Son just diagnosed diabetic.

[CruisingSteelerGirl]

Ok, so my son was just diagnosed type 1 last month. We have a cruise planned for June of this year. He does not have a pump yet but hopefully we may by the time we go. I asked Carnival if they had the carb count for each of their plates but I was told no. Just to contact the Matre D when we arrive. However, he is 15 years old and he will not be with us for some of the meals. I figured they might know the nutritional value of each entre with so many dietary restrictions out there.

 

I am looking for suggestions, help, words of advise to help with my son and his new diagnoses. Anything not to forget prior to going? We never got vacation insurance before but should we?

[deborahjo]

First of all please know it is manageable and manageable on a cruise. I know.

 

Call Special Needs. They have a wealth of information to help make your cruise a success.

 

 

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[riclop]

Ok, so my son was just diagnosed type 1 last month. We have a cruise planned for June of this year. He does not have a pump yet but hopefully we may by the time we go. I asked Carnival if they had the carb count for each of their plates but I was told no. Just to contact the Matre D when we arrive. However, he is 15 years old and he will not be with us for some of the meals. I figured they might know the nutritional value of each entre with so many dietary restrictions out there.

 

I am looking for suggestions, help, words of advise to help with my son and his new diagnoses. Anything not to forget prior to going? We never got vacation insurance before but should we?

Eat plenty of salads and veggies and take a glucose meter to monitor.

[Essiesmom]

The most important thing is dietary education for your son. Very important to know portion sizes. The difference between simple carbs and complex carbs. What's a starch... Lots of education needed, not just for the parents. EM

[HLNFan]

Be sure to take the monitor and glucose tablets anytime you get off the boat. The sun and activity including walking can make blood sugar go low too. A Calorie King type book with carb counts would be good to take with you.

 

 

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[GradUT]

If you are concerned about having to cancel the cruise for medical reasons or incur expenses connected to your son's condition, travel insurance probably won't do you any good at this point. The condition is now a pre-existing condition and pre-existing conditions aren't covered with most policies unless you buy them within 10 - 15 days after the initial payment (deposit) on the cruise. Basically, as the InsureMyTrip website says, "...you can't buy any medical coverage once you recognize a need for medical attention."

 

Be sure to read the fine print with any travel insurance policy you may consider buying regarding restrictions concerning medical condtions.

[Cabron]

First thing, sorry to hear this news. It will be a new experience for you both, but one that is ABSOLUTELY a hill that you both can climb. My oldest, now 20, was diagnosed at age 9 (went on a cruise about 12 months after that, and several since). If you and your kiddo will learn how to count carbs, and bolus insulin properly, you'll be fine. Use a carb counter for the first several months, and take it with you on your cruise! Very doable! Talk to your doc, and your dietitian. They will give you good info to use. You'll be fine.

 

Here's a recent link with some good (and bad) info. Don't cancel your cruise. You and he will be fine if you're just thoughtful about the things you do.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2488245&highlight=diabetic

[Cabron]

One other thing. If you'll invest in a diabetes camp for him, you will NEVER regret it. Other kids dealing with the same issues. Good education. Fun activities. I believe Camp Sweeney changed our kid's life for the better. There's bound to be a good one near you.

 

Best.

[Budget Queen]

Get a carb book. It is unreasonable to be dependent on people telling you how many carbs you are consuming. This has the amounts of a lot of foods listed. . It will be easy to figure basics out, by being accurate with the amounts. Not that hard. If you don't get the pump soon, you may want to delay it until after the cruise. It will require a period of adjustments and multiple testing. Added efforts if also getting an Interstitial fluid, glucose monitor. Take at least double the supplies you think you'll need and batteries. Essential practice with traveling and being life dependent. Always also have 20+ syringes packed. Pump failure can and does happen.

[Mrs CruisinCritter]

When I was diagnosed at age 11, my endocrine recommended The Calorie King Calorie, Fat, and Carbohydrate Counter book which has counts for about 200 restaurants (fast food and sit down) along with counts for individual items like potatoes, breads, fruits, etc. I believe there may even be an app now too. It was a big help in the first several months after being diagnosed.

 

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[CruisingSteelerGirl]

First of all please know it is manageable and manageable on a cruise. I know.

 

Call Special Needs. They have a wealth of information to help make your cruise a success.

 

 

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Yes, I did and they sent me a fax over indicating that what the procedure is and what to do. I was hoping they had a nutritional information listing of their food items on the ship. Like a Guys burger for example. So it is a little easier for him to count his carbs.

[CruisingSteelerGirl]

One other thing. If you'll invest in a diabetes camp for him, you will NEVER regret it. Other kids dealing with the same issues. Good education. Fun activities. I believe Camp Sweeney changed our kid's life for the better. There's bound to be a good one near you.

 

Best.

