My name is Traci. I am a Type I diabetic. I have been a diabetic for 28-1/2 years. Over the years, especially the last 5, I’ve learned to control my diabetes. I used to carry nothing for my diabetes. What was there to carry? In the beginning I took one shot in the morning. The only thing I monitored was my urine and that was done at home, maybe once a day. I didn’t carry sugar, glucose, syringes, insulin, etc. It wasn’t until I was dating my now husband that I started carrying a can of soda. I started having seizures due to low blood sugar. Soda seemed to work the best but boy was it heavy. Finally I traded in my soda can for a tube of glucose tablets and a glucose meter. After I got married I started seeing an endo. I took classes and made the switch to human insulin. Throughout the years I did some monitoring but not much. I always felt like I was being controlled by diabetes, and I was. I felt I couldn’t do much as far as activity because I never knew what my diabetes was doing. Of course, I didn’t do much to check my blood either. Two years ago I finally decided it was time to get in control. I found a new endo (we moved to another state somewhere in this history story), got off the NPH, learned how to bolus, count carbs, and new terminology related to diabetes. I learned about basal testing. I was told that I would do it once I took diabetes classes to move toward a pump. I was so gung ho about making lifestyle changes that I did the basal testing the next day while on multiple daily injections. I actually fasted for 12 hours without any problems. It really freaked out my husband because he thought for sure that my sugars would plummet. After that test, I knew I could control diabetes. I was out of jail and planned to continue to run away from the grip diabetes had on me. Three months after meeting that endo, I was on a pump. Eight months after that, I added a CGMS. Four months after that, I signed up for my first JDRF walk and joined a gym. One year later and I’m on a more intense exercise routine, eating better, feeling great and have confidence in my control 24 hours a day.
None of this could have been achieved without my support team and my cyborg devices, my pump and CGMS. I look forward to the day when my CGMS and pump become one. And by one, I mean actually working with each other and in a more slimming device. I carry a phone that, although it doesn’t keep me alive, it computes more than my pump and CGMS and is half the thickness.
I don’t have a special bag but have determined that a messenger bag with a zipper compartment on the side that allows me to place all of my supplies in elastic and/or zipper compartments might be best. Right now I carry my pump, alcohol, lancets, lancer, strips and insulin in my original Omnipod bag. I carry my CGMS in my hands. I carry my back up pods in my purse. And I carry my backup CGMS sensor in my backpack with a variety of paperwork. A messenger bag would be much less bulky.
Supplies:
- One Touch Ping meter kit - includes meter, lancing device, control solution, quick glucose tabs, text strips, pump battery
- Animas One Touch Ping Pump - although usually I am wearing it ;-)
- Inset infusion sets (2)
- Byetta pen
- Spare vials of insulin
- Spare One Touch Mini glucose meter
- Extra One Touch Test Strips
- 4 packets Uni-Solve
- 4 Packets IV Prep
- 2 spare Animas One Touch Ping Pump Cartridges
My son Addison was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 3 years ago at the age of 15 months. He is now 4! We have been using the Lilly bag that is often handed out at diagnosis. This is our second one. The first one wore out :( We just refer to it as “The Supply Bag”. Here are the contents (numbers match what is in the photo):
- Infusion Set
- Extra test strips
- Lithium pump battery
- Iv3000
- Refresh Eye drops (those are for me… I put them in here because I KNOW I won’t lose them!)
- Extra lancet cartridge
- Extra poker
- Cartridge
- Extra battery and cartridge caps
- Extra meter
- Meter Batteries
- Juice Box
- Glucose Tabs
- Insulin
- Glucagon
- Cake Gel
- Syringes
- Meter/poker/strips
- Id Bracelet (when not being worn)
- Nutritional Info for cupcakes at Cupcake Royale
- Earth’s Best Cereal Bar
- IV Prep Wipe
- Alcohol Swabs
- Pump Clip
- Not pictured because we were out, but normally a AAA battery for the pump remote
I like this bag because it is compact and easy to carry around AND it has a strap so we can sling it over our shoulders. I wish it was just a tad deeper and maybe with an outside zipper pocket or expandable pocket for putting our meter and strips for easy access. It would be great too if they were more aesthetically pleasing! Not everyone wants a frog or camo design on their bag! I think Lilly may have forgotten that many parents carry this bag for their kids. For longer trips out, I would love a larger bag that has room for a portable scale and extra snacks and water. I have had trouble finding a larger bag with enough compartments to keep things organized and easy to find inside the bag.
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In our house we call it the pink back pack or diabetes bag. What is inside that pink bag we carry around with us? Let me show you.
