If you have diabetes, part of efficient daily management is keeping emergency essentials with you at all times. Create an emergency kit featuring enough health care supplies to last up to three days and keep them in a well-sealed, waterproof, portable container. The following checklist explores some of the items to have on hand, although you should talk to your family doctor about personalizing these supplies as needed.

Diabetes Care Kit Essentials

1. Medical History & Contact List

Make copies of your medical history documents and related information, as well as a list of contacts. Include your doctor, family members, and friends on the list. Consider laminating the information for extra protection against water damage.

2. Glucose & Related Supplies

Pack glucose tablets and gels to take in case your blood sugar drops, as well as a glucagon injection kit in the event of seizures or falling unconscious. Include additional glucose monitoring and regulation supplies such as extra syringes, testing strips, a blood glucose monitor, lancet and lancing devices, and hand sanitizer.

3. Medications

Add prescription and over-the-counter diabetes medications so you always have them if needed. Keep these medications in their original containers to avoid confusion. Make another laminated list citing any medication allergies you have.

4. Water & Healthy Snacks

Include bottled water to prevent high blood sugar from dehydration as well as healthy, non-perishable snacks that stabilize blood sugar levels. Pack nuts, whole grain crackers, seeds, protein bars, dried fruit, and dry cereal.

5. First Aid Kit

Create a first aid kit especially for diabetic health care. Include bandages, gauze, antibiotic ointment, and lotion for moisturization and wound treatment since diabetes dries out the skin and makes it harder to heal from cuts and scrapes. Include dental care supplies to prevent diabetes-related gum disease as well as foot care supplies, such as padded socks and toenail clippers to mitigate related feet problems.

Discuss your kit’s contents during your next visit to Dumas Family Practice, the health care center serving the northern panhandle of Texas for nearly 30 years. These family doctors treat chronic diseases, including diabetes, as well as acute illnesses such as colds and the flu, and provide specialist referrals. Call (806) 935-9005 today to make an appointment or visit the health care experts online to fill out a new patient form.