Type 1 Diabetes advice

[Crazyfool01]

not a question ... but if anyone needs any festival related type 1 advice ... please DM me or post here .... Ive done several so might be able to help .... 

[lucyliz]

Hi! 
I’m newly diagnosed with type 1 (December 2021) and have been to Glastonbury before but this year will be my first with T1D. I have a couple of questions if that’s ok? 

In terms of going into the festival do you normally take a letter from the doctor/prescription info to explain the medication you’re carrying? Just aware that I’ll be carrying needles and my insulin is in glass.

How much do you take in terms of spares? And where do you store any spares, in your tent or with the medical tent? 

Do you reduce your basal for the duration of the festival to account for all the waking etc? (I will ask my dsn about this but you might have more knowledge from experience here, but appreciate that everyone is different!) 

Would you take a spare Libre/cgm just in case? I’ll take my test strips anyway but I’d rather just use my Libre and not have to finger prick but worried about it failing/getting knocked off

Sorry I know that’s a lot of questions, I’m really keen to just enjoy the experience and I think the more prepared I can be before hand then the less I’ll have to worry about it whilst I’m there! 
 

any other top tips/advice would be very gratefully appreciated! Thanks!! 
 

 

[Crazyfool01]

I’d advise taking prescription just in case … I’ve never needed it … I just advise security if they wish to search my bag that it contains sharps as I’m diabetic and that has been enough . I’ve got a freestyle libre so I take a spare one of those and keep it in the festival lockups … you could use the medical centre but that’s more of a faf and some spare insulin …. Which I store in the same lockups …. I’d advise using a frio insulin wallet for keeping insulin cool  Amazon … make sure you have enough Glucose tablets on you … boots sell big tubs and obviously make sure people that you camp with are aware of hypo signs …. I reduce my basal yep … I don’t know if you drink or not but try and work out how particular drinks effect your sugars before if you can … best of luck … I’ve done 6or so now with diabetes and quite a few without … just keep scanning though 🙂 libre is amazing 

[lucyliz]

Thanks so much! I’ve just ordered a friyo wallet and will deffo take a load of glucose tablets! Yeah I feel very grateful to have my Libre, it’s brilliant. 
Its really reassuring to hear from someone that has done this plenty of times before! 
 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, lucyliz said:

Thanks so much! I’ve just ordered a friyo wallet and will deffo take a load of glucose tablets! Yeah I feel very grateful to have my Libre, it’s brilliant. 
Its really reassuring to hear from someone that has done this plenty of times before! 
 

Those lockups are amazing too … make sure if you got mates about they know to wake you if they hear your libre or phone alarm going off ..,, and what it sounds like … sometimes I can sleep though an alarm accidentally… diabetes isn’t  perfect sience so you will always have lows and highs …just minimise them as much as you can … 

[lucyliz]

Good idea, I’ve never managed to sleep through my alarm yet but I will make sure my mates know what it sounds like in case I do! I think I will put my spares in a lockup as well. You’ve really put my mind at ease, thanks again! 

[robin]

All but one of the Glastonburys I've done since 95 have been as a T1. 

Never needed to take a prescription and other than saying to security before they rummage through my bag that there are sharps in there have never had any problems with security. When staying in the camper van fields I had a fridge for insulin usually so that was fine. Otherwise have used the Frio wallets, although always dumped any left over insulin on returning to civilisation incase it had deteriorated. 

The medical facilities on site are fantastic. If you have any issues then give them a visit. I had my tent and all diabetes kit nicked twice over the years and the medical services were great at getting me replacement supplies. 

I'd normally use Jelly Babies for hypo treatment, but they don't like hot weather and quickly turn to a sticky mess so I'm stocking up on loads of Dextrose tablets which I'll have stashed in every pocket. 

I use a Libre, which I have linked to my watch as a CGM, but means I'll need to remember a bunch of extra charging cables and not lose any of them. Will also have to find my blood meter which hasn't been used in ages and will stash that and a spare vial of insulin in a Frio and put that in the lockup. Also need to remember loads of extra canulas for my insulin pump as very likely that they will get sweated off. 

Will be my first time going solo so don't have the usual backup of a mate to notice when I appear drunker quicker than they are as a sign of hypo. 

[robin]

On the Libre, I'm debating if I'll take a spare along. What I am doing though is changing the day I put a new one on slightly over the next few sensors so that it will expire on the Monday or Tuesday after the festival. Just so that I won't be too annoyed if it does fall off of fail over the weekend and I then think I've wasted a sensor. 

[Crazyfool01]

11 hours ago, robin said:

On the Libre, I'm debating if I'll take a spare along. What I am doing though is changing the day I put a new one on slightly over the next few sensors so that it will expire on the Monday or Tuesday after the festival. Just so that I won't be too annoyed if it does fall off of fail over the weekend and I then think I've wasted a sensor. 

im fortunate in that im slightly over prescribed and find that if the fail its usually at the end so will put a new one on the day before I go ....  on the hypo thing .... thats such a tough one .... i set my libre alarms up to alarm at a higher level than hypo ... say 4.3 .... that will hopefully prevent any issues .... apart from overnight .... im happier running a bit high over the festival than having hypos to deal with so I treat the trip to the farm as a bit of an exception management wise 

[Crazyfool01]

Interesting article this for any casual browsers https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61339882

Edited May 14, 2022 by crazyfool1

[scatteredscreens]

This'll be my first glasto with a libre, done two before with a finger pricker and it is a pain. Looking forward to the Libre at a festival, it made end of the road so much easier.

