Diabetic medication on plane

[pocketvenuss]

I am travelling long haul and for the first time I will be taking diabetic medication with me. What is the protocol for the injection pens and disposable micro needles please?
Where/how do I show them? Do I put them in the tray next to my plastic bag of liquids? Do I take them out of the cool pack? What about the needles? Do all airport staff know what they are?

Try to get a letter from your diabetic doctor that states that you need the medication. Depending on the airline you can contact them in advance and ask for a medical bag exemption which means you can carry one extra bag dedicated to medical supplies (ryanair did) . As for the insulin pens and needles, diabetics travel daily and the airport scanners can make sense of it. If you do get questions (I never have over that stuff, only about my flash libre sensor) the doctors letter can be useful but try to be confident. It's your medicine and you have a right to it. Good luck with your travels.

Keep in mind how you get rid of diabetic waste while travelling, as you'll know the needles can't be binned. I bought some pocket sized sharps containers online which hold a surprising amount but be prepared to carry the used needles home with you if where you are going doesn't have a safe place to get rid of them.

Make sure you have your green prescription slip with you so they can see these items belong to you. No need to take them out of the cool box, they won’t mind.
if it’s insulin just be mindful to take extra snacks with you so that you are not fully reliant on the awful aeroplane food. Long haul can be difficult with long gaps between meals.
lots of information on Diabetes’s.Uk which will far more comprehensive than my ramblings.
Enjoy .

As people have said, no issue with insulin/snacks etc. My OH (type 1) was advised to have a letter from his dr confirming his condition. He has this but has never been asked for it.

I have a mini sharps box. So I just leave the packets of micro needles in my handbag or put them in the tray also?

I make sure all prescription stuff is in its original packaging (if its too large, I might cut down the box and just keep the bit with the brand name and prescription sticker and the insert) have a letter from the doctor and then you are pretty much fine with every country you want to travel to. If you want you can double check the country’s specific regulations on prescription medicines. Finding out how to dispose of sharps is important. My DH travels with a small hard sided plastic container that he uses for the needles while on the road and then if he is in a hotel for a while he switches to a larger container that complies with the local regulations. Also think about keeping your insulin cold (if it needs it) while on the plane, at your destination and on the way home. DH used to use reusable cold packs and ask the hotel to refreeze them for the journey home, but they kept getting thrown away at the hotel by accident, so he now has one time use freeze packs as a back up.

If you are travelling outbound through a UK airport the official info is here:

www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/essential-medicines-and-medical-equipment

If in doubt at security about where to put stuff (e.g. leave in bag or separately in a tray) then ask the screening staff.

It might be a good idea to try and find the country specific information for your return flight - rules are very similar these days worldwide but there can be minor differences.

Leave it in your regular bag not the tray, even insulin as a medication doesn’t count as a liquid although might get swabbed if your bag gets searched. (Happened to me when travelling during covid when they were super bored).

Bring a prescription and you are fine. I always go through the regular scanners with both my pump and libre.

Keep separate to other liquids and have a prescription handy to show.