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When you are traveling away from home for a few days, do you typically take glucagon with you?
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I used too when I traveled more….these days what I do is keep a can of soda in the car for emergencies. During the winter I am going to try the glucagon again seeing as I have seen so many positive comments from this blog.
Pete — in the hotter areas of the country, cans often explode. Plastic juice bottles are in both my cars. 💣
Yes thanks!
I have used as well. Cranberry juice does seem to hold up the best in the warm weather. I rely on soda if concerned about spoilage and I forget to replace.
In the 21 yrs of having glucagon refilled, it has never been used and hopefully never will be. It has never left the house.
Tandem Control-IQ has helped my lows happen much less often and less severely.
yes
I have not traveled since before Covid 19. But, when I travel, I take my glucagon, juices, and lots of food.
have never had glucagon in 19 years
I have never taken glucagon while traveling for work or pleasure. Very few non medical professionals know how to administer glicagon. My wife can’t remember how to do it I have needed it so infrequently.
With CGM ithe risk of missing an alarm is very low.
I have the nasal glucagon so super easy to always have with me.
I always have Baqsimi in my purse. Portable, easy to use, and no reason not to have it.
I am 100% with you Clare !!
I take Baqsimi as well. Much better than the glucagon injection.
Yes, Baqsimi is the way to go. I haven’t had to use it much, I think twice in three years but it works great, is easy to use, discreet and I had no ill effects. I keep it at home, work, my car, wife’s car and travel kit.
#BeWell
Yes! Glucagon (GVoke hypopen/Baqsimi stays in our son’s supply bag which goes everywhere he goes. For travel, we have extras in our supply suitcase.
It all depends. If I’m going to visit my parents for a few days (where I’m sitting around and chatting), then no. If I’m going on a canoe trip in the backcountry where I’m active, then yes (although I have low supplies, so have never had to actually use the glucagon on trip)
I am very lucky that I have a high sensitivity to when my sugar drops. I am often treating it by the time my CGM alarms. I am also a light sleeper so when it happens at night I usually hear the alarm
Why wouldn’t you take it?
Seriously, why would you need it? I have never had a hypo that required more than a glucose tablet or two.
Hi sdimond –
I have had a low that required something faster and easier to administer than glucose tablets. Sometimes lows are severe enough that eating or drinking sugar is difficult or impossible… especially if one is unconscious.
And, some of us have hypoglycemia unawareness which makes the low signals non-existent. Those are just a couple of reasons to keep it at hand.
So, there are those who do need glucagon. And there are those who have not experienced serious, life-threatening lows.
I hope that helps explain why some of us absolutely take it with us wherever we go! 🙂
Oh, I should also say, not all of us have the AID systems that seem to be miraculous. I would love to have one, but my insurance doesn’t cover them… yet (I hope!)
Hi sdimond –
Sorry… my reply could read a little snotty which is _not_ _at_ _all_ what I had intended! I think my personal response above may help explain why I keep Baqsimi with me when travelling.
Thank you and apologies to Carolann Hunt for me trying to respond here.
Thank you!
I haven’t been traveling with it but then had an “aha” moment and realized I probably should keep it available – in my travel bag, purse, in my tennis bag (my sugar tends to drop quickly during matches), at my work … Kind of a DUH moment for me. As others have said, there’s no reason NOT to have it available!
No, but I always have glucose tablets with me.
In 55 years of being diabetic I have never filled a glucagon rx. Too expensive and I have never needed it anyway. Even when my BS has been in the 20s, I have managed without it. 😬
Me too. Never needed it. Never passes out. 60 years. Lucky us!
I truly don’t know how you managed a 20 without it! I just posted that “…there are those who haven’t experienced life-threatening lows…”, but you just proved me wrong! I’m so glad you managed!!!
I’ve been in the 20s too. Haven’t been 100% “fine” but have been able to take tablets or drink juice. My roommate called paramedics a couple of times but was able to get me alert enough to eat tabs one of those times…One time I finished playing a music performance when I was in my 40s. I guess my low-sugar tolerance is just garbage. (LOL!)
