Diabetes and Hajj

About
About

Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), a Mubadala Health partner, is a state-of-the-art outpatient facility that specialises in diabetes treatment, research, training and public health awareness.
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Doctors
Services
Services

We offer a comprehensive range of diabetes and related services to ensure patients receive the full spectrum of care they need, all in one place.
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Patients & Visitors
Patients & Visitors

We are committed to providing five-star service to our patients. Comfort and convenience are fundamentals of your experience at ICLDC.
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Diabetes & Health Hub
For Professionals
For Professionals

Education is one of the four key pillars in our approach to tackle diabetes. We organize training programs and specialist conferences accredited for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for healthcare professionals, as well as weekly in-house seminars for resident doctors.
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العربية

About
Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), a Mubadala Health partner, is a state-of-the-art outpatient facility that specialises in diabetes treatment, research, training and public health awareness.
Doctors
Services
We offer a comprehensive range of diabetes and related services to ensure patients receive the full spectrum of care they need, all in one place.
Patients & Visitors
We are committed to providing five-star service to our patients. Comfort and convenience are fundamentals of your experience at ICLDC.
Diabetes & Health Hub
For Professionals
Education is one of the four key pillars in our approach to tackle diabetes. We organize training programs and specialist conferences accredited for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for healthcare professionals, as well as weekly in-house seminars for resident doctors.

Request an Appointment

Every year, during the month of ZelHajjeh, around two and a half million pilgrims make their way to the holy destination of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. Whilst this is an extremely important and spiritual time, you must be well-prepared for what you may experience, to ensure your Hajj runs as smoothly as possible.

Ways to a healthy Hajj when you have diabetes

Diabetes management, which depends on an established stable routine, may be affected during Hajj due to changes in your levels of physical activity (walking and standing for long periods), diet and meal times. People with diabetes are more likely to get infections, become dehydrated, develop heat stroke, but may also develop problems related to their diabetes, such as low or high blood glucose levels and foot problems.

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Before Hajj
Consult your doctor and together put a management plan. Advices on how to take your medicine or insulin, what and when to eat, and how to avoid any diabetes complications during the pilgrimage will be discussed.

Request a letter from your doctor confirming your medical history and your need for carrying needles and syringes in your hand luggage.

Be sure to bring a copy of your latest list of medications ideally with generic names in case further supplies are needed.

If you have a complex medical history, you may wish to take along a recent clinic letter with you which may help doctors in Saudi Arabia deal with your medical problems should you become unwell.

Ensure you are up to date with your influenza and meningococcal vaccines 2 weeks before you travel. Infectious diseases such as flu and chest infections are common during Hajj as a large number of people are gathering in a limited space during a short period of time. Try to avoid crowded areas wherever possible, and wear a face mask (when not in Ihram), if you are particularly prone to infections.

Make sure you have sufficient supply of medication, including if necessary insulin needles, insulin pens, and blood glucose monitoring equipment, as advised by your doctor.

Carry a diabetes emergency kit in your hand luggage, including a glucagon injection kit.

Insulin and diabetes emergency kit should not be put in the luggage hold of the aircraft as it may freeze and become unusable. It should be kept in your hand luggage, ideally in a cool bag type container.

Make sure you carry cool bags to store insulin and most other injectable diabetes treatments whilst moving around in hot places, Once in Saudi Arabia. Make sure you wear an identifying medical wristbands.

Make sure you wear protective and comfortable shoes and cotton socks.

Bring an umbrella for protection from the sun.

Bring also a water spray to keep cool.

Take a mask to use in crowded places to prevent airborne infections.

Do not forget a hand sanitizers to clean your hands after handling anything and before eating if water and soap are not readily available.
Once in Saudi Arabia
Insulin should be kept in the fridge, but not in the freezer section. Whilst moving around in hot places, insulin should be stored in cool bags and kept away from direct sunlight. This also applies to most other injectable diabetes treatments.

If you are going with a group, inform the group organizers that you have diabetes, your diet plan and how to assist you when you have low blood glucose.

Prepare glucose and ketone dipsticks (to know the state of diabetes control during Ihram).

Regularly monitor your glucose level. Check your glucose before any activity especially before Tawaf.

Carry rapid acting carbohydrates (CHO) at all times.

Patients treated with insulin should adjust insulin doses before activities if required.

Discuss with the doctor in your travel group if you are experiencing unexplained hypoglycaemic episodes during the pilgrimage. This may be caused by an increased exercise level that you are not accustomed to. The doctor will reduce medication that can result in hypoglycaemia.

Be smart with your food choices to keep your blood sugar under control:

For many pilgrims meals will be served buffet-style, so chose your food carefully.

Start your meal with a fresh, well-cleaned salad and vegetables and opt for lean meat and basmati rice dishes, to keep blood sugar levels under control.

Desserts should be avoided as they increase your blood sugar levels and cause dehydration, instead stick to whole fruits that have a low glycemic index and plenty of fibre such as pears, apples and strawberries.

Prepare your snacks, such as a handful of nuts and seeds, low fat yogurt, or soup to avoid sudden dips in glucose levels.

Make sure you have access to simple sugars at all times in the event of hypoglycaemic episode.

Drink plenty of water during the day and with every meal to avoid heat exhaustion (minimum 2 litres daily and preferably more as you may be losing water through sweating or diarrhoea).

Avoid caffeine and sugary drinks such as fruit juices and fizzy soda and make sure you carry water bottles with you at all times.

In case of low blood glucose (when your blood sugars drop to less than 70 mg/dl and you experience symptoms of dizziness, sweating and palpitations):

Eat 3 dates or 1 tablespoon of honey, or drink half a glass of fruit juice.

Recheck your blood glucose levels after 15 minutes, informing the medical team on site.

If you don’t feel better 15 minutes after having sugar, or if your blood glucose level is still below 70 mg/dl, repeat as mentioned above.

Take care of your feet! Foot care is extra important for diabetics, as damage to your peripheral nerves can cause weakness, numbness and pain in your feet, and you may not feel a cut, blister or sore that can cause ulcers and infections, known as diabetic foot.

For men, avoid walking barefoot and always protect your feet with comfortable shoes and clean cotton socks when not in Ihram.

Moisturise with non-perfumed moisturisers to avoid cuts and bruises.

Make sure to wash and dry your feet every day.
Be aware of any blisters and cuts, and seek medical advice on how to treat them.
Remember to
Carry sufficient medications, syringes, needles and a glucagon injection kit.

Carry a travel letter confirming your diabetes diagnosis and a list of your medications

Store insulin in a cool bag, away from direct sunlight.

Eat regular meals.

Take your medications regularly.

Check your blood glucose levels regularly.

Avoid heat and dehydration: avoid the midday sun, use an umbrella to reflect the sun, always carry water.

Wear comfortable footwear when permitted.

Seek medical advice if your blood sugars levels are continuously high, if you have diarrhoea, vomiting or any foot problem.

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About

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Patients & Visitors

For Professionals

Ways to a healthy Hajj when you have diabetes

Before Hajj

Once in Saudi Arabia

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Patients & Visitors

Insurance Partners

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