What It Feels Like To Run Out Of Insulin
Outside Heathrow airport, my heart beat like I was sprinting, but I was actually standing stiff as a Royal. I was having a diabetes-related panic attack. It never gets talked about, but panic is a real diabetes complication. Diabetes, in fact, is a leading cause of panic attacks in people with diabetes. My husband, our three children, and I were on a seven week trip in 2015. Wed stopped in London for two days en route from our home in Tel Aviv to New York. We didnt have much luggage because we planned to buy the kids new clothes in the U.S., where theyre cheaper than in Tel Aviv. The only thing wed packed a lot of was insulin. A generous two-month supply. We knew that if we ran out and had to buy insulin in the U.S., it would cost many hundreds of dollars for just a months supply. Buying insulin in the U.S. was not in our budget. In Israel, the list price of insulin is around $30 per vial, and because of the health care system, which operates like a single-payer system, the cost to us is only a fraction of that (around 10%). We dont have to worry about being able to afford the next bolus because our out of pocket cost is around $10 a month. Two days before my panic attack at the airport, when we checked into a hotel in London, Mike stored our big bag of insulin in the hotels refrigerator (not a room refrigerator, but a hotel kitchen refrigerator). And even though we reminded ourselves ten million times not to forget the insulin when we left for the airport, we forgot the insulin when we left for the airport. I could blame it on being distracted by my bickering kids, or a subconscious attempt to forget about diabetes, or just tell the freaking truth: these things happen. We were more than halfway from our hotelto Heathrow when Mike realized we didnt have the insulin. We Continue reading >>
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Mother 'fuming' About Lengths She Had To Go To To Get Insulin For Diabetic Daughter
Mother 'fuming' about lengths she had to go to to get insulin for diabetic daughter Rachel McQuade and her daughter Maddison, who is a Type 1 diabetic. A Hawke's Bay mother is angryat the lengths she had to go to to get her diabetic daughter insulin over the holiday break. Rachel McQuade's seven-year-old daughter Maddison has type 1 diabetes, an incurable auto-immune disease in which the body is unable to produceinsulin. On December 28 McQuade went to a GPfor her own health issues. Aware that Maddison would need more Novorapid(a fast acting insulin) for the insulin pump she uses continuously, McQuade asked if she could get a prescription for more. 'We do everything we can to ensure ease of prescribing diabetic medication between clinics' said Hawke's Bay DHB paediatric medical director Philip Moore, pictured. The local Diabetes Clinic was closed over the holiday break, and diabetics had been advised that if they needed a new prescription they should go to their GP. * Insulin product retestedafter user concerns The GP McQuade saw was not Maddison's GP and declined to prescribe the insulin as he was not aware of Maddison's situation. "We have seen that many GPs over the last fiveyears, since Maddison was diagnosed, and we just see whoever is available. I told this GP we urgently needed the insulin as her blood glucose levelshad been higher than normal," McQuade said. She said a nurse at the clinic tried to contact a GP Maddison had seen previously, but found he was on holiday. Further calls found no GP in Napier or Greenmeadows available to write a prescription. That evening she went to a chemist and explained her situation. The chemist provided a small amount of Novorapid until a prescription could be obtained. "That night Maddison had an occlusion, or blockage, in her Continue reading >>
What To Do If You Run Out Of Insulin
This advice is specific to the UK. If you’re insulin-dependent, you probably have very good plans in place to ensure you always have enough insulin around. You know how important it is for your health. I’m sure you take it very seriously. But, the best laid plans often go wrong… Maybe you’re filling up your pump and drop your last bottle of insulin. You go travelling and forget to pack any supply. You have to run out a burning building, and your poor insulin goes up in smoke. And then, the situation becomes really clear as your heart races. So, what can you do if you go to reach for your insulin and discover that you don’t have anything left? Luckily, there are quite a few options available in the UK. If you’re in need of an emergency supply of insulin you can do one of the following: Contact your doctor Go to a nearby pharmacy Go to a nearby GP surgery Go to the closest walk-in centre Contact an out of hours service Contact Your Doctor Ideally, you should get in touch with your doctor to request an urgent prescription. They should be able to complete this request quickly and get it to your usual pharmacy, or – if you’re away from home – a pharmacy near to your location. If your surgery offers EPS (Electronic Prescription Service) and you are able to get to a participating pharmacy, this should makes things even quicker and more convenient. Find details of your usual GP surgery. Go To A Nearby Pharmacy You may be able to get an emergency prescription from a nearby pharmacy. But, this is not an NHS service and you will need to check with the pharmacy of what their policy and charges are. Usually, a pharmacy will be able to provide you with an emergency prescription for insulin as long as: You have been prescribed it before You can provide some of form o Continue reading >>
