer in one pocket (no case). A couple pieces of candy or tube of glucose tablets in the other… I keep them in seperate pockets to cut down on cross contamination, getting glucose on my fingers when I’m digging around in pocket for my meter. I usually only carry a novolog pen and 2 pen needles if I’m going to eat out-- then I usually put them in a coat pocket to keep them a little bit more distant from body body heat.
Great question!
I'll confess historically I've definitely stowed my stuff in the pursue of whatever woman I was hanging out with, but that's not always an option and it's not a foolproof strategy. :)
More recently, I find that my Freestyle Lite meter and Novolog pen and glucose tabs fit neatly in one pocket, leaving the other pocket for wallet and phone, and it all just fits.
I just started on a pump, t:slim, and so far that's just clipped to my belt through I've got an SPIBelt enroute and will be curious to try that.
I also have one of those airline business class pouches that you get the toothbrush and socks and stuff in that holds backup supplies (infusion sets, etc) that I throw in my briefcase, but don't carry around with me in situations where I'm not carrying a bag.
So far this all works pretty well, and a good thing, too, because I haven't found a man bag/murse/etc. that I really like.
I carry a test kit, strips, extra strips, glucose tabs, insulin in a Frio, syringes, at least two infusion sets and cartridges, spare pump battery, back-up CGM sensor, and extra tegaderm patch. I could go lighter but I’ve been burned more than once thinking I would be back home more quickly than it turned out.
I also carry back-up dog supplies for my service dog including supplies to clean up any “mishaps.” It rarely happens but I believe in Murphy’s Law!
For this voluminous supply of D-kit and dog-kit I carry a day pack everywhere I go. It’s not elegant but I have what I need when I need it. I am on the look-out for something a bit more condensed but my old day pack still works.
If you don't mind my asking, is the service dog diabetes-related? It's a personal question so don't feel any need to answer if you prefer not to!
Yes, Niccolo, my dog is a trained hypo-alert dog. That’s not confidential. Norm is a full-bred yellow labrador retriever. He’s very good at detecting my lows, but I’m realizing that the emotional support he gives me is invaluable. I live alone and his companionship and positive presence in my life amazes me. He’s my first dog. I now really “get” why people love their animals!
I'm super jealous! Was he trained to detect your lows? How does he communicate the fact that you may be low to you? I'm picturing him snuggling up to you as you bounce back from a low, having those super crummy feelings we all dread, that must make a big difference.
Norm is trained to raise various alerts depending on the situation. His main alert consists of him putting a 7 inch long pendant that normally hangs from his neck, into his mouth. He then does his best to visually connect with me. When he does that, I'll do a fingers-stick or check my CGM and if I'm below 100 mg/dl, then he gets a treat. For labs, it's all about the food! His treat range overlaps the lower end of my normal range. I chose this BG level of alert to allow for quickly dropping lows. It also keeps Norm in practice.
Yes, he was trained to alert only on lows. I didn't want a high blood sugar alert since that is not an acute situation.
Norm's alert when I'm sleeping is to jump up onto my bed and lick my face. In the car, he rides on the passenger foot space. He stands up for a car alert. A prominent secondary alert is an unambiguous long stare. Since we've been together for four and one half years, I can read him fairly well.
I'm usually aware of my BG level with all the fingersticks and CGM line but every once in a while Norm catches a low before I do. Getting a hypo-alert dog is one of the best choices I've made for myself.
Yes, when I'm low and he firmly presses his head into my lap, it's a nice sense of warm connection that soothes me.
Pockets. Strips go in left pocket along with my wallet. Lancing device is in my right pocket with my dexcom and phone. Right rear pocket has four packets of winkies. Left rear has a pair of headphones. My Omnipod PDM (includes a meter) is in a case on my belt (looks like a phone case). I keep a backup kit of supplies in my car and update it occasionally.
Fascinating. I assume he was trained be some organization before you got him? It's amazing that there are hypoglycemic byproducts in your breath with BG levels as high as 100, I would have thought those wouldn't kick in till one was actually clinically low. I wonder if he'd recognize low BGs in people other than you? I'm guessing he's trained to ignore them and stay focused on you. Thanks for sharing, fascinating to learn about new facets of this condition, especially when they're so heartwarming.
During weekdays I take nothing with me as I go to work. I work out of a vehicle in which I store extras of everything I need, meter, lancets test trips, along with a bottle of glucose tabs. I rarely find myself more than an hour from home and since I'm T2 I find that if I suffer a pump failure I will be Ok till I can get home. A failed pump site will usually send my BG up but will not put me in danger.
On weekends I will put stuff in my pockets or my wifes purse.
Yes, Norm was trained by a non-profit organization specializing in training alert dogs for diabetics. They received their dogs from an agency that breeds service dogs for various disabilities. Not every dog can make it for the intended service and then these "wash-outs" are offered to agencies that train for other disabilities like diabetes. This is called a "career change."
Norm may alert on other people when he smells that certain scent but he knows he only gets rewards from me. Science has yet to identify what this low smell is but Norm can smell it.
Amazing. I see you live in SF, I'm in the Monterey area, if you're ever down here with Norm it would be fun to cross paths.
Cargo shorts when at home. Briefcase when at work. If the weather or circumstances call for longer pants, I'll just throw a pen, some needles, glucose tabs and a meter in a jacket pocket.
Pump- right front pocket.
Dexcom - left front pocket.
Meter/strips- left back pocket.
Whoever invented cargo shorts/pants must have been thinking of us!
Indeed!