Diabetics on byetta or insulin, front and center, please

[Bete]

I have a situation where we will have late starts each day; so, I want to stay in the park all afternoon and part of the evening. We will have dinner in the parks most of the time. We take a cold pack with us for his injection medicine that he needs to take every day before his meal.

My husband will not let me give him a shot and he always wears long pants and he gives himself his shot in the upper leg always. He's a bigger guy and rolling up his pants won't work for him. Other then a public restroom there doesn't seem much choice for where he can inject himself. I just would feel better in a more sanitized area.

I've been thinking about the first aid station for his shot. Do you think this would be allowed there? Is there a private area there where he can take his pants down in first aid and do his shot in a more pleasant environment? Also, I would like to have an area that's safer where he could lay down his supplies while doing it. Or, is there at least a bathroom in the first aid station where I think it would be more sanitized and safer to do this?

What do you do for this? I can't see going back to the resort and doing it there. My husband has about a 45 minute window before he needs to eat his meal after his injection.

 

[silvergoldberry]

Does it have to be the leg?
Jack gives himself his injections in the stomach. He just pulls up his shirt.

And always a slightly different spot- you do realize that if you inject in the same place all the time there may be less pain, but also less absorption of the medication? Jack didn't know this for several years and we used to wonder why the insulin didn't seem to work as well.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I do both twice a day. In the morning (before getting dressed) I will inject in the leg and before dinner I will inject in the abdominal area.

Also I have it so on odd number days I use the left side and even number days the right, so no location is more than once very two days.

I use a Frio Cold Pack with the Byetta pen on one side and I will prefill an insulin syringe in the morning and put it on the other side. I will put in the pen needle and the alcohol swab inside the outer case. I will go into a rest room and go to where there is a flat surface (usually a changing table) putting down a paper towel to lay stuff on. I will then pull up my shirt and give myself the injections. I will then put everthing back together in the cold pack (throwing away the seals and such) until I can get to dispose of the needles.

 

[PatsMom]

I use Byetta and Lantus. I do all of my injections in the abdomen and just kind of rotate around for injection sites. Unless it is hot out, there is no longer any need to keep the Byetta refrigerated. They are now like Lantus - your in use pen just needs to be kept around room temperature. So I put my Lantus pen and my Byetta pen in a small pouch, along with a couple of pen needles and alcohol wipes. I also carry an extra bottle of test strips for my glocometer in there just in case I need them. And I have a mini-Sharpie pen that I write the date I first used the Byetta pen right onto the pen cap with. Since I sometimes miss doses of the Byetta I find that helpful to make sure I discard it and start fresh when I am supposed to.

Since I inject in my abdomen, I'll do my shot just about anywhere. For the Byetta I usually wait until we are seated in a restaurant. That is because I understand it is not unheard of to have lengthy waits to be seated at some of the Disney restaurants. I don't think I've ever waited more than 15 or 20 minutes but I've heard stories so I like to be prepared. I just prepare my pen right at the table, raise my shirt a bit and do the shot.

When it is time for my Lantus, I'll just find a bench if I can. I've been known to do the injection sitting on the curb waiting for the MK nighttime parade! I try to avoid doing shots in restrooms whenever possible just because it seems so unsanitary to me. But if I have to, I spread a paper towel on a flat surface and place anything I need to there. But I hate doing my shot while I am standing up - another reason I avoid the rest room. I am not about to sit on the toilet and inject myself and they usually don't have chairs available.

OP, your HD's best bet might be the first aid station. The problem with using a first aid station is going to be that you then have to walk to the restaurant and hope that you are seated and your food served in the proper amount of time. Maybe your DH could try the abdominal shots. I definitely prefer them to the leg for some reason. But the first aid stations definitely have private areas where he could drop his trousers and have a clean environment to do his shot.

In the summer when it is hot I do use a cold pack for my Byetta and Lantus. I have one that Byetta sent to me before they changed their guidelines on keeping it refrigerated. I find that the cold insulin and Byetta tend to sting much more. I definitely prefer room temperature and was very glad when Byetta changed their guidelines.

 

[Selket]

The first aid stations will offer him a private area to do the shot. They can also store his refrigerated meds in their fridge if you like. We have used first aid stations sometimes for set changes (my son has an insulin pump). They are extremely helpful.

As other pointed out, I think the biggest concern is that you are able to get to your restaurant, be seated and eating in that time window. At Epcot, for example, the 1st aid station can be quite a distance from some of the restaurants - plus the wait time to get seated and get food. If you are doing sit-downs that is an issue. If are doing counter service then perhaps not so much.

 

[lizanne]

My DH uses Byetta and Lantus and almost always injects in his stomach. It seems very simple for him. He just lifts his shirt slightly and shoots away.

As others have stated Byetta no longer has to be refrigerated once it is used. My understanding is that the new pens have to be refrigerated until they are used, but I'm not 100% on this.