How To Get Through Tsa With These 5 Diabetes Devices
Whether it is for business or pleasure, you have to pass through security before boarding your flight. The TSA allows for diabetes-related supplies, equipment and medication—including liquids—through the checkpoint once they have been properly screened by X-ray or hand inspection. If possible, pack all your supplies together in your carry-on bag so you have everything on hand. Before your screening begins, inform the officer conducting the screening about any supplies on you or in your carry-on. Here’s how you can fly through TSA with these 5 diabetes devices! 1. Insulin Pump/Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) Taking an insulin pump through airport security is quite common, but it’s always a good idea to carry the Airport Information Card when traveling. You may go through the airport metal detector with your insulin pump and CGM, as these devices are designed to withstand common electromagnetic interference. However, we do not recommend going through an airport body scanner with your pump and CGM, as Medtronic has not determined advanced imaging technology to be safe for insulin pump or CGM devices. If you do go through an airport body scanner, be sure to remove your insulin pump and CGM, but do not send your devices through the x-ray machine as an alternative. If you do not wish to remove your devices, explain to the officer that you cannot remove the insulin pump as it is under your skin with a needle, and request an alternative pat-down screening process. 2. Insulin Delivery Devices Be sure to have proof a physician prescribed your insulin and needles by providing a professional, pre-printed pharmaceutical label identifying the medication. Travel with your original insulin box and glucose meter that shows the pharmaceutical label. You will need these items in Continue reading >>
Running Out Of Medicine Over Bank Holidays
Running out of medicine over bank holidays It is always best to make sure your prescription medication won't run out over a bank holiday period, but if it does, what can you do? Your GP's out-of-hours service, an NHS helpline, NHS walk-in centre, or local pharmacy may be able to help. Pharmacists can often help with genuine emergencies where medication has run out and your GP's surgery is closed. It will help to have a copy of a previous repeat prescription form or the packaging from the medication you've run out of with your name and details on it. The pharmacist will make sure you are usually prescribed the medication and if there's a clear and immediate medical need for it, as well as being no other way to get the prescription. The pharmacist will also make sure that the dose you ask for is considered suitable. A charge may be made for the medication and this service, which may vary between pharmacies and the part of the UK where you live. NHS helplines can help locate local pharmacies that are open late or out of hours. Another option is to try to get a prescription from a GP 's out-of-hours service that runs overnight, at weekends, and on bank holidays. This will depend on the type of medication, and how essential it is that you get it right away. If you can't get to your usual GP practice, if you are away from home for example, you may be able to have a consultation with a local GP and get a prescription for a limited supply of medication. However, if you get a prescription, you still need to find a pharmacy that's open to get the medication. Continue reading >>
Frustrated Diabetics Use Internet Black Market For Insulin
Precision Medicine: Americans Want a Say in What Happens to their Donated Blood, Tissue in Biobanks Precision Medicine Initiative: Why You Should Worry About the Privatization of Genetic Data Faced with soaring costs and insurance restrictions, Minnesota diabetics are turning to Facebook, eBay, Craigslist and other lesser-known markets where they can offer medication they no longer need and ask others for help. Reselling a prescription medication such as insulin, or even giving it away for free, is illegal under federal and state laws. Yet in certain cases, diabetics are willing to take the risk. "My moral compass takes precedence over the legality of it," said Shari Wiltrout, mother of two diabetic daughters. She's never bought or sold insulin on the black market, but she asked for help when the family needed an emergency supply while on vacation. She quickly found a willing insulin donor through social media after unsuccessfully trying to get the lifesaving medication through official channels. "People are doing what they need to do in order to stay alive, and I don't see anything wrong with that," she said. "We take responsibility for each other and help each other because the system certainly isn't." The insulin black market is another example of how diabetics are coping with ever-increasing insulin prices, which jumped 300% between 2002 and 2013. One group of Minnesota diabetes activists recently traveled to Canada , where insulin prices are one-tenth of those in the United States. The group plans another trip this week. But not all diabetics can travel to Canada, and some don't know about the black market. As a result, doctors increasingly see patients develop complications because they are rationing insulin or trying to go without. "It happens so much more than Continue reading >>
!run Out Of Insulin!