- Hand wipes
- Ketone strips
- Tissues
- Cake mate
- Glucose tabs
- Back-up meter
- Sugar stash (an empty crystal light container with a juice box and some smarties)
- Sugar stash #2 (an empty crystal light container with a juice box, starbursts and a couple of chocolates)
- Extra sites, alcohol wipes and test strips
- Syringes, extra lancets and an extra cartridge for the pump
- Sugar free Hawaiian Punch pouches
- Meter remote that works with pump
- First aid kit
- Glucagon
- Lithium batteries for pump and meter
Depending on how long we are going to be out I will grab the insulin and throw it in a baggie and toss it in the bag as well. Sometimes I will grab a snack and toss in there too (Usually it’s a granola bar). Or I will put a few snacks in a crystal light container and take out one of the sugar stashes. I love using containers becuase not only is it earth friendly (reuse) but I can mix and match the containers if we need to use another bag or Bekah prefers to take her purse. She is getting more grown up and a lot of times just wants to take her school purses with her. These containers are also very easy to grab and not have to go digging for sugar or other needed items and it keeps the stuff clean. Ever had a juice box collapse and leak all over your bag? Another good reason to use the containers. I am ok with such a little amount being carried back and forth because in her classroom, the office and PE office is a large pencil box with extra sites, back-up meter, extra lancets, juice, snacks, extra strips, extra batteries and glucogon
My daughter was diagnosed with T1D just over a year ago. It is a challenges to keep all of the supplies organized for an outing. It is also a challenge carrying around stuff like crackers or juice with out them getting smashed. For school my daughter needs a bag with a strap so that it can be worn while she is active. Style is very important to a 7 year old girl as well. It must be cute but not too cutesy. Finding a good insulin “pouch” or storage as been a challenge for us as well. She is using a pump now but when we needed to carry the insulin around with us everywhere it was not easy. A plastic baggie is all I could come up with and I’m sure you guys can come up with a better solution than that. Also cost is important to us. We are a one income family and making ends meet is difficult since adding diabetes to the picture.
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As the mother of an active and always on the go 8 year old boy with Type 1 Diabetes, I always need to be prepared. For us that means carrying A LOT of extra supplies as well as the basics. Diabetes is a disease that doesn’t stop for anything so we need to ensure we are ready to handle any situation that may arise. We carry all of these things with us everyday, and everywhere we go.
I do wish there was a nicer looking bag, perhaps with more compartments to help me store all this stuff! Also, maybe a better insulation section for insulin to stay cool in the warmer months. But no matter what the bag looks like, or how heavy it gets, its one accessory that I will always carry!
Kit A is our main bag that carries it ALL:
- Ping Meter/Remote
- Backup Meter
- Glucose Tabs
- Bag of candy and/or cake icing
- Juicebox
- 2nd backup meter
- Ketone meter
- Glucagon
- Scale Calorie King
- Skintac
- 2 extra sites
- Kit B
Kit B is an old meter case that houses the smaller items:
- Insulin
- Extra strips
- Battery cap
- Penny
- Syringes
- Batteries (for pump & meters)
- IV preps & alchohol swabs
- 2 cartridges
- IV 3000
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My son Joe was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was three years old. We have been living with “D” for four years now. Woodchuck (our Diabetes supply bag) has been my fifth appendage over the years. Let me share with you what’s in my “Woodchuck” and my likes and dislikes about my “Woodchuck”.
- Insulin (you can see where it is secured in the bag by elastic)
- A syringe or two (in case of site failure and a quick need for a “fix” and for mini-glucagon dosing)
- An Inset
- A Cartridge
- A lithium battery for the pump
- The coin-like battery cap remover for the pump
- Batteries for the Glucometer
- Glucagon (for emergencies and for mini-dosing)
- Alcohol wipes
- IV Prep
- A Juicy Juice (thanks Lora, from My Diabetic Child)
- A travel container of glucose tabs
- A pack of Starbursts
- A Precision Xtra Blood ketone monitor
- Urine Ketostix
- A Calorie King
- Band aids
- Hand sanitizer
- A Steak Knife :)
The thing I really like about WoodChuck is it’s size - it is fairly compact. I carry it everywhere. I have for years. AND… as you can see, I can fit in a TON of stuff. I wouldn’t mind perhaps an inch more room in the depth of the bag. Also, I would like both sides to have a mesh pocket. I would love to keep everything zipped up, but the glucometer. I cannot tell you how many times I have had Woodchuck opened to check a number, to only forget he was unzipped and I dump everything all over the place. So another mesh pocket would be ideal. I like the insulin elastic band (you can see it in the first inside photo of Woodchuck)… I LOVE the strap. I can fling him over my shoulder and just go. That is ideal. And I like that Woodchuck is insulated because it it protects the insulin during the summer months. I would also love a Woodchuck that was pleasing to the eye!
