What It’s Like to Travel With Diabetes — and Tips to Make It Go Smoothly

For Nikki Nurse, traveling to see her family in Panama and Trinidad requires a little preparation.

Here are her suggestions for how to manage her Type 2 diabetes while she’s traveling:

• It may help to contact the airline in advance: Nikki lets the airline know she has a disability, which helps to reduce the stress.

• Items with pleasant scents may help reduce travel stress: She’ll travel with items that are scented or flavored with peppermint. “That allows me to feel very zen,” she says.

• Carry a water bottle to reduce dehydration risk: Nikki stays hydrated by drinking plenty of water and eating fruit.

• Wear light and breathable clothing in hot weather to prevent dehydration. "I can still be cute, and still travel, and make sure I have everything I need for that situation."

• Wear compression socks during long flights and road trips, plus comfortable and supportive shoes: Medical grade stockings help to prevent swelling and blood clots. 

Along with Nikki’s tips, other good ideas for traveling with Type 2 diabetes are to pack medications in your carry-on bags and have healthy snacks to help manage blood sugar.

You can read more about Nikki’s experience with Type 2 diabetes here and how she manages her A1C here.

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Written by:

Marisa Taylor Karas

Marisa Taylor Karas is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn who has covered health, gender, and technology for 15 years. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera America, among other publications, and also served as managing editor of the Mellon Foundation in New York City.

Reviewed by:

Alexandra Schwarz, MD

Alexandra Schwarz, MD, is a board-eligible sleep medicine physician and a board-certified family medicine physician. She is a member of both the AASM and the ABFM.

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