We’ve received a lot of reader questions asking us how to prep for diabetes over the years.
How many? I couldn’t possibly count. It’s a lot, and not all from preppers who are themselves diabetics either. We get a number of concerned relatives who are emailing because they want as much advice on the topic as possible so they can help keep their family members healthy on top of safe during disasters and emergencies.
My honest to goodness response for the past few years has been to Google and research the topic for a while, realize I’m way in over my head, sit with the email in my inbox for a month or two, consistently going back and researching in that time, then after a number of attempts, give up and decide to pick up trying when I’m more ready to tackle the topic.
The thing is: I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to tackle this particular topic. I feel like prepping for a diabetic, and others with medical conditions who need specialized medications, is one of the most difficult things to really plan well for. I’ve no firsthand experience with prepping for any difficult-to-prep-for medical issues. This lack of experience, paired with my lack of first aid experience (that’s Thomas’ department), makes me feel like I’m not the right person to be advising anyone on diabetes preps. And I know there must be many with better answers than I could ever come up with out there.
So I’m bringing this topic to you.
I don’t care if you are or are not a diabetic, if you have friends or family that are diabetics or if you’ve never met a soul with diabetes in your life: if you have any ideas on prepping that you think a prepper with diabetes could benefit from, I want you to type those ideas down in the comments.
If you have actually been prepping for a diabetic, please let us know so that we can know you’re coming from a place of experience. If you think you’ve found an ideal system, let us know what that is. If there are things you’ve tried that haven’t worked, or things you’ve heard suggested that, plainly put, you would not recommend, again, leave it down in the comments below.
I wrote up a post asking for your help when it came to lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey, and boy did you guys deliver. You gave infinitely better advice than anything my completely-inexperienced-with-hurricanes self could have come up with. So I’m hoping that’ll happen again here.
Hello. First of all, I want to thank you for all the interesting and useful information you share with us. I’ve been reading you blog from time to time, but never commented because I didn’t have anything to say that others hadn’t said better. Until now, that is, as I think maybe my situation and how I deal with it may be of use to others.
I’m in my thirties, I am a person with an active lifestyle, and I love the outdoors. And I’m a prepper. Despite this, I have bad health. I have quite a few autoimmune illnesses, one being type 1 diabetes. That means my pancreas doesn’t produce insulin, and I need to inject myself with it to stay alive. The insulin I use is Lantus, same one as most people that posted here. Lantus is a slow acting insulin, meaning you inject it on the morning and it works slowly during the day. But the thing is, it’s usually not enough for most people. Most people need to inject themselves with fast acting insulin with every meal. That’s when things get really complicated. I wouldn’t dare giving advice for a stage of the condition I don’t luckily suffer (yet, as diabetes is degenerative and even if you eat, exercise and take care of yourself properly, it will eventually get worse. It’s all about delaying that moment for me), I can share the way I’ve been doing things this past years.
First I must say I am Spanish and currently living in Spain, so I’m also lucky when it comes to medical expenses. Insulin is included in Spain’s healthcare system, so you can get your monthly Lantus for a couple of Euros. You can only buy a monthly supply, so stockpiling is not an option unless you have some kind of “contact” that can do you the favor, and well, even then it’s illegal. I won’t get into detail on that part, but I am lucky in that department too. But as others said, the problem with storing insulin in a SHTF is that temperature ruins it. Fast. If it goes below 2°C or above 28°C (approximately, exact temperatures may differ, but they are around those thresholds. But don’t take my word for it, check in your medication’s prospect. The information has to be there.) it becomes useless and even toxic. I’ve encountered that problem when camping and my solution was storing the insulin pen under water or burying it during the summer, and having it in a pocket close to my body during winter. But that solution is just for an emergency during a very short time. A few days camping or something like that. What I do in my daily life is trying not to get worst. I follow a diet low on carbohydrates, but appropriate for the exercise I do. You have to look at it like you were a machine. Carbs are fuel. They let you work. But if you don’t work, they corrode the machinery from the inside. Insulin burns up that fuel, wether you exercise or not. But if you don’t move, you are gonna need more insulin, and