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My oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2005, at the age of 24 months. Here are some of the things we need and challenges we face for organizing our supplies on the go:
- Fast acting sugar, lower carb
- Cake Mate Gel
- Primary remote (Animas Ping)
- Test Strips
- Alcohol wipes
- Lancet device
- Glucagon
- Small flashlight (testing BG in the dark)
- 2 juice boxes
- Urine ketone strips
- Extra pump cartridge
- Syringes
- Extra infusion sets
- Adhesive skin prep wipes
- Extra pump tubing
- Coin for battery cap
- Backup meter
- Insulin
- Meter batteries
- Pump batteries
- Extra lancets
We live in the desert. We need to keep insulin cool. It does us no good to carry an extra vial that spoils because it’s 120 degrees in the car. We need something that slips easily into a backpack for school or my bag when we’re together. We need a large clearview pocket so we can find and access emergency supplies easily. We need compartments that don’t sag open and end up leaving everything thrown into one big pile of mess. Ideally, we’d like to be able to change the exterior look — maybe she wants pink flowers today and polk-a-dots tomorrow. She needs a sturdy strap for carrying — preferably one that can be changed around to function as a backpack, shoulder strap, or a simple handle. She also has celiac disease and requires a strict gluten free diet. We’d like to be able to toss some gluten free snacks in there as needed for playdates at a friend’s house or prolonged day trips. WATERPROOF inside and out! (Or at least water resistant so that everything doesn’t end up soaked if it drops in a puddle or a juice box leaks). Secure zipper closure and inner compartments that snap shut for added security. Durability. I always panic that her meter will break or the insulin vial will shatter if it’s dropped.
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In my wallet, I have my diabetes ID card, insurance card, and the business card for my doctor. I also carry a folder with a letter from my doctor saying I am within his care and for medical reasons I need to carry syringes and insulin. Since I am living abroad, I carry this with me at all times. I started this habit when I used to travel a lot for work (letters from MDs actually do help you get your meds through security). I also have copies of prescriptions with me in the folder, and when I am taking detailed logs of glucose values for my doctor, the spreadsheet goes in this folder too.
In the yellow hard carrying case, I have candy (Skittles) in a plastic bag in case of an insulin reaction.
In the glucose meter kit, I have the meter itself, a few lancets (I use one lancet for a few days at least for multiple finger sticks, until it gets dull, before changing it), the vial of new test strips, most likely a few used (bloody) test strips bouncing around in the case, as well as and extra set of batteries for the meter and my pump.
The blue hard carrying case has all my back up supplies for my insulin pump. This includes extra reservoirs, extra sets (tubing and soft cannula), adhesive strips to fix the set to my body, and alcohol wipes to prep the injection site. Also in the blue case is the spring-loaded device for inserting the cannula under the skin. I also have in there an extra vial of glucose meter test strips, a few extra syringes in case the pump malfunctions and I am away from home, 2 kinds of insulin (Humalog or short acting for the pump which is what I use daily and back up Lante long lasting).
The insulin vials get wrapped in the paper towels before getting put in the blue case. I had one vial shatter while in the hard case a number of years ago and the paper towel is good padding. I also have extra lancets and batteries for the glucose meter and batteries for the insulin pump in this blue case. There is also a nickle (literally) in there which I use to unscrew the battery cap from the insulin pump if i need to change the battery. Lastly, I also carry some waterproof medical tape with me, in case the infusion set starts to come off (maybe it got very wet) but I don’t want to do a full set change. It is a good short-term fix the set stays attached.
Some notes on the cases. I have found that the hard cases do a much better job of protecting the supplies from getting damaged while in my saddle bag. If you are walking around all day and stuff is loose in the bag, the supplies get beat-up and unusable fast. The fact that the cases are water proof comes from living in a very rainy climate last year (with an actual rainy season, plus I drove around on a motorbike); the cases weigh a lot, but they are very secure so I don’t need to worry that something will happen to my stuff when I am out and about.
I am 27 years old and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes almost 20 years ago. Since I’m always on the go and constantly active, I try to keep my kit as compact as possible. I use the case that came w/ my meter to store all of the essentials and carry it with me anywhere and everywhere I go.
Here’s what’s inside (starting top left, going clockwise):
- Novalog Flex Pen (fast acting insulin)
- 1–3 Flex Pen replacement needles
- Alcohol swabs
- One-Touch Ultra test strips (for testing blood my sugar)
- Lantus Insulin (long-lasting)
- 1–2 syringes
- One Touch Mini Meter (snapped into the meter case that I use as my kit)
- 6–10 Lancets (arbitrary number)
- Lancing device
Although challenging, I found a way to package everything together in the little zip-case that I received with my meter. It’s made of black nylon, which is great b/c it’s resistant to the potential blood stains that it encounters. It also zips closed, which is a nice feature. It’s reassuring to know that nothing will fall out.
The size and portability of my case could be improved. It’s difficult to carry my entire kit with me without needing to carry a larger bag to put it in. It definitely doesn’t slip into my jeans. Especially with the whole skinny jean thing happening right now. In the past, I’ve stripped my kit down to the bare essentials (meter w/out case, lancing device w/fresh lancet loaded, a few strips in a small envelope and my insulin pen). That way I could just slip it in my pockets, or throw it in my wife’s purse. My “essentials kit” has everything I need for at least a few hours or so.
I recently modified the way I log. I switched from a little book that came with my meter, to an iPhone App called ‘Diabetes Log’. It’s really simple and easy to use and I can send my logs to my doctor or myself to review. And It’s nice to use a device that I already use all of the time. The logging process, however, is really tough to keep up. Simply because adds 3–5 minutes to a process that only takes 1 minute or less. This makes it undesirable for me to constantly log everything. It would be great if this was faster and easier. If my blood sugar results and insulin doses could log themselves, then that would be awesome!