He says no to a camp now but I am going to look into some camps for him. He really does feel like he is alone in this. I want his cruise to be nice for him and not to worry the whole time. I was hoping Carnival had a list of carbs per each meal out there. It would make sense since there are a lot of dietary restrictions out there.

[CruisingSteelerGirl]

Get a carb book. It is unreasonable to be dependent on people telling you how many carbs you are consuming. This has the amounts of a lot of foods listed. . It will be easy to figure basics out, by being accurate with the amounts. Not that hard. If you don't get the pump soon, you may want to delay it until after the cruise. It will require a period of adjustments and multiple testing. Added efforts if also getting an Interstitial fluid, glucose monitor. Take at least double the supplies you think you'll need and batteries. Essential practice with traveling and being life dependent. Always also have 20+ syringes packed. Pump failure can and does happen.

Not sure when he will get the pump. He was just diagnosed a month ago. He is still learning to count his carbs. I was hoping Carnival had a nutritional label for their food items to make it a little easier for him.

[Cabron]

He says no to a camp now but I am going to look into some camps for him. He really does feel like he is alone in this. I want his cruise to be nice for him and not to worry the whole time. I was hoping Carnival had a list of carbs per each meal out there. It would make sense since there are a lot of dietary restrictions out there.

 

I think what you will find (if you're like we were/are) is that a lot of carb counting involves estimations. Whether it is from Guy's, Chili's, or Johnny Rockets, a hamburger bun will be roughly the same in carb count, off the margins anyway. Same with a portion of French fries. His body won't react the same every single time, nor will his glucose levels be the same (not to mention being in the process of a quick rise or fall) each time, etc etc. The lack of precision drove us crazy at first, but we finally loosened up and became comfortable with estimates and rounding. Rest assured, even with that guesstimating, we're light years ahead of where we were 20 years ago as far as daily management is concerned. Y'all will be fine!

[HLNFan]

I was diagnosed at 22 and I felt really alone too. Most then we're either little kids or older adults with Type 2. If you can find a copy of the book Diabetes Without Fear, it was a big help in my acceptance and there for dealing/managing my new normal.

 

 

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[CruisingSteelerGirl]

I think what you will find (if you're like we were/are) is that a lot of carb counting involves estimations. Whether it is from Guy's, Chili's, or Johnny Rockets, a hamburger bun will be roughly the same in carb count, off the margins anyway. Same with a portion of French fries. His body won't react the same every single time, nor will his glucose levels be the same (not to mention being in the process of a quick rise or fall) each time, etc etc. The lack of precision drove us crazy at first, but we finally loosened up and became comfortable with estimates and rounding. Rest assured, even with that guesstimating, we're light years ahead of where we were 20 years ago as far as daily management is concerned. Y'all will be fine!

 

Thank you! We are using the carb counter now and if the item is not there we estimate.

[luckymbt]

Congratulations !! you are already getting the hang of using the book and estimating. My DD diagnosed when she was 9, now going on her Sweet 16 Birthday cruise in a few weeks. Like everyone says it is doable, and you can still have fun and eat normal things in moderation and it will be a fun vacation. Special Needs will get you a sharps container and mini fridge for the insulin. In our past experience the kids programs / counselors were very aware and attentive to her diet needs and dos and don'ts. We have often been surprised to find a few other T1D kids cruising with us, some on pumps some not.

My daughter always seems to run low on vacations, the stress reduction from being out of school always seems to have that effect. So just check BG often, pack some hard to melt sugar snacks like skittles, they are great to pack when going ashore. If you are flying ask your Endocrinologist for a letter that explains the diagnosis and allows them to carry juice and snacks beyond TSA regs. My DD just got back from an air trip to Florida with my husband and she got her letter, and crazy enough they were going there to scuba dive!!! and will again when we cruise soon. She did great, there are some depth restrictions that she has to follow, but FUN does not have to end, you just have to adjust. Good Luck to you from one T1D mom to the next !!

I'll be happy to answer any other questions as will the rest of the CC Family here.

[rufflesmom]

If you are planning to do any excursions I would strongly suggest you take snacks for him. Sometimes you may go quite a long time without eating and you don't want his blood sugar to drop. There are plenty of individually packaged diabetic snacks on the market today. And drink plenty of water. I know teenagers don't think too much of drinking water but it will help keep his blood sugar more steady. It would be too easy for him to grab a soda when you are out.

And just an FYI, one cruise we did a snorkeling excursion. When I got back on the boat I saw a young lady putting an insulin pump back on. She had taken it off to snorkel and put it back on when she was done.

[easyboy]

When I was diagnosed at age 11, my endocrine recommended The Calorie King Calorie, Fat, and Carbohydrate Counter book which has counts for about 200 restaurants (fast food and sit down) along with counts for individual items like potatoes, breads, fruits, etc. I believe there may even be an app now too. It was a big help in the first several months after being diagnosed.