the damage a high sugar level does to your body will be worst. So you do what every machine needs. To be properly cleaned, oiled, fuelled and taken good care of. But also use it. That’s what it was created for. You have to move and be active. All within your possibilities, of course. But then, there is another problem. And that’s hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar. You see, insulin won’t stop working, wether you are sitting on your ass or climbing a mountain. So if you inject your normal dose, eat your normal amount of carbs and then go exercise more than you normally do, you are in big trouble. Hypoglycemia is no joke. You can die, you can damage your brain, go into a coma and a shitload of unpleasant things. So you have to know yourself, find a balance, be disciplined, be careful, and always always always have glucose and carbs with you. For emergencies. Wich being insulin dependant and looking for that balance between diet and exercise, will be at least on a weekly basis until you get the hang of it. And even then, don’t lower your guard, as diabetes is a sneaky illness. Every little change can affect your sugar blood level. The cold makes you burn carbs, so it lowers you blood sugar. Altitude is really tricky. It lowers my blood sugar, but it does the opposite to a friend of mine. And infections are the worst. We are more likely to geg them due to a number of reasons, the main one being or body is better for the growing oc bacteria due to having more sugar on us. Infection is the reason many diabetics lose limbs. Even really minor ones can become really serious, as they are way difficult to heal for us and make our sugar levels go crazy. Be specially careful with your feet, hands and teeth. Well, the whole mouth, in fact. Diabetes damages nerves reducing sensibility in fingers and toes, reduces blood circulation, and a lot of other problems that can result in damage to your extremities, even losing fingers or more due to infection and gangrene. And mouth infections are hard enough to fight everyone. But for diabetics are hell. I’m fighting one right now, and my blood sugar is through the roof compared to my usual levels. And I’m a person that is very careful with his health.
Others have spoken about the benefits of certain natural remedies. I know of two that work well for me. Cinnamon tea and green beans (with the pod and everything. I’ll look up the propper English name later and post it, as they may be only from Spain. I don’t know). Those two things help me regulate my blood sugar levels. But they are no substitute to the insulin.
So, for a SHTF situation, my advice is “starp now”. Is not that what we do with every other preparation? When it comes to diabetes, you are the most reliable preparation. Take good care of yourself, control your diet, exercise within your own possibilities, be careful with hypoglycemia when doing so, be careful with infections and don’t leave any wound untreated, no matter how minor. Always have sugar and carbs with you. Stockpile insulin if you can (not likely, but sometimes possible). And if you have the possibility, a root cellar may be a good way to store it in a power outage.
Take care, people. I wish you all good luck and health.
And to Thomas and Elise, yes, Xavier is my real name.
Hola Xavier! I am your neighbour these days (Portugal)- really glad you like MTJS and I am thankful for your experience concerning diabetes- its such a common predicament but I know very little about it so I depend on people like you to share their experience. Thanks for dropping by mate!
Xavier:
You can cure your Type II Diabeties. There are thousands, perhaps millions of people who have. My recommendations are that you start by viewing Dr. Ken Berry’s Videos. He practices in Camden, TN.
There are other doctors besides Berry, but his advice has been very effective for me.
My average Morning fasting Glucose is down from an average of 130 to an average of 110. The skin on my face has gone from dry and scaly too soft as a baby’s butt. The arthritis in my hands is gone. I went from 225 to 186. There’s more but I urge you to do your research, using common sense, try some of Dr Berry’s recommendations and see what happens. If it doesn’t work for you…what have you lost?
Google walking skeleton diet. My lady is diabetic. Sadly from what I read the only way to extend someones life who is diabetic and medication dependent, without medication is to bring someone to a state of near starvation, and keep them there. It involved protein and fatty diets with only the lowest level of carb intake
Eek, thats one hell of a brutal diet.
Hi All!! My husband is T2DM. He has been for 25 years. OMG!! I don’t want to go through all of the meds he has been prescribed. One of his “specialists” had him on something new about every month and didn’t even consider the price tag for the meds or if his insurance would even cover it. He’s been on so many different meds that I’ve lost count and can’t even remember 1/2 of them. He’s still on metformin and glyburide, and those I can sneak a pill or two out of each of his bottles and put them away. Though he does get 90 day supplies of most of his meds except his Lantus and Humalog, which are limited to a 30 day supply.
