How will you navigate holidays with WL pens?

[Tocktik]

I’m on 2.5mg at moment but we are due to go on an all inclusive holiday at the end of June.

Im not worried about putting on a few pounds whilst there as we’re only going for a week but I do want to be able to enjoy the food without feeling too full or sick (but within the limits of eating a reasonable amount)
has anyone successfully missed a week or 2 and then returned to their normal dose after?

does your appetite come back ten fold fairly quickly?

I just continue taking my medication as normal when on holiday last year. I did one injection a day early and the next one a couple of days late due to being away and deciding not to take the pen with me. I had a lovely time and are delicious food, just not in large quantities. I was on 5mg at the time.

the way I’m feeling about food currently I don’t think ill be able to face much, I’m managing to have scrambled eggs for breakfast, a small soup for lunch and small chicken salad for dinner but the thought of a dessert is too much for me!

Wait to see how you feel closer to the time, I'm guessing you are fairly new to taking it?

I'm on 5mg and have been for 6 months and I eat pretty much 'normally' in that I don't feel suppressed any more but my portions are vastly smaller than they used to be but I don't feel deprived at all. The idea of going on holiday wouldn't be an issue at all as food is no longer this thing that my life revolves around but I enjoy it still. My blood sugars are better regulated now so I don't have uncontrollable cravings for food.

I remember when I started on 2.5mg months ago that feeling that I might never be able to enjoy food again. It doesn't stay that way forever!

Id be wary of it having an impact on travel insurance- declare everything!

I started in October and have been on two long haul holidays since then (currently still away). I ordered a Frio wallet to keep my pen in (as I go to the Caribbean and it’s hot). I inject as normal when on holiday. It works fine. I’m still on 5mg with good suppression in terms of portion sizes (can only manage about half a meal). I prefer to keep taking it and haven’t found it affects my enjoyment on holiday. How you feel now will most likely change as time goes on. Initially I felt sick and was constipated. All gone now - just occasional indigestion which drinking a lot of water helps.

Thanks all, I’m not planning on taking it with me as we will only be away for a week, just wondered how much of an impact if I didn’t take it I guess.
we fly on a Monday and I usually inject on a Thursday

I've just come back from a weeks holiday. I took the injection whilst away. I did eat more and being higher carb than usual in my diet I've gained 1lb but I'm really pleased with that. I ate foods I don't usually day to day and had a glass of wine with dinner, again I don't usually drink. I ate a lot less though and I'm really pleased. Only gaining 1lb whereas old piglet would easily have put on 5lb in a week before.
I'm using the WLI as a journey...I'm learning about what I can eat in moderation for what will be life changes.
I don't ever want to think I should gorge myself on holiday because I can.

I really enjoyed the food, just in much smaller quantities than before

When we go away in the summer I'll do the same as you in terms of injecting before and after you come back (if it's only a week this is easy to avoid missing a dose or having to take the pen with you).
I wouldn't ditch the diet for a holiday though as you want this to be a life long change. Not exactly the same as a whole holiday week but we went away in Jan to see family,it was tricky, because there are some very pushy relatives with their puddings. They've put effect into making things and so I completely understand they want food at least tried. I ate a lot of crap but kept the portions small so nobody was offended and I didn't go off plan. You can still enjoy less healthy food. 'Plan' for me is calorie restriction, I'm not cut out for low carb and that sort of thing, even on MJ.

I have been wondering about this when we are away in the summer for 2 weeks. We are at an AI and I would like to be able to take advantage of trying the different restaurants and having the odd drink but not going mad.

I don’t really want to take the pen with me, but equally I don’t want to screw everything up by titratng down or worse stopping cold. No idea what dose I might be on by then, hoping I might be able to stick with 5mg.

I take mine with me and I eat how I would at home. I exercise too. It's a lifestyle change and mindset shift. I'm not going back to bad habits and eating unhealthily, especially not just for a week or two, what's the point?

I’ve had 3 holidays so far since starting MJ. Have taken my pen with me every time and injected and carried on as normal. I also took my blood pressure meds and asthma meds with me and carried on as normal.

I started in May 24 and went on a big AI in August 24. I took my dose on the Monday and flew on the Wednesday. I did it a day earlier and I didn't take the full dose as I didn't want any chance of feeling ropey on the plane. While on holiday I was absolutely fine - I didn't feel deprived and ate well but not my previous AI portions. The only thing I realised was that Pina Coladas made me feel sick so I avoided them.

I was away 12 nights and then took my dose the day I got back, so a couple of days late and again I didn't take the full dose. The next time I did I went back to full dose.

Interestingly I had a supply issue this week and Boots online doctor said I had a two week window within which you have to take doses. So if it happened again I would just take my dose as normal within the two weeks.

I took mine with me and took it on schedule but didn't increase my dose until I got back.

It was fine, I ate less than previous holidays but was able to try everything and enjoy a drink as normal. I even lost weight while I was away!

I took my pen in an insulated insulin wallet with ice-packs in my hand luggage and security didn't even look at it. Once I arrived I kept it in the fridge until I flew again.

No need to stop taking it at all, this is a life long change, enjoy eating like a thin person or holiday!

Having weeks off for Christmas or so that you can make the most of an all inclusive holiday is the route to weight regain imo. Part of losing weight is changing your habits which means that you don’t have huge binges. Will the world end/will people die if you don’t try all the cakes at the all inclusive buffet? The answer is no.

If the pen is open ie you've used a dose you can keep at room temperature

It still has to be below 30c

We were away in northern Europe in Feb and I took mine with me. It was in the car for the journey and then I popped it in the hotel room fridge. It helped me to continue on this journey and to avoid gorging on eating all of the amazing delights available. I enjoyed myself and had bites of whatever the kids were having but had no compulsion to overeat, which I would have normally done without a second thought.

It’s not so much about wanting to eat all the cakes at the buffet… it’s about being able to want to try at least one at some point!

Currently, I am eating at least half normal size portions, which is fine but not particularly enjoyable for eating out where I quickly feel overwhelmed and put off by all the food on the plate.

I haven’t really drunk but would like to enjoy the odd cocktail.

I would basically like to be able to enjoy food and drink again, ultimately the willpower is going to have to come from me at some point!

maybe I’m feeling particularly put off continuing on holiday as I’ve just started 5mg and the suppression is huge!

If you’re getting suppression to the extent that you can’t have one cake or a cocktail, I would look at lowering the dose back down. It’s not supposed to kill your appetite to the extent that you can’t really eat like a normal person.

I travelled for 9 weeks with 3 pens. I used one of the blue ice blocks for frozen food and an insulated bag for the flight. I put it in my hand luggage and it sailed through security. At destination I just put them in the fridge as normal. I di put my needles and bonus does syringes in my hold suitcase.

For a weeks holiday I’d gradually either bring my infection forward/push it back by a day until I was taking it on the day before travel or I’d just take in on my normal day, go on the holiday and enjoy it and then take it the day I got back,

There was only 1 time during our holiday to foodie heaven aka Italy that I said to partner it would be a waste me going there as it was expensive and I knew I'd not do it justice.
However eating half a meal or just having a spoon of ice cream rather than a whole one or a nibble of cake to taste really was fine!
I'd eat breakfast which I don't usually do but high protein then no lunch or very small thus leaving room for dinner. I really did not feel deprived at all!

I'm assuming we have to carry it in our hand luggage and declare it ?!

My DH misses a week or part of a week while we are away.