 

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Good suggestion! I am also diabetic and it helped me.

[CruisingSteelerGirl]

Congratulations !! you are already getting the hang of using the book and estimating. My DD diagnosed when she was 9, now going on her Sweet 16 Birthday cruise in a few weeks. Like everyone says it is doable, and you can still have fun and eat normal things in moderation and it will be a fun vacation. Special Needs will get you a sharps container and mini fridge for the insulin. In our past experience the kids programs / counselors were very aware and attentive to her diet needs and dos and don'ts. We have often been surprised to find a few other T1D kids cruising with us, some on pumps some not.

My daughter always seems to run low on vacations, the stress reduction from being out of school always seems to have that effect. So just check BG often, pack some hard to melt sugar snacks like skittles, they are great to pack when going ashore. If you are flying ask your Endocrinologist for a letter that explains the diagnosis and allows them to carry juice and snacks beyond TSA regs. My DD just got back from an air trip to Florida with my husband and she got her letter, and crazy enough they were going there to scuba dive!!! and will again when we cruise soon. She did great, there are some depth restrictions that she has to follow, but FUN does not have to end, you just have to adjust. Good Luck to you from one T1D mom to the next !!

I'll be happy to answer any other questions as will the rest of the CC Family here.

Thank you! Does your daughter use a pump? If so, what kind? We are cruising in June. We are in Florida and so no flying for us. Good to know about the Dr's script when flying.

[CruisingSteelerGirl]

Good suggestion! I am also diabetic and it helped me.

Yes, we have that app and it helps a lot! thanks.

[Cabron]

Thank you! Does your daughter use a pump? If so, what kind? We are cruising in June. We are in Florida and so no flying for us. Good to know about the Dr's script when flying.

 

 

We've used Medtronic, which was great technology. Last several years we've used OmniPod. Waterproof and tubeless are much appreciated by the active 20 year old!

[luckymbt]

Hi, my daughter also uses the Medtronic pump, which the previous poster was right, they have great technology, making FDA approvals on their artificial pancreas. And they have Fabulous customer service. My dtr was away in Ohio in a summer camp, I was home in Virginia, and her pump malfunctioned !!! YIKES, but not so bad Medtronic air flighted a pump to her. But I will say, She has been a counselor for the last 3 summers at a diabetes camp, helping younger,newly diagnosed kids and she has taken a real liking to the omnipod waterproof, tubeless system. It is a tough / expensive decision, take your time, look at all of them , sales reps will come to your house or meet you at the Endo. office. You will be able to make an informed decision, don't worry. And it may change as your child gets older and into more things. I hope you have a great June cruise !!! and by the way, we have plenty of family in PA, so Go Steelers !! Oh and Carnival is good about having Sugar Free desserts in the buffet area, I can't really speak to the taste ...my dtr. usually opts for a few bites of honest to goodness dessert vs. a full size "sugar free" . The only other random advice and I do not know if other new T1D's have had issues with this, but my dtr is super sun sensitive ever since her diagnosis. So Get the rub on cream sunscreen and skip the spray , just in case you all have the same issues. She has actually started to buy surfer rash guard clothing just to decrease her exposure. So especially in June when you go....pack the good sunscreen. Have a great Summer Vacay !!

[mamafoote]

My daughter is type 1 and on a pump. We had no issues on our cruise last year.

Do take ziplock baggies to store glucometer and pump(when disconnected) the salt water can really damage them. Our glucometer stopped working the day after we got back last year! We will be traveling with a spare this summer.

We also take back up supplies in case of a pump failure so we can convert back to using pens.

She disconnects from her pump while snorkeling and brings lots of snacks. All the exercise can cause low blood sugars.

 

 

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[Boston Mom]

Diabetes is rampant in my family - my children are the only branch of the family in which at least one of the cousins isn't diabetic so we are very used to relatives dealing with diabetes on vacation.

 

My cousin has 2 diabetic children and has been on 5 or 6 CCL cruises with them, all of which have gone extremely well. Special Needs was always so helpful in getting her everything they needed, and she felt comfortable leaving the children in the kids camps because the staff was so responsive. I know that she always brought lots of packaged snacks with her that she could easily take with her whenever they were in ports, and that she was more apt to choose the shorter excursions (or the resort for a day guest pass options) because exertion in the hot sun really messed up her older daughter's counts and she did much better if she was near food and water sources, and could get into the shade easily.

 

And I second the recommendation about a camp. My niece was really resistant at first, but she finally agreed to go to Camp Joslin (we are in MA) for a session and ended up doing an additional session, and going back every summer. I noticed a major shift in her attitude toward her diabetes after she came back from that camp. Even though she had a sibling and cousins that were also diabetic, none of her friends were and she felt very alone and isolated by her diagnosis. The camp helped tremendously with that, and I know she is still friends on FB and Instagram with many of the kids she met at that camp and they have been a great support for each other.