Source
r/EDC•
MLagn

Type 1 Diabetic: Questions about storing food/medication in my EDC bag.

So I guess my EDC interest formed because I am more of a worrier than anything. No matter where I go I always bring spare clothes, electronic chargers, power banks, extra medicine, emergency food, etc etc. I'd say I am more of a bug-out bag/get-home bag kinda guy.

I am trying to figure out the best way to carry around and keep both my Insulin and snacks for low blood sugars. Most diabetics will tell you they refrigerate their insulin after use but I use the insulin pens and I keep the ones I am not using refrigerated and the ones I am using I put in a padded glucose meter case Like this

Where I live (VA) it is pretty hot so leaving the insulin in my car is not ideal because the heat will alter it overtime, but I usually take it with me wherever I go. The issue is I would like to keep spare or backup insulin pens in a bug out bag but I am not sure if that's possible without ruining them.

My next issue is leaving snacks in my bug out bag, most granola bars/candy/sweets will melt in the heat and that's never fun. Does anyone know of any snacks that have a decent amount of carbs (over 25 if possible) that wont be ruined by heat?

Posted Aug 1, 2016, 8:28 PM UTC

613
FeebleOldMan•

On mobile so please forgive my brevity.

Preparedness

What you do is excellent! However, if you're on foot, bear in mind that the more weight you carry, the faster you burn through your energy levels, so it's probably a good idea to have a good balance of practicality.

spare insulin

Perhaps your doctor might have a solution? Some sort of mylar lined insulated pouch, alongside cooling gels?

Snacks

How about honey roasted almonds? r/diabetes might have more suggestions too.

3
MLagnOP•

Thank you for your reply, I didn't even think about nuts! I love honey roasted peanuts and i'm pretty sure they can't melt! You're awesome

2
cpb70•

For your insulin pens. Check out

http://www.frioinsulincoolingcase.com

They work, especially if you leave them somewhere warm. Might ease your mind a bit.

Food wise. Kashi granola bars. Peanut butter stores easily and can be spread on just about anything low carb. I usually have Dark Rye crackers. Nuts, especially Almonds. Meat Jerky in whatever form you like.

2
MLagnOP•

Woah.. Thank you so much! This is so cool!

1
dotMJEG•

Type 1 EDCer here! I'm much the same way. I carry a vial or two of insulin that I don't refrigerate. I rotate it out especially in the hotter months, but by and large it's OK.

I carry most of my stuff in a man-purse. Except it's not very manly, and IDK if it was actually designed for a male. But I like it so w/e.

The issue is I would like to keep spare or backup insulin pens in a bug out bag but I am not sure if that's possible without ruining them.

Looks like this one got solved.

My next issue is leaving snacks in my bug out bag, most granola bars/candy/sweets will melt in the heat and that's never fun. Does anyone know of any snacks that have a decent amount of carbs (over 25 if possible) that wont be ruined by heat?

Some cliff bars work alright. As do some chewy bars. There's always glucose tabs. Juice boxes work better than juice bottles IMO. Honey is great, I keep a thing of it in each car (great survival item too!) I also tend to keep a few things of that little-plastic-packaged Motts applesauce. Drinkable in a pinch, good solid carbs, some are more sugary than others but good substance otherwise.

2
MLagnOP•

Hey! Great do hear from another Type 1, I appreciate your reply. My girlfriend always teases me because I would totally carry a purse if backpacks weren't a thing! She's always on me for throwing my kit/insulin/candy in her purse haha.

I think I am going to buy a box of cliff bars off of Amazon as well as some glucose tabs and those gel tubes.

2
dotMJEG•

Peanut butter are my favorites, Sierra trail mix is pretty good too. Both are resistant to melting (although the Sierra's have some chocolate, it's negligable). Chocolate brownie is awesome, and suprisingly not very melty. Not quite like Macadamia nut.

Definitely glucose tabs and tubes, those things should be the first line of defense, as it were, to a low. They will not hold your levels long, but will get them up there quick. A few of those paired with a juice and/ or granola bar will work very well for all but very.extreme cases. (I think you should carry tablets everywhere, the few times I've gone without them this month, I ended up needing them bad, just shove em in your pocket! that's what I've done, great little security blanket).

But yeah, on the man-purse front. I honestly couldn't be bothered by it at this point. I'm not very traditional, let's say, anyways, but a simple small shoulderbag is really a Godsend. You could always carry a little cooler around too, that's how I and my parents used to proceed everywhere we went.

Anyways, good luck to you. Good health, and keep those A1Cs in check, lord knows I need to.

2
MLagnOP•

The biggest issue I have is carrying things in my pockets, I can hardly carry my wallet in my back pocket without becoming extremely annoyed. That's why my new 5.11 Rush 24 is literally a blessing. There is so much storage, so many pockets for everything!

Thank you kindly, stay healthy! There's tons of new developments, we may be healthier soon than we thought we'd ever be,

2
WinTurkey•

Perhaps keep the pens and snacks in a thermos? Are the pens waterproof? If so, maybe fill the thermos with chilled water and submerge them in that?

1
Magnumfloyd•

I keep the pouches of apple sauce for my son the temperature doesn't effect them.

1
dicky9169•

Not diabetic and know nothing about it, but if you're looking for carbs.. I got to try a sample of greenbelly bars. They're quite expensive but they're advertised as having 100g of carbs. Didn't expect much but they were actually delicious.

1
Westymeme•

I use a smaller Pelican case for a lot of that. Also, check out FRIO Insulin storage sleeves.

1
emodlm•

Baby food pouches.

1