My DH usually does his injections at the restaurant table and no one even notices, even others at our table.

 

[Figaro]

It is perfectly possible to inject insulin and/or byetta through your clothing. I have done this for years (at the suggestion of my endocrinologist) and it makes giving myself insulin in public extremely easy and discrete. You don't want to inject it through your jeans but it is easy enough to inject through a single layer of shirt/blouse or a pair of capri pants or shorts.

The explanation that I was given (by my endocrinologist who specializes in the treatment of diabetes and is a diabetic himself) is that the flora and fauna on our skin is something our body is used to and we are not very likely to get an infection by injecting through our clean clothes for that reason. He has been injecting himself through clothes for 15 years and I have been injecting myself through clothes for over 8 years and have never once had any sort of infection or problem with it.

But, I wouldn't take the word of a random person on an internet discussion board. Ask your physician and/or diabetic educator, as there are legitimate studies out there about the incredibly low (almost non-existent) risk of injecting through clothes and they are the best people to help you figure out what will work best for you.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

My first trip as an insulin-dependent diabetic after pancreatitus was to WDW with a physician friend. It was at times, a traumatic learning curve (like the woman screaming at me in the ladies room for using "drugs in front of children").

Anyway, I have found an easy way to manage it in public restrooms.

I now carry my pens, needles and syringes in an hard eye glass case. The alcohol pads fit in there too. This case can be opened and it rests perfectly on the assistance bar in a handicapped restroom....just like a teensy little table. zip-zip and I'm done.

 

[SueM in MN]

First Aid would provide a private place to give a shot. They have private cubicles with a cot, chair, table and a curtain. They also have rooms with the same equipment that is a little more private.
But, as was pointed out, First Aid is not always close to where you will be dining. And, there is not guarantee how quickly you will get seated in a restaurant. Once you are seated, there is no guarantee about how quickly your food will be brought.
So, if you choose to use First Aid, you should also make sure you are prepared to each something if your food is not brought soon enough.

 

[mickeem]

I USED to drop off my insulin to the First aid station, and then return when I needed to do a shot. It's certainly private, and they even have a sharps container... Now, I have a pump, and it does all the work for me!! What a great thing... no more shots... and i can eat whatever i want in the parks...

 

[ZPT1022]

My first trip as an insulin-dependent diabetic after pancreatitus was to WDW with a physician friend. It was at times, a traumatic learning curve (like the woman screaming at me in the ladies room for using "drugs in front of children").

Anyway, I have found an easy way to manage it in public restrooms.

I now carry my pens, needles and syringes in an hard eye glass case. The alcohol pads fit in there too. This case can be opened and it rests perfectly on the assistance bar in a handicapped restroom....just like a teensy little table. zip-zip and I'm done.

I'm not laughing at you, I promise. It's just that I had a similar reaction when I was doing fertility treatments and had to give myself a shot in a restaurant bathroom on vacation. People are so nuts sometimes.


We've used the first aid station in the parks before and they are very helpful and acommodating

 

[Bete]

I think this was the best answer for us. It was a little drag getting there to drop it off and get it, but it wasn't too bad.

 

[BoardWalkBelle]

The First aid centers are the best bet.I have diabetes, dont use insulin but every know and then when i am in the parks i need to check myslef. The first aid stations provide a clean, private place. They have private rooms to use. And a nurse is there in case you need assistance or have any problems.

 

[LovePug]

It is perfectly possible to inject insulin and/or byetta through your clothing.

I was going to mention this, but most people look at me as if I were nuts. I know studies have been done on giving the shots through clothing and showed that it was perfectly safe.

I take Humalog insulin with my meals and it's very fast acting. I really can't take a chance on taking my shot early, so I always give my shot in the restroom if I'm giving it in my leg. None of my supplies ever touch any surface of the restroom so I don't see anything unsanitary about it. My biggest fear is dropping my bottle of insulin on the tile floor and having it smash .

Mouseaholic!!!-The eyeglass case is a stroke of genius. I may have to use that one. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I was going to mention this, but most people look at me as if I were nuts. I know studies have been done on giving the shots through clothing and showed that it was perfectly safe.

I take Humalog insulin with my meals and it's very fast acting. I really can't take a chance on taking my shot early, so I always give my shot in the restroom if I'm giving it in my leg. None of my supplies ever touch any surface of the restroom so I don't see anything unsanitary about it. My biggest fear is dropping my bottle of insulin on the tile floor and having it smash .

Mouseaholic!!!-The eyeglass case is a stroke of genius. I may have to use that one. Thanks for the idea.

My pleasure. I'm happy to help.

 

[shelshel]

Thanks for these thoughts, I'll pass them along to my husband.

 

[debcartee]

You could also try the changing rooms in the shops. It's not quite so un-clean as a restroom.