im on 4 injections a day. 3 is novo rapid nd 1 is lantus. i know all u lot r gonna kane me for doin this but the otherday i was running low on supplies on pretty much everythin. i had enough, i wernt desperado, but i needed to re-order all my stocks of medicine. so i re-ordered and it wud be ready in bout 2 days. but the next day i went to take my lantus before bed and realised i never had enough in the cartridge. so i went to the fridge to get another 1 but i had completely run out. so i thought o shizzle! wat am i supposed to do now. so what i done was inject evrythin that was left in the cartridge (bout half of my actual dosage) and gave myself some rapid aswell. i just hoped that it would work and that all the stuff was ready 4 collection the next day. luckily my plan worked and i got all the stuff the next day and evrythin turned out all gravy lol. but i was jus thinkin if anyone on here has completely run out before, like altogether. and what did you do or what wud u do if it ever happend?? D.D. Family Kidney/Pancreas transplant recipient Don't worry about it, you did absolutely the right thing! It's happened to me a couple of times before and I did what you did. Just had to make sure I kept a closer eye on my blood sugar levels and inject more quick acting if necessary later on. Glad it all worked out ok in the end..don't beat yourself up about it...you're only human! Nope, I have never run out, or even low, on diabetic supplies. I keep a generous amount of insulin on hand, usually I have an average of about 10 bottles in the fridge. I'm down to 5 bottles now, which less than typical. I'll reorder shortly. With strips I have many months worth stockpiled. Insulin is what keeps me alive, so I make sure I've got plenty. Presumably you learned a valuable lesson by r Continue reading >>
What Happens If I Run Out Of Insulin?
I'm about to run out of Novolog within 2 days - I take 25 units at each meal. (I also take Lantus at bedtime and have enough of that to last me about a week). I was diagnosed with diabetes just over 10 years ago. My question is, what symptoms will I suffer with no insulin? Here's my background: I let my old insurance go the end of last year because when I checked into Obamacare and signed up for it in early November, my premium was to drop from $2000/month to $856, but the tax credit I'm eligible for would drop my monthly premium to $156 a month plus provide lower copayments on dr. visits and meds. Through a glitch in the system they have still not gotten it straight about the amount of the credit I'm due. The insurance company I signed up requests that I not pay the full $856 premium because it will mess up their system, and refuse to accept the lower $156/month premium because Obamacare has not sent them this payment on my behalf. Long story short, I've had to give up Victoza a couple of months ago, I'm nearly out of Novolog and will soon be out of Lantus. I'm VERY upset that the government has left me in this predicament. Keep in mind, I'm required by the GOVERNMENT to have insurance, yet the GOVERNMENT is essentially withholding it from me. The Health Care Marketplace (Obamacare) called me back today to let me know the process is still "in the works". Her opening line is "I'm responding to your emergency call placed on January 7 regarding your health care coverage". I explained my predicament to her and she was profusely apologetic and sympathetic; she was given my case yesterday when another person quit or got fired. I'm asking because she asked me "what happens to you if you run out of insulin". My answer was, I don't know because I've spent 10 years being respon Continue reading >>
What To Do If You Run Out Of Insulin
A certified diabetes educator provides a step-by-step guide. We have read several tragic examples of people in the United States dying because of lack of insulin or because of an expired insulin prescription, and countless more stories of people skipping injections or meals because of the high price of insulin. We asked Jennifer Smith, a certified diabetes educator with Integrated Diabetes Management , to provide a guide of what do if you run out of insulin. Even if you know this information already, please share this so others know they have options. Since insulin is vital to the health of people with Type 1 diabetes, it is imperative to have access 24/7. If you run out of insulin or if your prescription happens to be expired, youll need to have a backup plan. High blood glucose levels from lack of insulin can lead very quickly to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially deadly condition. Here are some suggestions for what to do: If you run out of insulin due to prescription lapse, the pharmacy can typically call your physician to get that prescription updated within the same day as long as you call during business hours. Also, a few states have passed laws allowing pharmacists to dispense insulin on an emergency basis from an expired prescription. Make sure you stress to the pharmacist the urgency of the situation, as some arent as well trained as others in matters of Type 1 diabetes care. If you have run out and its a holiday or weekend, or you cant get ahold of the doctor, the best option is to have a backup plan for use of over-the-counter NPH and R insulin which can be purchased over the counter at Walmart as part of its ReliOn Brand. This option is available in all states save for Indiana. If there is no way to get insulin due to the time of day or cost, go to Continue reading >>
Where Can I Get An Emergency Supply Of Medicine?
