[[0012]] What's in my Diabetes bag?

I promised this post on Sunday and as I am going away for a few days tomorrow and will be quiet for a while, I figured I would do a "What's in my Diabetes bag?" post, after seeing so many others doing similar with their own kit/everyday bags. 

So this is my little bag... a little make up bag that has decided to serve another purpose! I've been looking for ages for something that would be good to keep all my medication and bits and pieces all in one place and thankfully, this one fits everything in... plus, Slytherin pride all the way!

So what is in the bag? 

A lot of kit, that is what. Although now that I am looking at it, doesn't seem to look half as much in comparison to other kits I have seen over the years, however, this is all the immediate stuff I need when I am out and about... anything can happen after all!

Now to go through each piece... I hope you're all excited and curious!!! 

1) Blood test kit and additional supplies

Well, I can't go anywhere if I don't know what my blood sugars are doing! And we all know how much this blood kit has been changing my life over the last couple of months. 

The pot of strips is half full, so I have placed another in the pack just in case. Each pot contains 50 strips, so enough to last a week, however, this is very dependent on my circumstances and my health that week, sometimes I do more or sometimes I do less. It honestly does vary!

Also in the pack is a set of ketone strips. I haven't spoken much about ketones but can you believe they used to test ketones (and might still do) with urine test strips! I'll save the ketone explanation for a post about Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which can be deadly. Long story short, if I am very poorly, I have to check my ketones and if they get too high, I have to go to hospital.

2) Insulin pens and back up supplies

... and as with the blood test kit, I cannot go out under any circumstances, without my insulin! 

I have two kinds: the silver and blue pen is my fast acting Novarapid which I take before meals or before I eat a snack that is over 15g carbohydrates, whereas the very shiny new pen is my Toujeo pen, which is long acting. I only got the Toujeo today as a result of my diabetic clinic last week, so fingers crossed I get on with this medication a lot better than my old Lantus! (Praying that I have no more night time hypos...)

I also take a spare bottle of Novarapid insulin for my blue and silver pen, just in case the one in the pen breaks or runs out (going away, I never know how much carbs or indulging I am going to do, so good to be prepared!) as well as some extra needles. 

3) Duloxitine 

These are my diabetic neuropathy medication as well as my anti-depressant. I was hoping I would have a new medication prescribed by now alas that has not yet gone through at my doctors so I may have to make a trip to see them next week. I always carry these with me as I take them every morning around 8am at work, as taking them at this time makes me less nauseous (even though I still get nauseous but its better then taking them at night time). In about a weeks time or so, I will also have Candesartan to add to this bag, although not for my blood pressure, but for my kidneys as I still have issues with them. I may also, hopefully have my old antidepressant to add to the bag too... fingers crossed and watch this space!

4) Emergency Hypo Supplies

A must have, which surprisingly, I only started carrying with me when I started my job in a hospital in 2018. I mainly carry faster acting carbs on me for hypos when I am out and about, to keep me going until I can get somewhere to eat something more slow acting. 

So, for my emergency supplies, I carry a can of energy drink, some dextros tablets (which I personally don't like as I feel like they take ages to work) and some of my favourite sugary sweets, fizzy rainbow belts! The latter is only a recent addition to my bag, as I bought some when having a hypo a few weeks ago and I only had 50p change on me, and I ate a couple and my bloods where fine again. I might add a flapjack to the bag in the future as well although I know I will probably buy them on my trip away anyway as I love a nice oaty flapjack for breakfast before work and travelling!

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Well, that's the contents of my little diabetes kit!!! What do you have in your diabetes bag? I'd love to know!!! I hope you enjoyed this little mini post and please stick around for more in the future!!!