Diabetis at WDW

MidgeD79

It's a Small World summer of 2017
Joined
Jan 26, 2005
I seriously misjudged the effect of walking so much and my sugar. I had some really low numbers (77ish) often and bringing small snacks like clementines and peanut butter crackers didn't help. I will need to bring more and snack more often next time. This is my first trip to WDW with insulin so it was a learning lesson.
 
Yep walking and other things at Disney can cause lows. Bring fast acting carbs. The glucose tablets you can get an CVS Walgreen or some candies

Follow that with a protein snack.

Make sure you eat and not skip a meal.

If you are on insulin talk to your dr and see if lowering your dose while you are at Disney is not something they would recommend
 
I seriously misjudged the effect of walking so much and my sugar. I had some really low numbers (77ish) often and bringing small snacks like clementines and peanut butter crackers didn't help. I will need to bring more and snack more often next time. This is my first trip to WDW with insulin so it was a learning lesson.
Are you just doing injections? With a long and fast acting?

I have a pump, and I find that once I get to WDW, I have to pretty much lower my hourly basal rate to about 60% or 50% of normal. If you are taking a long acting insulin (Lantus perhaps?) you would probably want to lower the amount by a couple of units. Definitely talk to your doctor, they see this kind of stuff all the time. I've also heard that you can split your long-acting shot into 2 shots (with Lantus, it's a 24 hour shot, so do half every 12 hours) and then one of them (the one that works during the day) would be lower.

Don't take this as gospel, as its mostly from what I've read because I've been on a pump for about 7 years now. :) But I feel your pain! There were plenty of times that I would run up and buy one of those golden 20 ounce bottled cokes and drain half of it in a couple glugs to get my blood sugar headed the right way.
 
My younger one has type 1 diabetes and uses an insulin pump. WDW is always a challenge - as a teenage boy he eats a lot - then is running all over the park. It can be easy to roller coaster up and down because you're eating more than normal (or maybe more dessert and fun stuff) and then more exercise. Glucose tabs can be your friend in this situation - easy to take along and eat almost anywhere. Your post is a good reminder how much all the extra exercise can affect blood sugars. Hope you had a good trip!
 
I've been a Type One for 24 years, and I can tell you Disney walking can cause havoc on your sugars. Like people above said, speak with your doctor before anything. I know (I am on Humalog and Humulin N injections (yes I am old school lol)) and I take out about 1/5 of my long units every day to help with having less lows. I find having juice, or pop in line is the best thing.. and then also some kind of protein snack (peanut butte packets work for me). I am not a fan of the glucose tablets as they make me super thirsty after, and if I am going to have to drink a whole bottle of water to have those, I may as well just have juice. Sounds like you definitely need some quick acting snacks! Peanut butter crackers are good for a low long term (they'll help so you don't have a rebound low) but they aren't going to do much for you for bringing the low up quickly. Also, if you find yourself in a line and are low and need something... find a cast member, tell them the situation and they should let you leave and will give you a pass to get back in when you have treated. They have done this for me before... and one time a cast member literally went and got me a bottle of juice.
 
We would lower our basal insulin by about 40% and see where that takes her. Don't forget, that extra activity will affect your blood sugar for up to 24 hours after, so I'd decrease night time amount too.
 
I went to Disneyland about 2 months post-diagnosis (granted I was still honeymooning) and my mom told me they dropped 75% of my dose to get me to stop going low. I was three and the excitement was way way way way too much lol.
We would lower our basal insulin by about 40% and see where that takes her. Don't forget, that extra activity will affect your blood sugar for up to 24 hours after, so I'd decrease night time amount too.
 


That always gives me an excuse to eat ice cream, candy or some other no, no.
Don't wast it on tablets
 
That always gives me an excuse to eat ice cream, candy or some other no, no.
Don't wast it on tablets
Couldn't agree more! I will say Disney (if you aren't stuck in a line) is a pretty great place to have to treat a low lol.
 
Couldn't agree more! I will say Disney (if you aren't stuck in a line) is a pretty great place to have to treat a low lol.
I have treated a lot of low while in line, very easy to do. I find being in line ( not just at Disney) is the best thing since you are not walking and moving as much.
 
And with all the heat and the overstimulation, it's so easy to not notice the early signs of hypoglycemia! Ikaria the little pouches of dextrose gel; I find them easier to get down quickly then glucose tablets. And I end up testing probably twice as much as at home.
 

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