As for emergency storage, IF the electricity went out in the summer for a couple of days or more (which it can happen if it’s extremely hot here in Central Illinois and the grid has been overloaded with people using A/C), I would try a Zeer pot as an emergency refrigerator for his Lantus and Humalog. A Zeer pot has been shown to get down to about 40 degrees (or a little cooler) and it would help to keep the Lantus and Humalog meds cool. I would love to talk to Walmart about the 70/30 insulin (Humalog) and see if I can get hubby some to stock pile just in case the SHTF. He may not LIKE it that I’m doing it, but at least I will keep him alive for a while in a SHTF situation. He’s not exactly on board with the whole getting prepared idea, but I know what weather can happen here in Central Illinois, and we’re not that far from the New Madrid fault line….about 300 miles give or take 50 miles.
I’m not a spring chicken at 61 and hubby is 63. But, I am NOT taking anything lying down, nor am I going to be naive enough to think that what I do is going to help us survive any longer than what the Lord gives us. When the last page is turned, it’s time to be going Home, and to put it bluntly, you can’t take your preps with you.
My plan to store the Lantus would be different. They make a small cooler that will run off a 12 volt battery that would store it fine. I have the cooler, a 12 volt deep cycle battery and a small solar charger to keep the battery up. While I no longer need to take the Lantus I still have about 9 months worth in the fridge that I didn’t throw out just in case. it expires in aprox another 6 months though. I am surprised your insurance company only goes for a 30 day supply. Mine said if I wanted a 30 day I would need to pay for it as they will only pay if I do a 90 day supply.
Well said Trish, your husband may not appreciate it now but if/when the time comes, he will thank you tenfold. ;)
I am type 1.5 diabetic. I have LADA which is basically juvenile diabetes as an adult. I agree with the above poster, ZenEngineer, and his opinion of Dr Jason Fung. Dr. Fung wrote The Obesity Code which is a must read for all diabetics regardless of the type. You can see all the info on YouTube without even buying the book. Complete life changer. While my type of diabetes is not lifestyle induced, my lifestyle can play a huge part in my health. I eat low carb, exercise a lot and supplement greatly with minerals to help my body work as well as possible. Although vitamins will not cure diabetes, certain minerals and vitamins can greatly enhance a diabetic’s life since the function of our bodies is so compromised.
I am insulin dependent, because unlike type 2’s, my pancreas does not work at all and I will die without insulin. While insulin dependent type 2’s will unlikely die in short order if they run out of insulin, (they could become quite ill quickly, of course) but if they eat low low carb they will live a lot longer depending on circumstances, but that is not the case for me. I am on an insulin pump. So imho refrigeration is imperative. I have been able to stockpile insulin by getting my doc to write the prescription with the words, sliding scale, or “as needed” since my insulin needs vary greatly depending on what my life is like that day. I have many months of insulin at all times. Plus, I have asked for pens in humalog and lantus as well as lots of needles and I also have syringes. All imperative should my pump malfunction, which it has several times in years past. I also carry batteries wherever I go.
The insulin at Walmart can be used and gotten without prescription, but it is a very old type of insulin and nowhere near as effective or reliable as what we have now. Rather a poor substitute but better than nothing. They do make powdered insulin, I believe, that can be reconstituted, but again getting it can be problematic. If you live near Mexico you can get humalog there without prescription.
As time goes on more and more companies are coming up with specialized long term storage food like gluten free, paleo, etc. I’m sure low carb is coming.
In a perfect world we would only eat our own veggies from our own garden and kill our own meat. Where I live that is just not possible. For me, I stockpile insulin and am getting a solar refrigeration system. Plus I am always seeking out low carb long term storage food. That, in my opinion, is about all that can be done for my situation. If you are type 2, prepare by doing the right thing now as all type 2’s can be reversed.through life style changes. Read Dr Fung. My best to you all.
Thanks for sharing your experiences Lilo, as someone who does not suffer from this, it has been really eye-opening. Much respect.
