Question specifically for diabetics traveling around Europe
I'm diabetic. I'll be in Europe almost all of April and May, all over the place. At home in the US, I always have a supply of glucose tablets with me for emergency. Of course, I'll take some with me when I leave home, but I'm curious. Does anyone know if those tabs are routinely available in pharmacy-type stores in Europe? Or would it be smarter to take along a whole lot of them?!
Tom
Easley, SC USA 2/2/12
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I can't tell you if they are available (it is highly likely they are) but especially if a medication is meant to be used for emergencies make sure you bring your own supplies. Murphy's law will tell you that those emergencies always happen when you are not anywhere near a pharmacy that's open ...
I can't tell you if they are available (it is highly likely they are) but especially if a medication is meant to be used for emergencies make sure you bring your own supplies. Murphy's law will tell you that those emergencies always happen when you are not anywhere near a pharmacy that's open ...
Tom , Paris is filled with pharmacies,easily spotted by a green lit up cross , but as Beatrix noted, they are all not always open, but, in Paris anyways, in each arrondissemont one pharmacy stays open all night, it rotates, so ask your hotel if you need one in middle of night.. and of course always keep your supply topped up.
I am not sure that your prescription can be refilled in Europe without the presctiption having been issued by a physician in that country.
I will be traveling three months and plan to take my medication with me.
Thx for the replies so far.
I need to clarify my OP. Glucose tabs are over the counter. They're not actually "medicine" at all; they're like individual pieces of candy but they dissolve very fast in your mouth and they're almost pure glucose, which, if your blood sugar has dropped precipitously, you must get into your blood system in MINUTES, not TENS of minutes!
All I was really asking is: does anyone who also needs to use these occasionally have any direct experience finding them on the shelves in stores in Europe? I would suspect the answer is "they're usually available, at least in larger cities" and that'd be fine. But if the answer I get more often is "no, I've never seen the **** things anywhere when I've been in Europe and believe me; I've looked!" then I need to plan accordingly!
Tom,
You did not mention what countries you will be travelling to. I suspect availability may vary by country.
If England is one of the countries you will be visiting, then go to the website for "Boots the Chemist" and then see if they sell the tablets. Boots is a major chain located throughout the UK.
the simple answer is "just take a whole lot with you"
the availability of these will probably vary in different places that you travel. isn't it just easier to take them with you? i can't see them taking up that much room in your suitcase.
Yes Boots do stock them.
http://www.boots.com/en/Pharmacy-Health/Shop-by-condition/Diabetes/Glucose-tablets/
And I would expect any chemist/pharmacy to do so as well.
PS - my doctor advised me to use a high sugar soft drink (eg Coke, Fanta etc) as an alternative should it be necessary.
Tom,
My wife is diabetic and also an RN. She carries glucose tabs. When the supply was exhausted in Chur, Switzerland for example, the pharmacies we tried didn't carry them. When this happens she carries the little packets of sugar you find in restaurants. Linda's alternative is also a good one.
It'd be great if some of the folks in Europe would respond to your question.
Unless you get up-to-date information that is better news than this you'll probably want to carry a lot of them.
Good luck.
Good advice, one and all! Sounds as if the safe course is to assume they won't be readily available, like they are here. Thank you.
In Germany, they offer little tabs called "Trauben Zucker", which translates to grape sugar. They usually have big bowls of them in the Apotheke (pharmacy). Often for free. I assume those are for people who think their blood sugar is low, but you could just stop in an Apotheke and ask them right after your arrival here, if you are coming to Germany.
I am not sure that they understood what I was asking about, but I kept on getting responses that i needed a prescription. So i just take a big bottle in my luggage and carry a 10 tablet (refillable) tube in my pocket at all times
Jo,
Thank you! That's what I was trying to find out. And I AM going to be in Germany for much of my stay, so this is especially helpful!
In Germany you ca buy pure glucose (Traubenzucker) tablets at nearly every grocery store. They were quite successful in marketing glucose as an "energy booster" over here.
One quite famous brand is Dextro Energy