what supplies are in your “go kit” or always on hand?
in particular, my situation is that I am T2 on oral meds. what do i need for a 12-hr day out?
what are the foods you have with you for a hike, where situational needs vary but weight and space are concerns?
i currently keep just my meter and that day’s meds, and grab nuts, chocolate (dark) and gum.
i know you all have better ideas and even packing help -that meter is in a bulky case!
peter
Trail mix is useful in premeasured amounts: dried fruit (energy and against lows), nuts, and seeds. I don’t carry trail mix with chocolate in summer because it melts. You may also want to carry jerky (check against high sodium!) for protein, and electrolyte powder to mix with water. Also, if it’s not a supported hike, bring lots of fluid – use a hydration pack to carry it, if necessary.
Hydration is important! Forget the chocolate…I carry glucose tablets in case of a drop in blood sugar.
I carry my meter and strips in a Camelbak, along with lots of water (Camelback holds 96 ox or something). If I were going on a full day hike, I would bring a granola bar, some beef jerky and/or slim jims, mixed nuts or trail mix, maybe peanut butter on crackers or celery. I also always bring my hat, sunscreen, comfortable hiking boots, and a walking stick. The camelback I have has good pockets for stuff.
I’ll test before hiking but then will only test again if I feel funny on the hike.
I have a back pack full of my “activity” gear and my “D” gear. for my D stuff, i make sure i have…
- Extra meter and test test strips
- Water
- A couple granola bars and some glucose tabs
If i am going on an extended trip or like a full day hike, I’ll pack some extra munchies food (peanuts, jerky and some protein bars). For hikes i rarely have to worry about high BG as i burn the glucose pretty good so the challenge is keeping it up. For me its a great opportunity to eat some of things i don’t get to eat day to day.
this depends on whether or not you’re on a medication that can actually drop your blood sugar into hypoglycemia. Sulfonylureas? Others? Tell us. Some T2 meds won’t drop you.
If you’re not on something that has the potential to give you hypoglycemia you won’t need glucose tabs. Normal energy boosters for a hike would be needed.
If you’re on something that has potential for hypoglycemia, glucose tabs plus protein items to lengthen out the time you’re satieted.
Regarding hikes: I carry my cell phone, identification, diabetic alert bracelet, extra meter w/a few test strips, meds, water, Smarties, Trail Mix, and most recently, Beef Jerky 97% fat free for the 15g of protein (3g total carbs in 1oz. serving)–plus duct tape (after one of my water sandals failed during a Splash hike).
My meds are Metformin and Actos. I’ve only been on Actos since March and am getting below 90 much more often yet still rare to be in the 70’s and only once I had a 60.
I just got a hydration pack so am packing my food in that with the water. I do more biking than hiking but the space constraints are the same.
Thanks everyone this is helpful.
If its just a daily outing it will be my “Black Bag” which has my Novolog vial, shot needle, my lancing device, strips and my meter. If its a true 2-3 day trip I take 2 of everything. Infusion set, insulin, test strips, reservoir (sp) inserter, sensors for CGMS, inserter for that, Skin Tac, alcohol swabs…well you get the idea.
I just put a kit together for a weekend road trip. Woo hoo!
All in one little kit bag
meter
test strips
lancer
lances
meter logbook
pencil
spare battery
Victoza pen
needles (1 / day)
alcohol wipes
metformin (4 / day)
simvatatin (1 / day)
small sharps container
emergency sugar
name and cell phone number
bring in the big bag
snacks
bottle water
airplane bags (for nausea)
towel
Peter, do you carry the chocolate to raise blood sugar?
