Diabetes and Disney

[Anna114]

I've looked around and haven't seen a diabetes thread.... for all things diabetes and Disney and then some. Can anyone point me in the right direction? TIA

 

[buffettgirl]

hit the search button. there are tons of threads.

Anything specific though? Diabetes can be fairly individual and maybe your questions will be different.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Another diabetic here - what kind of info are you looking for?

 

[Ambassador]

Check the DisAbility forum for good info. Search the threads or ask your own questions. Everyone's happy to help.

 

[Anna114]

What I'm thinking is a whole conversation about diabetes. I've been a diabetic for a couple of years but just last week I went on a new medicine, I would be curious who's gone on it and what they thought. Also, maybe someone has had a dining experience that was was great for the diabetic etc.

 

[BearcatsFan]

I take Metformin ER.

I found Columbia Harbor House @ MK and ABC Commissary @ DHS to be especially accommodating. I know ABC gets a lot of bad reviews, but we had no issues and found everyone willing and ready to help me get exactly what I needed. CHH was the same way - very easy to deal with and happy to help.

 

[dragonfly57005]

My daughter is a diabetic and has loved her trips to Disney. We've been there when she's been on shots as well as the pump.

 

[MK2010]

My DD10 was just diagnosed this past Thanksgiving.We'll be going to Disney in Sept. Should I be concerned with the heat? Won't I be fine with her supplies, plenty of water, and a few extra snacks "just in case"? I keep worrying that she is going to have wild crazy unstable blood sugars while we are there! (I know crazy mama!) Her blood sugars have been fine since she was diagnosed. Our Dr. even suggested that we call Disney and see "what they might be able to assist you with" (her words, not mine) I don't even know what to ask for. Maybe somewhere to store the Humalog while we're in the parks? Would you even bother? Or just take cold packs? Is there anything else that maybe I should keep an eye on that I haven't even thought of yet?

 

[buffettgirl]

My DD10 was just diagnosed this past Thanksgiving.We'll be going to Disney in Sept. Should I be concerned with the heat? Won't I be fine with her supplies, plenty of water, and a few extra snacks "just in case"? I keep worrying that she is going to have wild crazy unstable blood sugars while we are there! (I know crazy mama!) Her blood sugars have been fine since she was diagnosed. Our Dr. even suggested that we call Disney and see "what they might be able to assist you with" (her words, not mine) I don't even know what to ask for. Maybe somewhere to store the Humalog while we're in the parks? Would you even bother? Or just take cold packs? Is there anything else that maybe I should keep an eye on that I haven't even thought of yet?

First, yes she will have crazy unstable blood sugars while you're there. Just know that it will happen, it will be "normal". We don't find an issue with the heat and in fact we've taken longer lines just as a way to treat a low. It's a perfect rest stop. There isn't really much that Disney can do as far as a GAC because her needs will be all day - not just line related. She can wait in lines, there aren't many shaded waiting areas (we had a GAC for that one year, it was useless) and you're still walking around the park the other 90% of the time.

Get a Frio Pack for the insulin - it's water activated and keeps it from overheating. Don't leave it back at first aid because every time you want it you're going to have to walk half way across the park to get it.

What to watch: lows at night from all the walking and energy. Mickey bars late at night (or a bowl of ice cream) seems to work great for us because it has a lot of fat which helps keep BG from crashing. Also, you CAN request a fridge in your room for medical needs and I would get yogurt or some other fatty / protein snack and keep that for middle of the nights - after you've treated with juice/tabs.

we carry with us plenty of glucose tabs for a day (usually just a whole tub of them) and granola bars or cheese/pb crackers.

Get some apps for your phone that help you with carbs because Disney will not reveal carb counts on their food. Also, don't tell Disney that you have a child with diabetes as they'll bring out plates of fruit instead of desert or worse, some sugar-free desert which will send her to the bathroom all night and sill won't tell you carb counts. Our first Disney trip we did bring a travel scale with us as it just made carb counting that much easier.

Good luck. Remember, it's vacation. It's not perfection.

 

[BearcatsFan]

I disagree with not telling Disney your daughter has diabetes. Never once during my trip last year did I have anyone suggest fruit or any dessert for me; instead, they brought out the ingredient book so I could make informed decisions on what was appropriate for me to eat based on what the contents of the meal were. Perhaps others have been treated differently, but I had nothing but positive experiences and helpful responses when I mentioned my diabetes in Disney's restaurants to their staff and management.

No, Disney does not provide nutritional information - and I disagree with this practice - but they will work with you if you know what you are supposed to eat in terms of providing what ingredients are used in the meal you are considering. For example, if I saw "sugar" listed (or one of its many other names) high up on the ingredient list, I knew that product or component of the meal wasn't for me.

FWIW, I did have a problem with the heat ... and the SF mango gelato at Cosmic Ray's didn't send me to the bathroom all night. Just shows how different everyone's diabetes really is and how different our needs can be.

 

[Chickenlady]

I agree with not mentioning the diabetes to Disney. They have in the past pushed the fruit and sugar-free stuff on me and my niece. If your daughter is a Type 1, normal food is much better than the sugar free stuff. I don't know about your daughter, but sugar free anything is worse than nothing for me. Type 2's, I can't help you at all. Yes, her BG will be wild but that's life. We were there couple weeks ago and the daytime lows were the worst for me....unfortunately, dole whips had to be consumed to counter all the exercise.

 

[MK2010]

Hot diggity dog! She gets to have a Mickey Bar! You guys just totally made her trip!!! Thanks for letting me know about the lows! I was planning on preparing for them, but its so nice to *know* that they will be happening and that it is totally normal! Thanks!!!

