Diabetes is quite a common condition that affects a large portion of the population. When you have diabetes, you know just how important it is to regularly monitor your blood sugar levels. Ensuring your blood glucose does not spike or fall quickly becomes essential, as this helps to prevent complications associated with diabetes. When it comes to managing your diabetes, it is important to consider more than just your daily medication. Setting up an emergency kit can help to ensure you always have the necessary items with you to address a diabetes-related problem when it arises.
What Is A Diabetes Care Kit?
When you have a chronic condition, it’s important to ensure that you are prepared for any type of emergency situation that could develop. With diabetes, you may experience a sudden fall in blood glucose levels, which can cause drowsiness, fatigue, and even make you unconscious. High blood glucose levels can also be a problem, as it contributes to long-term nerve damage and other complications associated with diabetes.
A diabetes care kit serves as a type of emergency setting that you can turn to whenever you find yourself in these situations. The kit can also serve as an informative element for respondents that come to your aid when you experience a problem related to your diabetic condition.
What Should You Include In A Diabetes Care Kit?
There are certain pre-made diabetes emergency kits on the market. These kits do provide a convenient way to get started, but many people with diabetes find that they do not have the right level of control with these kits. This is why you might want to consider creating your own diabetes care kit instead. You will have more control over what goes into the kit and can customize it according to your condition.
One of the very first things to include in the kit is a card or document that contains all of your medical information. Make sure you place this card in a waterproof pouch or bag, as this ensures it does not get damaged.
There are certain details that you should include on the medical information card, such as the following:
- List out any conditions you have, with a focus on chronic diseases.
- Details about the medication you are taking, with the doses included.
- Contact details of family members or friends that you list as your emergency contacts.
- Details to get in touch with your doctor.
- Details about glucose monitors and insulin pumps you use, if applicable.
- Include any allergies you have to medication.
- Information regarding your diabetes management can also be useful, such as your insulin sensitivity factor and your blood sugar target.
Apart from a medical card, you should also include a few essential items that can help you in a diabetic emergency.
Start by packing syringes that you can use for your insulin injections. It’s important not to use the same syringe for too long, as it can become contaminated, as demonstrated in one study. You should also pack your insulin into the kit. This ensures you are able to administer insulin should your blood glucose levels get too high. A glucose meter is another important element to add to your kit.
Apart from these, here are other essentials that you should also add to your diabetes care kit:
- Pack a few spare batteries in case the ones in your insulin pump or glucose testing device run out.
- Add a few alcohol wipes to sterilize the injection site.
- Make sure you have glucose tablets or gel in the kit. Alternatively, you can also decide to add some hard candy or honey, which are also great at increasing your glucose levels quickly.
- You should also add any medication that you use for the management of your diabetes.
- Make sure you always carry water with you in the kit as well.
The specific needs will differ from one diabetic patient to another. This is why you should assess your condition and talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you determine what items you should add to your kit, based on the type of diabetes you have, as well as how severe the condition is.
Your doctor may advise you to add additional items, such as lancing devices, lancets, and glucagon kits to your diabetes care bag.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends packing supplies in your kit that will last for at least about a week. This will ensure you have enough supplies on hand at all times but still help to prevent taking expired items with you.
Why You Should Have More Than One Diabetes Care Kit
Some people may find that a single diabetes care kit is enough for them, but there are cases where this may not work well for you. It’s important to consider how frequently you experience problems like hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. If they occur regularly, then it’s a good idea to have more than one diabetes care kit. This way, you can leave one of the kits at home – this would generally be the larger kit that includes a greater range of items you may require.
You can then set up a smaller kit that is more portable. This would then become your travel kit – which you place in the car. When you get out of your car, consider placing the travel kit in your handbag to ensure you have it on hand should you need these items while you are outdoors – whether to shop or when heading into the office.
Conclusion
Setting up your own diabetes care kit can ensure you are prepared for emergency situations. There are several items that you can include in these kits, depending on the severity of your condition. It’s also a good idea to have one kit at home and a portable one that you carry with you. This way, you are always prepared for any situation that you may find yourself in. Follow the guidance that we shared in this article to help you create your own emergency kits.