Your Diabetes Supply Kit

When you have a condition like diabetes, a trip away from home means packing a few extra items: the supplies you use to take care of yourself. If a disaster strikes -- a hurricane, fire, or simple power failure -- you may need to leave your home right away. If you gather a few essentials ahead of time and organize them in an easy-to-grab "go bag," you can be ready to head out at a moment's notice.

Put aside 7 days' worth of any medication you take. If you have type 2 diabetes, that probably includes pills that help your body use insulin more effectively. People who have type 1 diabetes, as well as some people with type 2, will need to pack a supply of insulin and syringes or insulin pens. Check your stash every so often to make sure nothing has expired.

A cold pack and insulated bag is a good idea for anyone who uses a medicine that normally goes in the refrigerator. That includes insulin, exenatide, and pramlintide.

Don't forget about the items you’ll need to test your blood sugar, including:

• A glucose meter with extra batteries
• Test strips
• Lancets
• An empty plastic bottle or sharps container for lancets (as well as needles and syringes, if you use them)

If your doctor has told you to check for ketones, you should carry ketone test strips, too.

People with type 1 diabetes who use an insulin pump should also pack:

• Extra reservoirs and infusion sets
• Extra batteries
• Vials of insulin and syringes (in case the pump stops working)

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Your supply kit should have important information about your condition and treatment. Make an info sheet that includes:

• Your diagnosis (type 1 or type 2 diabetes, along with any other conditions you have)
• A list of all the medications you take, along with details about the dose and when to take them
• Contact numbers for your primary care doctor, endocrinologist, and pharmacy
• Contact info for family and close friends

If your blood sugar gets too low, you'll need to act quickly. Keep some snacks with you that can get you out of the danger zone, like:

• Hard candy
• Juice boxes or regular soda
• Small boxes of raisins
• Glucose gel or tablets

It's very important to stay hydrated, especially if your blood sugar levels tend to get too high. When you're planning for an emergency, put aside enough bottled water to last you at least 3 days.

You should also pack at least 2 days' worth of food that won’t spoil. Good picks include peanut butter, cheese crackers, meal replacement shakes, and granola bars. Canned food is also smart. Just remember the non-electric can opener.

You can buy a premade kit or create your own. Some key items to include: adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, pain and fever-reducing medicine, gloves, scissors, tweezers, gauze, cloth tape, a thermometer, and a blanket.

You never know when the lights might go out. That's why it's always helpful to have:

• A flashlight and extra batteries
• A radio (battery- or solar-powered, or hand crank)
• An extra charger for your cell phone