I ask because everything I’ve read about chocolate indicates that its fat content substantially blocks insulin absorption. (For example, http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/03/01/5668/chocolate-is-not-good-for-hypoglycemia/)
Meter, strips, lancet, and a tube of that glucose “goo” along with my meds (Actos and bp med) and some beef jerky. My issue is almost never getting high BG’s when hiking, hunting, dog training, but getting too low.
thanks for the tip on chocolate. that’s exactly the sort of knowledge i’m looking for. i’ll get some glucose for just in case but what i’m looking for is what to carry to keep in the target range. say i stop to water the dog and test at 85. knowing i have a ways to go or a hill coming up what’s a good snack that doesn’t suffer from being in a backpack?
also i’m still having irritability issues at about that range so probably want to elevate about 15-20 pts and stay there.
i usually have nuts, jerky and v8 juice. just looking for carb choices to balance out.
sometimes we’ll pack a lunch but i dont’ want to eat that until we are ready to sit that long.
thanks again all - as usual great responses!
I recently discovered Larabars, thanks to samples from a local arts festival. They’re gluten-free, don’t have high fructose corn syrup, and average 19-35g of carbs each after subtracting for fiber. You can snarf down half while hiking, and the other half when you’re done.
I’ve seen them in grocery stores and Whole Foods for around $1.80 each; Costco has an 18-count variety pack (Cherry Pie, Apple Pie and Peanut Butter Cookie (YUM!)) that cuts the cost to $0.88 each. Online cost is $1.66, not factoring tax or shipping. I eat one for breakfast with Cream of Wheat, and so far Cherry Pie is about the only one I don’t particularly like; it’s kinda tart.
WARNING: If you like peanut butter, you’ll kill for these!
P.S. V-8 juice has almost nothing for carbs?
Peter, I found a small camera case, after the dogs had chewed my original meter case up, that holds all the things I need to testing, meds and the such. It fits perfectly into my smaller pack, I take strips, extra lancets and the meter. There is also a small pill case that I have been able to label with my med for the day and that fits in the camera case also. As far as food is concerned, I take along lots of water, packets of sugar, some flavoring for water, a box of OJ, glucose tablets or Lifesavers, some granola bars with nuts and berries in them, cell phone with numbers written in the case of ER, and my doc. Most importantly, I have a note on a heavy duty piece of cardboard that explains I am a diabetic, and what to do should I be found incoherent. These all fit in a case about the size of a kids lunch box, I put a cold pack in them to keep everything cool. I also take along a change of clothes, a wash cloth, and of course anything else for a day out. To date, I haven’t had to use it thank goodness, but I am hyper vigilant about taking care of myself away from home.
Goood luck, and have fun.
I have a “D” bag -it has -
bottle of glucose tabs
about 3 extra infusion sets, IV prep, Tegaderm dressings
extra lancets drums for my Accu-check Multiclix (yes I actually change my lancet)
syringes (for emergency insulin retreival out of the reservoir of my pump - I don’t carry a vial of insulin unless I think we will be out all day because I usually leave the bag in the vehicle if we are shopping,etc and the environment, especially in the summer is not conducive for insulin storage)
spare CGM sensor
1-2 vials of test strips
spare meter
peanut butter crackers
I keep “fast” sugars and “slower” simple sugars (peanut butter butter crackers have fat and carbs) with me -depending on the kind of low and the situation- somethings are easier. i.e. jelly beans in my pocket are easier to slam than fumbling wit the tiny juice box straws when driving or running to a meeting.
What I always have in my purse with me in their own little zippered case:
small boxes of apple juice- the toddler size have 15 g carbs
Glucose tabs
Jelly beans
Whole wheat peanut butter cracker packs- 17 grams each
Cheese sticks
bottled water
meter/strips
id necklace
cell phone
fruit leathers are great ‘fast sugar’ on hikes. they take up almost no room and they are 12-15g carbs/ very little protein. you can stick one in your pocket for a little boost without having to get into your pack. kid cliff bars also work well for me. they dont melt like normal granola bars, but they are half the size of a normal cliff bar. about 15g carb, plus they have protein and fat so they are a bit slower on the sugar. you can buy them in a big box at costco (18 count or so) or 6 count at whole foods. added bonus: the wrappers are the best fire starters we have found…