First trip with insulin pump, any suggestions?

[LauraAngel]

My parents and I (i'm 21) just planned a very last minute trip (leaving next Friday) to Disney World. I am a type I diabetic and was there last spring, however at the time I was still doing 3 shots of insulin a day. I started on a Disetronic D-tron insulin pump just this october and this will be my first trip with it, both to disney and on an airplane. I was wondering if anyone else has had experience with travelling to Disney with a pump, especially since 9/11. What kind of experience have people had with both airport security and disney? Also, any tips as far as being in the park. Have people found that they needed to significantly reduce their basal rates? Any tips or hints reguarding disney and airlines and pumps would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome, and congratulations on your trip.
Some of the frequent posters on this board have insulin pumps. In case they can't get here to post before you go, here's a link to a past thread about insulin pumps.

 

[EUROPA]

Pump in the parks is not a problem. I just cliped it on my hip and never noticed it was there. Some rides might be a tight squeeze for the hip. Start Tours, Body Wars. Other than than I had no problems.

We drove down so I can answer the airport question.

Security in the parks really is not a factor as they really can't tell you have it nor do they care I'm sure.

I really did not need to reduce the basal rate as I always had a snack in my hand...hey its Disney.

Good luck with the pump...don't forget to bring needles... just incase.

 

[piratesmate]

Can't answer post-9/11, but we flew down in May & had no trouble with the pump - either on the plane or in the parks.

I don't adjust my basal rates for WDW, but I need to use a wheel chair while there due to a bad knee. Be sure to make arrangements to carry your test kit into the parks & check often - esp the first day or two to see if the extra activity gives you reason to change your routine.

I never heard of your brand of pump (I use the MiniMed 507) & don't know if it is water proof - or has a water proof case . . . I always carry zip lock baggies in my fanny pack so that I can remove it on Kali & Splash Mtn. (Better safe than sorry!) This works well for me.

Be sure to carry snacks, (or glucose tabs, glucagon, or whatever you use in an emergency) as well as syringes as Europa mentioned.

I wear my pump more to the front than the side & haven't had any trouble with the pump on Star Tours, etc . . . and I'm Pooh-sized. I had more trouble on the plane with it - because of the seat belt. I just stuff it in my bra when I think it will be a problem. How can I say this?? There's enough there that it isn't noticable. That wouldn't have been the case when I was 21, so I don't know if that's a possibility for you. It takes more planning to access it, however. . . either that or a complete lack of modesty.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to email or PM me. Have a great time!!!

 

[tink2dw]

Just to let you Know the park First Aide Stations Have Diabetic supplies.

I needed a needle and they gave me one. They even ask if I needed insulin. And when leaving the WDW I ask if I could leave the used needles in their sharps container so I wouldn't have to take them home on the plane. All they needed was a signiture!!

So, if you need anything be assured that they are supplied,in case of an emergancy!!

 

[LauraAngel]

Thanks so much for the suggestions everyone! Just 2 days to go, I'm so excited!!! If anyone else has any last minute suggestions, I'll check one last time before I head out Friday Thanks again!

 

[piratesmate]

I knew there was something I missed earlier . . . . I don't know if your doctor has mentioned it, but mine reminds me about every other time I'm there. He told me that the biggest problem for someone on a pump isn't keto acidosis due to clogged lines or whatever. He says it's lactic acidosis (I think) which is much worse. He told me that it occurs when you fail to drink enough.

I took a Brita filter with me last time, as I disliked the "taste" of the water on previous visits - including the bottled. I found that the Brita filter removed the sulphur taste & it was much easier to drink as much as you should.

I also forgot to mention that in addition to "emergency" supplies to bring my sugar up, I also carry (into the parks) my test kit with ~8 test strips, a full replacement setup & a bottle with ONLY enough insulin to replace my setup. I try not to carry more than I would use in a single day because of possible heat damage. I haven't had a problem for years, but it's better to be safe than sorry. (Years ago I had a new bottle go bad in the heat, as well as about half a tube of test strips.)

I hope that you have a great time!

Deb

 

[luv2boys]

I realize you are probably already back, but my sister's pump shut down premanetly after going on Alien Encounter. She had to buy a brand new one.

 

[lisapooh]

I doubt that it was caused by Alien Encounter. Probably a coincidence. There is nothing in Alien Encounter that would cause a shut down of the pump that I could see.

 

[luv2boys]

It had to do with the magnets that are used on AE.

 

[SueM in MN]

I wasn't aware there were magnets used in Alien Encounter, but, there it was when I checked the Disney company website's list of rides in the Disability info area.

WARNING: Electromagnetic fields in use. Guests using electronic medical devices that could be affected are advised against entering this attraction.

I know magnets can erase the memory of some computerized devices, so I did a little search of some of the companies that make computerized medical devices devices. The only one where I came up with information wasMedtronic.
I didn't find anything about insulin pumps (although the Minimed site was in German, so I have no idea what it said), so I hope your owner's manual can help you out with that.

 

[piratesmate]

I'm sitting here with my mouth open! I never read that warning about Alien Encounter. It would be awful to lose the use of your pump at any time - but on vacation!?!?!?

On our trip in May, I went on AE at least 4x - 2ce in immediate succession at the end of E-night. Fortunately, I didn't have any trouble. In fact, I always carry my testing supplies with me - including my Accu-Check Advantage, which holds the last 100 results in memory. This was not affected either.

I had sent an email to MiniMed before leaving asking if there were any potential problems with using the pump during our trip - airport, flight, parks, etc. (Other than getting wet, of course.) Their reply was essentially - no problem. Unfortunately, I no longer have that reply. (What had prompted the inquiry was something I read about not taking insulin with a syringe during a flight - although I asked in general terms about possible problems.) I would certainly think that they would have/should have mentioned the problem with magnets at AE if they were aware of it.

I hope everything went well on your trip, LauraAngel!

Deb

 

[lisapooh]

I have taken my meter in with me on Alien Encounter many times with no ill effects. In fact, it has been on every ride that I have as it goes in my fanny pack along with strips, syringes and insulin. That is why I serious doubt that the ride was the cause of the pump failure. There had to be more to it than that.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with lisapooh on this one. Magnetic fields are a known problem to the manufacturers of medical devices and most of the things I am aware of (pacemakers, and similar devices for seizures and Parkinsons) have prominent warnings with the patient education information. Some of them use a magnet to trigger them or reset them, so that's why the warning for magnets.
If contact with magnetic fields was a "fatal" type of contact for insulin pumps, I think it would be well documented in the stuff you get with the pump and it would also be likely to come up on a web search. I did one web search on Sherlock on my imac, which searches a number of sites at once and I also did a search on google.com. Neither one turned up any matches for insulin pumps and magnets except:
1)from the makers of magnets (like those magnetic knee braces and similar things that are supposed to help with aches and pains).
2) from patient education for people undergoing MRI tests. Those use much more powerful magnets than would be used for Alien Encounter. You have to remove all metal like earrings and watches when you have an MRI.

If anyone finds out anything from the manufacturer of their insulin pump, it would be helpful to post it here with the type of pump you have.