So, there is a prediction that the Bay Area of CA is due for a 6.0 - 7.0 earthquake soon. There have already been a couple of earthquakes within the past couple of months, one of them just happened literally 5 mins. ago. This one was stronger than the last one and lasted a few seconds longer. With that being said, I think that I should take precautions and at least prepare a survival kit. In grade school, we always had to prepare one to keep at the school for that year. I've never really prepared one with T1 diabetes before. How much supplies should I consider packing and how can I get extra insulin if my insurance won't allow me to refill before my next scheduled refill date?
one thing i usually have is an extra vial of each insulin i take in the fridge. you wouldn't be able to claim it, but maybe you could order some online from canada? i remember seeing in a post that it's cheap to do it that way.
my mom's always demanded that i have at least a week's worth of supplies, and generally i keep most of my stuff like needles and test strips stocked up anyways cuz its easier to buy in bulk than go every week to get stuff.
Oh thanks! I usually stock up too, but I need to have some packed in a separate bag with other essentials...It's important to have everything together so you can just grab it all at once in case you're about to get buried or stuck somewhere during an earthquake disaster.
I have ordered insulin from Canada before. It just kind of sucks that insurance won't allow for natural disaster preparations. What the heck?! It'd probably cost insurance more money from not being prepared for a natural disaster than them covering you to be prepared! Did they not learn from Hurricane Katrina?! I'm sure that cost them millions from everyone who claimed health injuries, complications, meds, and all that.
I live on the Gulf coast and I think about this a lot too. I figured that if I had to choose 1 insulin only to have, I'd think Lantus would last longer in an emergency. I'd also think of the shortest way to a pharmacy if things really get crazy. Might have to fight off the weirdo's breaking in for pain meds, though.
It's scary, but you can never be fully prepared when you have T1 because there's a finite amount of insulin that's been produced. That's bad news for the zombie apocalypse.
It's scary, but you can never be fully prepared when you have T1 because there's a finite amount of insulin that's been produced. That's bad news for the zombie apocalypse.
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ROTFL, Travis! Zombie apocalypse! You're hysterical...I think about that too. How I can survive in case there is one b/c that would just be complicated, trying to not get eaten by zombies but still find time to check my sugars and deliver insulin. That would be the ultimate disaster. If we were attacked by vampires, that'd be so much easier b/c I'd just let them bite me so that I could become one and never have to worry about injecting insulin anymore and I would no longer crave cupcakes! LOL!
I lived in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit and even though we had enough notice and were able to get out safely I definately had an "Emergency kit" with me. I brought a ton of syringes and two vials of insulin. (This was before I began pumping) What I found out though, is that at most pharmacies, you can get Reli On Novolin R withhout a prescription. (About $25 per vial)
I was in Baton Rouge during Katrina! We housed like 10 refugees! But, I was on the pump, luckily...so I had my stock of supplies. At the time, my dad had his own private practice too, so he always kept a stock of insulin for me in his office, although he'd consider it supplies for his practice. But, now that he's retired, he no longer has access to all of that and plus, he still lives out there and I live in CA now. I'll have to ask my pharmacy about Reli On. They didn't mention anything about it when I asked about emergency refills. All they said was that my insurance will cover one vial for an emergency, but I'm not allowed to claim it until the emergency happens. Which is dumb. I told them that I wanted to claim it for when the emergency happens b/c I may not be able to get to it once the emergency happens or it may not be in stock to be readily accessible the same day at that time. NO SENSE AT ALL!
Usually insurance will let you refill rx's after 25 days (not 30), so if you plan ahead and keep that extra 5 days worth over a couple of months, it will give you an emergency cushion. But, in a true emergency, I think we'd just be in trouble. ):
After 9/11 (I live in DC), I had an emergency bag packed and sitting by the front door at all times b/c I was so shaken up. But, I've gotten lazy again... It's a good idea, though.
I didn't say this. LOL what happens if you accidentally drop and break a bottle??? (wink wink) No kidding I had it happen and got it replaced. Right now I have a little extra because my Dr. thought it was a good idea to have a couple of both kinds of insulin floating. Also when they give one bottle for 30 days I remind them that the bottle says 28 days after first use and you don't want me going against the safety sheets, Do you???? Hope this helps.