Question: Weather’s getting colder here, what do you do to keep your gear protected from elements when active outdoors?
Insulin pumps: The overwhelming response from the CIM community was to keep your pump close to the warmth of your body when out in the cold. Kristin noted that when she first moved to Calgary her pump froze to death and never recovered. She now keeps it tucked away and warm when out. Joel does the same, saying that he makes sure his insulin pump is always under his base layer; while, Jen and Vicki prefer to keep it tucked into the side of their sports bras and Andy likes to keep in under layers by putting it in the back pocket of his cycling shorts. Vicki also mentioned keeping her pump in an inside pocket of her winter coat. Finally, Chloe pointed out the need to also keep your tubing warm under layers, as she was once out in -40 °C and her tubing shattered from the cold.
Pens and vials: Pens and vials should also be kept out of the cold to prevent the insulin from freezing. Aside from the fact that insulin frozen solid is a little tough to use, once it thaws it quickly degrades and becomes ineffective. Jason mentioned that he likes to keep his extra insulin in the front pocket of a hoodie worn under a coat.
Meters: People had a few tricks for keeping meters up and running. When the meter’s battery gets cold it can give out incorrect readings or just not give out readings at all, so it is important to keep them warm. Chloe keeps her meter in a Spi-belt worn under base layers. Andy and Jason also mentioned warming the meter under the armpit if it gets too cold. Jason further noted, the meter “warms up really fast if you pop the back cover off to expose the batteries and then shove it down your pants right up against your kibbles and bits.”
Thanks everyone for the great responses!
Have more thoughts and ideas about keeping your diabetes gear warm when keeping active during colder weather? Keep the conversation going, and leave a comment below…