If you urgently need medication, contact your prescriber immediately to arrange a prescription. If this isn't possible, you may be able to get medicine from a pharmacist in an emergency, subject to certain conditions. You must have been prescribed the medicine before by a doctor, dentist, nurse independent prescriber, optometrist independent prescriber or other healthcare professional, who is registered in the UK. In addition to this, the pharmacist: will usually need to see you face-to-face must agree that you need the medicine immediately will usually need evidence that you have been prescribed that medicine before must be satisfied with the dose that is most appropriate for you to take The pharmacist may provide an emergency supply of up to 30 days' treatment for most prescription medicines, with these exceptions: insulin, an ointment, a cream or an asthma inhaler – the smallest pack size the contraceptive pill – a full treatment cycle liquid oral antibiotics – the smallest quantity to provide a full course of treatment permitted controlled medicines (controlled drugs) – up to five days' treatment. Permitted controlled medicines include a very limited range of medicines, such as those for epilepsy (phenobarbital). Many commonly used controlled medicines such as morphine or diamorphine can't be supplied without a prescription by a pharmacist in an emergency The pharmacist will then make a note in their prescription book of: your name and address the nature of the emergency the date of the emergency supply the name, quantity, form (e.g. capsules, tablets or liquid) and strength of the medicine Even if the pharmacist is unable to give you an emergency supply of a medicine, they will advise you on how to obtain any essential medical care you may need. Is it an NH Continue reading >>
21 Tips For Traveling With Diabetes
Dont let good diabetes management go on vacation just because you did. Traveling to new places gets you out of your routinethats a big part of the fun. But delayed meals, unfamiliar food, being more active than usual, and different time zones can all disrupt diabetes management. Plan ahead so you can count on more fun and less worry on the way and when you get to your destination. Visit your doctor for a checkup to ensure youre fit for the trip. Make sure to ask your doctor: How your planned activities could affect your diabetes and what to do about it. How to adjust your insulin doses if youre traveling to a different time zone. To provide prescriptions for your medicines in case you lose them or run out. To write a letter stating that you have diabetes and why you need your medical supplies. Just in case, locate pharmacies and clinics close to where youre staying. Get a medical ID bracelet that states you have diabetes and any other health conditions. Get travel insurance in case you miss your flight or need medical care. Order a special meal for the flight that fits with your meal plan, or pack your own. Put your diabetes supplies in a carry-on bag (insulin could get too cold in your checked luggage). Think about bringing a smaller bag to have at your seat for insulin, glucose tablets, and snacks. Pack twice as much medicine as you think youll need. Carry medicines in the pharmacy bottles they came in, or ask your pharmacist to print out extra labels you can attach to plastic bags. Be sure to pack healthy snacks, like fruit, raw veggies, and nuts. Get an optional TSA notification card pdf icon[PDF 23.8KB]external icon to help the screening process go more quickly and smoothly. Good news: people with diabetes are exempt from the 3.4 oz. liquid rule for medicines, fas Continue reading >>
Hypothetical Question: Visiting Switzerland & Running Out Of Medication - English Forum Switzerland
Hypothetical question: Visiting Switzerland & running out of medication Hypothetical question: Visiting Switzerland & running out of medication I've been back in Switzerland several times recently visiting my parents. I take various medications, and various events on my last two trips (cancelled flights, lost pills) have made me wonder what I would do if due to unforeseen events I ran out of my medication while in Switzerland. Obviously I take precautions (bring extra medication, split my medication between my hand luggage and my hold baggage), but the unexpected can occur... So what would be the form if I ran out of medication? Would I be able to get it from a pharmacy or would I have to go to my parents' doctor? Is there anything I can do to make my life easier should this circumstance ever arise (for example, bring a copy of my repeat prescription with me)? Re: Hypothetical question: Visiting Switzerland & running out of medication The same generally applies if you were on holiday anywhere. Yes, always carry a copy of your current prescription and your doctors name and contact details. Should you need any medication here it would be cheaper and less hassle to pay a call first on a pharmacy to see if any of your prescription can be dispensed directly. Failing that, the pharmacy would direct you to a doctor if your medication is not over the counter items. Have a great holiday visit in Switzerland. Re: Hypothetical question: Visiting Switzerland & running out of medication I run out of one of my medications when in UK 2 years ago, as we had to unexpectedly extend our stay. As I didn't have my prescription with me, none of the pharmacies I visited would dispense- so I had to go to my daughter's GP and ask him for a temporary prescription and pay for the drugs myself (a Continue reading >>