I always carry glucose tabs. I don’t think I would ever need glucagon with a CGM. I would have testing equipment and extra Dexcom with me.
I have a little travel bag with spare everything, very easy to throw it in when packing. I leave it packed while at home but I rotate out the Dexcom sensor and Omnipods to freshen up the spares.
I never had one
Normal Soda, cake icing, sometimes glucagon naaaah
I don’t use glucagon. Others have to use it and don’t like treating me with it. I use oral sugars instead.
I ALWAYS carry glucagon with me. I would be terrified that I would pass out and there wouldn’t be any glucagon to get me conscious again. I’m actually really surprised to see that more people said no than yes!
The last time I travelled [traveled, for my American cousins] away from home for a few days, apart from hospital stays, was in 1984, when my youngest son was 1 year of age.
I haven’t had an Rx for Glucogon in over 15 years.
I used to bring glucagon with me when travelling, but I generally don’t now because my automated basal rate pump has reduced my hypos from 13% to 1%. My cgm also tells me before I drop too low.
I have only used glucagon once in my 33 years as a T1D and I was at home.
I have traveled all over the world for both business and pleasure and I have never. In 65 years with T1D, carried Glucagon. I do regularly get hassled by airport security.
Not unless traveling with, or to meet, someone I am confident would and could know when and how to use it, i.e. very infrequently since my wife died.
I keep it with my diabetes supplies when traveling.
I make sure I have plenty of juice boxes, hard candy, protein bars, etc. In 37 years, never has a glucagon kit been used on me. Although, I have had many paramedic visits
I said “other”. Before we had Baqsimi, we always carried Glucagon, but now we carry Baqsimi. Like others have said, why wouldn’t we, just for the extra protection? – Sort of like insurance.
I have never had a glucagon script filled but I never leave the house without glucose tabs and I’ve never gone on any type of trip without food/snacks with me
Hearing & sleep issues mean it’s possible for me to miss an alarm. Plus, I get no body reaction due to hypoglycemia unawareness.
I have been in situations where I was unconscious and seizuring… and also one time where I was probably 5 minutes from being that way. I feel that the Baqsimi saved my life.
Psychologically speaking, it is a comfort to have it always with me. I feel uneasy travelling without it.
If I’m in need of glucagon, I’m unable to treat myself with it.
Always. I carry glucagon as well as other sources of quick acting easy to swallow pop in your mouth treatments to avert and intervene with episodes of hypoglycemia. Just as important as carrying insulin with me at all times IMHO.
Never ever used or brought glucagon with me. I always have Dex 4 on my person but rarely use those either. Having a pump and Dexcom sure help preventing severe lows.
I didn’t used to bring it but since having a severe low last year, I now do.
Was offered a prescription several times but living alone who’d use it? Prior to using a CGM tested more frequently while traveling, now the alarm wakes me easily.
When I traveled to Europe to visit with family
I don’t take a glucagon kit on overnight trips anymore. My last kit is long ago expired. On my current CGM and closed loop pump, I’m less concerned about severe, unconscious lows. Still pack quick carbs for self hypo treatment.
I have travelled extensively around the world. I never have taken my Gvoke HypoPen with me. Do you think everybody can read English to administer the glucagon injection?
A never leave home without my Glucose tablets PERIOD!
Even without traveling in the past there were many times it could have prevented my severe lows, BUT my family didn’t know about it. Later, on my own, I didn’t know about glucagon. Nowadays with a CGM, sugar cubes suffice when CGM alerts me, but that is rather infrequent. I have Basqimi Rx onhand now thanks to my current endocrinologist, but never used it. Even when not traveling, I carry tubes or pill bottles filled with sugar cubes on my person, in back pack and in coat pocket. I eat 2 or 3 sugar cubes, then check bg in 15’. Repeat if necessary, but seldom need to repeat.
Basquini nasal spray. Hope I spelled it correctly.
The last time I checked my insurance, they didn’t cover any glucagon. The last time I was in trouble with my BG being extremely low was over 4 years ago, when I wasn’t using a CGM.
I have never used Glucagon, so answered “No”. I take carbs with me no matter where I go.