 

[BCholly]

First of all... she is going to have the time of her life!

This post brought back such memories. Our Dd was just dx with type 1 for 6 months when we las went to disney in 2010 (going this summer again which is why we are back).

I didn't find her blood sugar went too out of wack and she certainly was able to have more treats because of the excercise. The one problem we found was she didn't like the rollercoasters like she did before, because the "drops" made her feel like she was going low.. I am hoping she will know the difference this year and will be back to her old adventurous self.

Also, because she was relatively new to injections we often went to first aid for her injections. They began to know us, ushered us into a private room and there were even sharp containers for the disposal. This was often faster than the long line ups in the washrooms, and much more sanitary!

Definitely get a frio! I am now going to tell you our "horror" story. I can laugh now.. but it wasn't funny at the time.

I kept our extra insulin in the hotel fridge. On the 3rd day the fridge malfunctioned and froze ALL the insulin. All she had left was what was in her pens.
To make a long story short, I contacted the pharmasists and they would only give us NPH over counter but not humalog, without a doctors prescription. That was going to cost big bucks! They wouldn't take my doctors prescription (We are Canadian).

I posted our predicament, on the CWD (children with diabetes) board. The members there got me in contact with a wonderful woman in Anaheim whose daughter used the same insulin. She delivered the humulog we needed for the rest of our trip.

So the moral of the story is DO NOT TRUST hotel fridges....

 

[buffettgirl]

^^^ I remember that. LOL.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest going to www.coolerconcept.com and looking at the Frio Cold Packs. There are several people in this forum, myself included, who use them.

These are gel packs that are water activated. They will keep the internal temperature at insulin-safe levels for over 40 hours. As the water evaporates you can just soak it in water for a few minutes to reactivate it. They come in various sizes.

For example, I have a "double wallet". Depending on what I am doing it will hold my Byetta pen as well as either a syringe with insulin in it or two insulin vials. And I tend to do at least five air round trips a year and have never had any problems with TSA over it.

 

[goofy_joe]

I would definitely advise carrying a meter at all times at WDW. I normally don't do this when I'm going to and from work, but I try to always have one on the golf course and at WDW. There's so much walking at WDW, it makes sense to stop and test every once in a while.

I had a decent dinner at Epcot, went to MK, and had a low despite thinking I took the right amount of insulin at dinnertime. Thankfully, I was right next to Aloha Isle. Hooray for Dole Whip!

I've done insulin injections in restrooms at WDW, since they do tend to be cleaner than restrooms elsewhere. However, I'm sure the First Aid stations in all of the parks have plenty of space to do this as well. Plus, they're a good place to cool down.

As for the food thing - it really depends on a number of factors, including insulin dose, how much activity, etc. I eat whatever's on the menu (not looking for SF items) and have never had an issue. Beware that fatty foods can, at least in my experience, sometimes raise blood sugars later because they take longer to process and digest.

 

[buffettgirl]

I know we never would step foot in a restroom for shots. We just would do them right at the table and honestly I don't think I've ever had the feeling that anyone noticed. There is no way I'd waste that much time hiking to a restroom or worse to first aid. Nope. At Disney especially (but other times when we eat out) we like to dose right before eating due to the unpredictable nature of restaurant service. Though by the time we were at Disney doing shots I swear I could have launched a syringe across the room at an "on the move" 6 year old and hit him square in the back of the arm. But...4 or 5 shots a day....

 

[Chickenlady]

I know we never would step foot in a restroom for shots. We just would do them right at the table and honestly I don't think I've ever had the feeling that anyone noticed. ..

I agree with you on the at the table thing. Never have used restrooms or first aid......by the time you get a shot at first aid then truck to the restuarant, order dinner, receive dinner...I'd be in a coma.

Now with the pump...no shots. But I always carry my pump/meter at WDW and everywhere.

 

[BCholly]

I know we never would step foot in a restroom for shots. We just would do them right at the table and honestly I don't think I've ever had the feeling that anyone noticed. There is no way I'd waste that much time hiking to a restroom or worse to first aid. Nope. At Disney especially (but other times when we eat out) we like to dose right before eating due to the unpredictable nature of restaurant service. Though by the time we were at Disney doing shots I swear I could have launched a syringe across the room at an "on the move" 6 year old and hit him square in the back of the arm. But...4 or 5 shots a day....

LOL- I agree. When I wrote about doing shots at the first aid station, we were still awkward.....about it all. It had only been a few months since diagnosis. We lacked finesse and my daughters prefered injection site was not a descrete spot.

So I just wanted to put the 1st aid station out there, because generally those who have the most questions about D and disney are often the least experienced ( ie: newly diagnose. Remember that horrible first year when you thought you would never figure it out, and your young child might die from your lack of competance. Gosh that was a steep learning curve).

My daughter is now 14, injects herself, where ever is most convenient, thigh when wearing shorts or tummy when wearing jeans etc... and she is as quick as lightening. Even I miss it. No need to trek anywhere any more for her shots.

The big issue this time will be keeping the insulin she has on her cool while in the park. We are going at the end of July. It will be HOT!

I don't want any spoilt insulin this time around.

 

[buffettgirl]

oh yeah totally. I get where you're coming from. I often like to put that sort of stuff out there because really - who thinks you're EVER going to be able to just whip out a syringe and do a shot at a table? If I had not heard from other parents saying "well, why wouldn't you? nobody will notice." I probably wouldn't have tried. That first vacation was so stressful.

Also, get a frio pack if you don't. Works perfectly.