What’s Inside The Diabetes Bag?

I recently got an email from a teenage girl who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Yes, type 2 diabetes is different then type 1 diabetes, but it is still diabetes and we all do have to deal with a lot of the same issues.

One of her main questions was “What do you carry in your diabetes bag?”

Well, instead of just sharing it with her, I thought it would be better to share it with all of my diabetic friends, significant others and people just learning about what diabetes really is.

First off, I want to make it clear that I do not really carry a “diabetes bag.” I am lucky enough to be a female and have a purse to carry around all of my things… an extra large purse!

And here what is currently inside of it:

• Glucose tablets (the small containers. I buy the big ones just to refill the smaller ones)
• My test kit (which includes a lot of other things that I am going to list below)
• My OmniPod Meter
• Test Strips
• Vial of insulin
• Finger stick/pricker
• Needles (in case I have an issue with my insulin pump and am not carrying another one to change it)
• Alcohol swabs
• Lancets
• A Breakfast Bar / Candy bar or easy little snack in case I need it
• Hand sanitizer (in case I bleed all over)

Just so everyone is clear, I do not currently have juice boxes on the list, but I also do not always carry them around with me. The times when I do are :

1. When I am in a hurry to leave and I know I am going to go low
2. I am not going to be home for most of a day, and am unsure of when/what I will be eating for dinner
3. I am going out to do some exercise

I want you to share what you have inside of your diabetes bag. What else would be a good idea to carry?