As I mentioned to another poster you can pick up a 12 volt cooler that plugs into a car charger for about 100.00 add a deep cycle battery and small solar charger and as long as there is sun you will be able to keep your insulin cold. I have this very setup myself. As a type 2 I can control my blood sugars with pill form and diet much easier than someone like you but had crap-loads of both slow acting and fast acting insulin prescribed when they were trying to level me out. I kept it as you just never know.
You can build up a stockpile of meds overtime. Check your prescription for the “can be refilled after xxxx date.” Just keep refilling at the earliest allowed date. Overtime, you can build up a stockpile. Remember to use the oldest prescription first to keep your stockpile fresh.
If the problem is with insurance restrictions, check out a program like: GoodRx.com
It is free and will quote price per pharmacy. Print out the coupon if necessary. We’ve tried it on an Rx that had a $55 co-pay. The coupon price was $50. It was worth checking it out.
If you are serious about keeping injectables refrigerated for a long term, look into small refrigerators and a solar panel with battery storage and d/c to a/c inverter or propane power. Another thought is to use a counter top ice maker (like Igloo) powered by solar/battery/inverter, and a small ice chest. Fill with ice and place the meds on top of the ice. Unless you have a drain on the ice chest, keep your meds in a good ziploc bag so your meds don’t get water damage. As I understand the problem, you want to keep the meds at 40 degrees or so, but not frozen. Before you invest, run a trial to see how well the system would work for you. If emergency water is a problem. put your ice cubes in a ziploc so your can reuse the water. (I live in S California where limited availability of drinking water will be a grid down problem.) You might as well fine tune the system while you have the luxury of a forgiving trial and error opportunity.
Maybe we just have great doctors. We’ve discussed our concerns as we live in earthquake country where we don’t get a warning. Each doctor has been happy to work with us to avoid a medical crisis in the aftermath of a major disaster. If you stay abreast of improvements in insulin innovations, the industry is working toward non-refrigerated formulas that might work for you.
Some great advice there! I hope non-refrigerated options come out soon as it would simply prepping significantly for so many people in that situation.
Thanks for sharing your experiences to the community Jennifer.
Hello,
We just found out our cat is diabetic, on 1/20/2018. Our whole prepper plan has changed because the vet says no food over 7 carbs. All dry cat food is very high in carbs. Were talking over 25%. To make it harder the manufacturers don’t state the carb values on the can or bag so I’ve had to call the manufacturers to even get that value.
Right now he is on a prescription diet (Royal Canin Glycobalance, canned and dry) and insulin. Hopefully we can get this under control enough to come up with a prepping solution. Right now were in the start of it.
The first step is being aware of the problem, I have no doubts you will come up with a viable solution Michelle.
Hey good news. We have our cats blood sugar levels under control without medication. Bad news though. You’ll have to read on to know what I mean.
Here is what the vet prescribed for Larry. 2 units of Lantus Solostar insulin glargine injection pen. A diet with less than 7 carbs. He prescribed a diet of Roayal Canine Glycobalance prescription canned and dry food. When we first took him in his blood sugar was at 457. We were told the glucose curve should be between 100 to 250. That was our target. We bought an AphaTrak2 to monitor his glucose levels. BAD NEWS. His glucose level shot up to 572 on the new diet.
I had a problem with the diet, from the beginning, even though it was made for a diabetic cat it’s carb values were higher than 7 carbs. So we switched back to the food we were feeding him before without the dry since dry food is very high in carbs. We used Blue Buffalo canned, Grain Free Freedom, Chicken Recipe for indoor cats. I called the manufacturer and the carb values were 3.5.
So we fed him the BB canned food and continued with the insulin prescribed. BAD NEWS his glucose levels dropped to 33. OMG this was critical. It was a Sunday and no vet around so we gave him corn syrup, as instructed by the vet when he prescribed the insulin, to try and raise his glucose. We monitored his levels every hour that day. It worked.
GOOD NEWS. So we knew that he didn’t need the insulin with the BB diet. We continued on the diet and monitored him closely. Sure enough his glucose had returned to normal. We still monitor his glucose because he is still diabetic, we just have it under control for now.
Please do not do what we did without going to the vet. We almost lost our cat. Just know it could be possible to not have to give insulin.