Diabetes During A Disaster: What To Do When You’re Out Of Medication
by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. Okay, it’s disaster time, you’re a type 2 diabetic, and you’ve run out of or lost your oral medication. What do you do? Here are some ideas to lower your blood sugar. First, continue your diet and exercise. If you’re on oral medications that means you still produce insulin. Insulin works most efficiently when you (1) eat small meals not loaded with simple sugars, (2) stay hydrated with water, (3) do a little exercise. Of course, you and your family’s safety comes first, and you may already be working to exhaustion, but if you’re stuck sitting all day in a shelter, get up and stir around a bit. This is good advice with or without your medication. Natural Ways to Lower Blood Sugar When You’re Without Medication There are about as many natural suggestions to lower your blood sugar as there are type 2 diabetics. Few work very well. None work nearly as well as prescription medication. Of the ones I’ve found, here are the three with the most evidence that they can significantly lower your blood sugar. Before trying any of these, check with your doctor. Although they can’t take the place of your prescriptions, if you take your regular dose of medication plus one of these, your blood sugar can drop too low. To make ginseng tea, just pour boiling water over five to eight slices of ginseng. Steep four to five minutes (or longer for stronger tea). Schumacher Ginseng, a ginseng farm in Wisconsin, says you can reuse the ginseng for two or three more cups of tea and then eat it. The question would be whether repeated steeping reduces the components that help with blood sugar. 1. Alpha-lipoic acid It’s found in liver, spinach, broccoli, and potatoes. There’s also a supplement. Recommended dose is 200–300 mg per day. 2. American gi Continue reading >>
Out Of Insulin, Too Early To Renew — What To Do?
It is not unusual for people to have difficulty keeping insulin from freezing or getting overheated. A patient, with type 1 diabetes for 17 years, had glucose that did not respond to his rapid-acting insulin as it usually does. He had two new vials in the refrigerator. He took a new vial out of his refrigerator earlier in the day, and started using it a few hours after he took it out. Had high post prandials that did not respond as usual to correcting. He had enough experience to wonder if perhaps something was wrong with his new insulin, so he thought he’d try another vial. He saw it was frozen. He had put the two vials at the back, where for many refrigerators it is colder. He thought back and wondered if the first vial looked any different, but remembered, he did not look closely at it. He then went to get a new prescription filled at his pharmacy, but was told insurance would not cover it at this date; it was too early. It was cost prohibitive for him to pay out of pocket ~$300.00/vial. He contacted a diabetes health care provider (hcp) who offered him two sample vials to cover him until his prescription would once again be covered. He corrected and his glucose lowered. Disaster averted! Not everyone has the luxury of having a hcp who has samples available in such a timely manner. If their hcp even had them, what if it were a weekend, or another time that the hcp did not have access to the samples? I reached out to certified diabetes educator, Laurie Klipfel, RN, MSN, BC-ANP, CDE, to see if she could offer any pearls of wisdom: “This was a recent discussion on an AADE list serve with many good suggestions. The best suggestion was asking the healthcare provider if samples were available. My next option would be to see if the insurance would make an exception unde Continue reading >>
Survival Plan If You Run Out Of Insulin
Hello, I'm curious if anyone has thought of a survival plan if you run out of insulin. I'm kinda thinking about a natural disaster like a bad hurricane hit or massive flooding and you are really out there with nothing. Or, maybe there just isn't any insulin available because of war (doomsday) or whatever. Has anyone really given this some thought and if so what have you come up with? I think this is an interesting topic and would love to hear about what you have to say. Even so, what about having no insulin for a week or so because you're trapped in cabin during a snow storm. Thanks. Hello, I'm a type 2 diagnosed some 5 years ago and I have often thought about something major happening and running out of insulin. Gee, if it's for a short period of time say less than a week or so you could probably survive it considering that you had little food to eat (and ate small meals) but you would probably have to worry about hypos. Well that could easily be taken care of by some candies. Seems like I always have some form of candy around. On the short-term of things (say a week), I always take extra insulin with me so that wouldn't be a problem. If you had some insulin and gloom and doom came along you could probably use your fast-acting insulin in small does every hour or so to take care of your basal needs. Once that was gone, you could exercise as much as possible hopefully without wearing yourself out. This would be especially true if you pancreas is still making some insulin. Hopefully, you would have plenty of water to drink (that could be a problem if the water supply is contaminated. If you're stuck in an emergency shelter, you might be okay with water and possibly some medical help. In the case of mass destruction, I think we're all in trouble whether diabetic or not. I Continue reading >>