[scatteredscreens]

Just reading some other comments. I always use the medical centre. I find they're really nice and pleasant and it gives me a nice place to change my insulin pump cannula instead of my tent, I also leave two vials of insulin in there and label it with my name, I just use Novorapid so it's not as if it takes up much room. Also lets me sanitise the area a bit so there isn't gonna be anything nasty on when I change it.

[scatteredscreens]

Sorry for the triple post but just reading about Libres too, I know these arent for everyone but when I do something that I know is gonna be warm/sweaty and i think my libre is on the ropes I always use one of these. I also do it when I change my libre to a fresh one to make sure the adhesive is against my skin.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323995266304?hash=item4b6f9f6d00:g:JdEAAOSwIh5d396V&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4DbcPvjoTa71dlcOim0ir7FUSrxk5N%2F1WgMT7bYw4Yo%2B%2F04ohz32XIKNzLhzT%2BAwUoDn06BQfPNE9qNYlTWWcrqYMBuqpMyOlY5fsIQPbalnUoohSmEsJBbgzCgxM4s1c0LjeiZhubCgVvH2sVDAp%2Bb2IUY980DeLjjnmcBbFI7Gb8h5GVDlfs3W2MainfP6p2NQmUMC5q9pr2XQAcySAhlxH1M%2FvFK0BGCvFAkT5WThlD7hY8f25GzuUKybu5pL5wmnZF0c8FMB8bf9oVhAJ3sFPdE6YajDwXvzH04isWhP|tkp%3ABFBM1Jy3pZhg

This is one of the more expensive ones, but you can get cheaper ones on ebay/amazon.

[robin]

5 hours ago, scatteredscreens said:

Just reading some other comments. I always use the medical centre. I find they're really nice and pleasant and it gives me a nice place to change my insulin pump cannula instead of my tent, I also leave two vials of insulin in there and label it with my name, I just use Novorapid so it's not as if it takes up much room. Also lets me sanitise the area a bit so there isn't gonna be anything nasty on when I change it.

Ooh, that's an idea to make use of their fridge for vials and on canula / cartridge change over days. 

[Crazyfool01]

Bump 

[prestonmike]

I've done a few festivals as a T1, this will be my first with the libre, its going to be so much easier checking on that (as long as i can keep my phone charged) than carrying around a finger picker

I have a couple of frio wallets, usually keep a spare pen in that and put it under my tent where it'll keep cooler but might try seeing if I can store them in the lockups or medical services if I'm camping nearby one of them, will also take a spare libre in case the one I have fails or falls off

I always get a big pack of those small Haribo packs and always make sure I've got 2 or 3 of them with me, you have to remember you'll be walking a lot more than usual and more active, as well as eating foods where you don't always know how many carbs are in them so i usually reduce my insulin (both basal and bolus) and correct as and when needed, much easier to check when you have a libre than it used to be, also, remember alcohol will mess with your levels

I've never had to take proof of prescription, in fact a few years ago, I was about to inject when one of the stewards saw me and asked if id like to do it in the staff toilets where I'd be able to wash my hands before pricking my finger

[Mark0]

Im taking my 17 year old daughter who is Type 1 , its both our first Glastonbury. I was wondering if its advisable to maybe camp near the medical area maybe Big Ground or Kidney mead areas ?

[Crazyfool01]

2 hours ago, Mark0 said:

Im taking my 17 year old daughter who is Type 1 , its both our first Glastonbury. I was wondering if its advisable to maybe camp near the medical area maybe Big Ground or Kidney mead areas ?

personally id not worry about it .... you are always going to be in the wrong place .... id advise a frio wallet  for keeping insulin cool but they dont really provide anything other than a fridge when a wallet does the same job . Just make sure you have enough glucose tabs / jelly babies . 

[prestonmike]

1 hour ago, crazyfool1 said:

Just make sure you have enough glucose tabs / jelly babies . 

I'll be taking one of these with me and hope i dont need them all

https://groceries.asda.com/product/funsize-party-multipack-sweets/haribo-share-the-happy-mini-bags-multipack/1000281071967?&cmpid=ppc-_-ghs-_--_-google-_--_-dskwid-s92700064593960142_dc&s_kwcid=AL!11432!3!459891151416!!!g!434260216048!&ds_rl=1254319&gclid=CjwKCAjw7cGUBhA9EiwArBAvovR7NhNqLH3LHBJ2lIS4O0DG1VowwMbQq-ylnPBL60pdUh7l_IwguxoCkmUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Boo50]

Any tips on sugar free (or low sugar) cocktails in a can?

im not a beer or wine drinker but love a cocktail!

[Crazyfool01]

26 minutes ago, Boo50 said:

Any tips on sugar free (or low sugar) cocktails in a can?

im not a beer or wine drinker but love a cocktail!

no and im intrigued if there are any .... what i do is try and have a trial run of the impact of different drinks on my sugar levels prior to the festival .... 

[Boo50]

1 hour ago, crazyfool1 said:

no and im intrigued if there are any .... what i do is try and have a trial run of the impact of different drinks on my sugar levels prior to the festival .... 

that’s exactly what I’m doing now too! 

I’ve found lidl do pink gin and diet lemonade may be a saviour…alternate that with some strawberry dacquiris which I’ll need from all the walking making my bloods low.

This is my first festival with the libre too, love spotting another user in the wild 😂

[Crazyfool01]

bump 🙂 

[PassingCloud]

I knew someone that had his insulin stolen at a festival (not Glastonbury), which ended the festival for him! Might be worth keeping plenty at the lock up if that’s feasible. 

[Crazyfool01]

1 hour ago, PassingCloud said:

I knew someone that had his insulin stolen at a festival (not Glastonbury), which ended the festival for him! Might be worth keeping plenty at the lock up if that’s feasible. 

theres onsite pharmacy that im sure you can access for emergencies like that .... I do also keep spares though