Thanks for sharing Michelle, interestingly we used Blue Buffalo food when we lived in Canada. Good stuff & I will keep your advice in mind if this situation ever crops up.
My $0.02 as a type 2 diabetic is that is comes down to knowing your body and how it reacts to the foods you eat and what you don’t eat. If I am doing South Beach diet then I can almost do away with all of my meds (1000 metformin twice a day and Invokana). This and walking whelps me to keep it manageable for now which ultimately helps keep me better prepared. I keep 3 days of meds near me at all times and as soon as I find a physician that will help me with scripts I would love to have an extra 30 days of metformin. I keep a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) pills in my truck, wife’s van, work and home. The ACV works wonders in supplementing my meds for those times I over indulge. I plan to order some Bitter Melon Pills to try because I have read some interesting articles on its use in Asia for managing diabetes. I keep Quest bars around because they have low net carbs and high protein value. I keep some regular Jolly Ranchers around for those times when I am crashing. I also keep enough change with me to get a soda and candy bar out of a vending machine if I am way low. This needs to be change and not dollars because I have run into a lot of vending machines that would not take dollars. I don’t carry a test kit with me daily (I’m not the best diabetic) but I own several and have plenty of testing supplies. I try to keep food preps to low carb options with some quick sugar options. Just some of what I do
Some fantastic advice Jeremy, do you carry snacks around just in case or just the Jolly Ranchers?
Elise; I thought of something else. Most insulin users use Lantis, and extended time-release insulin. You cannot stockpile that without a doctor helping. Many diabetics also use a quick-release (or before meal) insulin such as Humalog to knock down insulin. That takes effect within 1/2 hour and goes short-term. Again, not available without a prescription.
However, any pharmacy carries what’s called 70/30 insulin (or Humalog) which operates over a 3 hr period. WalMart sells its brand for $25 per vial, OTC. As long as refrigerated, it can last up to a year for stockpiling. You could theoretically buy as much as you want, as long as you have some method of keeping it at 40 degrees over the long-term post SHTF scenerio. A diabetic would have to constantly monitor their blood sugar, but in addition to the Herbs in my prior post, at least there would be one type of insulin available that could be stockpiled.
I am not a doctor, nor an expert in Diabetes. My wife has been a (diagnosed) Type 2 for the last 20 years and I’ve spent the last three years reading a lot about diabetes, diet, and obesity. Here is my take on the matter of T2DM.
Diabetes is an occlusive artery disease. The blood flow through the smallest arteries gradually, over years, become so impaired that cells in that part of the body start to fail. This typically shows up in the kidneys, eyes, and feet of the T2DM sufferer. Over 200 body parts, usually feet, are amputated a day in the U.S. because of T2DM. This is all well understood and not in dispute. The fact that high glycation of the blood (high blood glucose, or high blood sugar) is a major factor in the arterial disease is not in dispute.
The causes and treatment of T2DM are hotly in dispute. I agree with Dr Tim Noakes, Dr Jason Fung, Dr Robert Lusting, engineer Ivor Cummins, and many, many others that high insulin levels lead to Insulin Resistance, metabolic disorder, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, obesity, heart disease, and (probably) alzheimers. The main cause of high insulin levels are carbohydrates in the diet. Too many carbs, or carbs eaten too often, keep insulin levels high, and the cumulative effect over years are all the maladies described above. Strict control of carb intake (less than 50 grams per day, perhaps as little as 20 grams) should be required of every T2DM patient.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and others don’t see it that way. They recommend that T2DM patients have a ‘moderate’ amount of carbs that is about 300 grams per day, as long as the patients inject themselves with enough insulin to compensate. I believe that just adds to the hyperinsulinemia the T2DM patient already had, and encourages them to eat even more carbs.
The debate continues, and if you or a loved one has T2DM, then you should search for the names listed above to see more.
What does this mean for emergencies, disasters, and long term SHTF?
The most immediate danger for a T2DM person on medication and injecting insulin is having a low blood sugar emergency. This is when there has been too much insulin injected for the amount of carbs eaten. An early sign is the shakes, but that can quickly lead to combative behavior then unconsciousness if they are not given glucose quickly. If untreated they can go into a coma and die. Low blood sugar could happen because of unplanned, intense physical activity, or a long endurance activity (think bugging out in the middle of the night) without adequate amount of carbs.
The next level of danger may come from a long trek. The T2DM patient may be unused to long hikes, and blisters or injuries, combined with poor blood flow to the feet, may lead to serious infections which could be life (and limb) threatening within days.
Injected insulin usually has to be refrigerated, as the efficacy decreases quickly when stored at room temperature or higher. So whatever insulin a T2DM patient has on hand may only last a few weeks without refrigeration.
Most of the Long Term Storage (LTS) foods available commercially are very high in carbohydrates. Even un-ground wheat, a favorite of many preppers, has a profound affect on blood sugar when ground into flour and baked into something like bread. For a long term SHTF scenario, it may come down to a choice of avoiding starvation by eating what is available (carbs) and accepting the T2DM consequences. I have as many non-carb LTS foods in my preps as I can manage, but it’s not easy. For example, I like sardines, but my wife does not.
The best long-term preparation that can be made is to control the carb intake now and reduce the reduce the blood sugar levels to the point where diabetes meds are no longer needed. While not a cure, the effects of T2DM can be reduced and reversed for many people. Address that disaster first, before a natural (or man made) disaster makes it even worse.
That’s my opinion.
Thanks for sharing mate, its interesting to me that ADA promote eating carbs when the link is so negative as per the research you cited. Shame that insulin doesn’t have long term stable storage solutions.
I have been a diabetic for 9 years now and am insulin dependant. I have done extensive research on how to prepare for a SHTF scenerio and am well-stocked.
First, unless your doctor will help, there is no way to stockpile insulin. Needles, meters, etc, yes, Insulin no. Even if you stockpiled it somehow, without refrigeration it would be compromised within a week.
Second, almost all Diabetics are on metformin as well. This can be stockpiled easily through online pharmacies.
Third, there are several herbs or OTC/Amazon supplements that CAN carry a diabetic over, even insulin users. A) The most crucial is Alpha Lipoic Acid, taken in 600 mg pills. You can buy as much of this as you want Online. In medical studies it outperforms Metformin hands-down, and is the thing they use in India for diabetic control. It has the added side-effect of restoring nerve pathways, such as those which cause Diabetic Neuropathy. B). Fenegreek. It is an herb found in Asia, used throughout the world as a Metformin replacement for lowering blood sugar also with no known side effects. It is used in India in conjunction with Alpha Lipoic Acid. C) Berberine. Made from grape root, it is highly effective in lowering blood sugar with no side effects.
There ARE other herbs “out there” but these three are the most effective, easily available, and have a very long shelf life.
If there’s anything more I can help with, let me know.
Great tips Timothy, thanks for dropping by- I am sure diabetics who are at a loss of how to deal with the prepping aspect will find your conclusions to be invaluable. Readers like you really help with the community as I am just to qualified to speak about diabetes and would hesitate in ever doing so.
Thanks again mate.
I have the same research problems that you indicated. I understand the following:
1. there are 5 types of diabetes.
2. most people have type 2.
3. supplements don’t help
4. substantial weight loss that is maintained does help.
5. there is currently no cure.
6. understand that medical evaluations (not cures) have become more precise and the standards continually change (just like standards for desirable blood pressure). 50 years ago there was no “diagnosis” of pre-diabetic for example.
You look in the mirror first. Be candid. Are you overweight? Do you exercise regularly? Do you watch your diet daily? If you answer the three questions, “yes”, you are doing what you can do without medical intervention. And, if you don’t, you can buy the hyped up pills that are extolled as cures on fake web sites with fake endorsements. I knew a vitamin salesman who was arrested for selling plain tap water as a cure for AIDS about 20 years ago. Somehow, he got off!
Not surprised that vitamin salesman got off to be honest, seems to be the way of the world sadly. I agree with your “look at your lifestyle” assessment. I admit I am not the best at this but I do try to keep in shape (I should do a lot better, truth be told).
Diabetes is so common and yet the ticking time bomb aspect of it is quite worrying, especially as we get so many e-mails with questions on how to prep for it.