How to Travel with Chronic Illness
There’s no question that traveling is one of my favorite things to do. Whether it’s for work, visiting family and friends or simply to get away, I love it. Traveling shows me that that life is complex, nuanced and beautiful. There are billions of stories and possibilities out there and not enough time in the world to experience it all. I do my best not have my lupus condition stop me from trying.
Traveling with chronic illnesses can be a daunting and tricky. With a plan, you can stay ahead of the game and enjoy the trip.
- Get doctor approval. One of my worse flares restricted me from flying. The risk of getting an infection was so great that I was under doctors orders not to travel, I even stopped using public transportation as a precaution. So, before you book that trip, it is critical that you know if it is safe for you to travel.
- Carry your medical history. Have a paper and digital copy of your records with you. Include your care providers and emergency contact information in case they need to be reached.
- Pack all your medications. Get a refill of your prescriptions and carry extra doses. In case of a delay or mishap, this will save you time, and reduce your stress by having one less thing to worry about. Put all your medications in a carry-on bag. And don’t forget your travel size first aid kit. If you have medication or supplies that don’t meet TSA requirements, ask your doctor for a note.
- Map out your trip to include hospitals and or treatment centers. Know what’s close by in case of a health emergency. I recommend downloading or saving an offline google map.
- If you need special equipment or services such as dialysis, know where the facility is and pre-arrange the treatment.
- Research the area to see what types of accommodations can be to your advantage. If you are on a special diet or have food allergies find out what kind of restaurants in the area can meet your needs within reason. Speaking of accommodations, determine how accessible the place you will be staying and the venues you plan to visit. Ask about wheelchairs, ramps, elevators, pool lifts, shuttle vans, etc.
- If possible, when flying, book a seat with extra legroom so you can stretch or book an aisle seat. What if you can’t get up and move around independently, for instance, to use the loo? All I can say is, before booking and at the boarding gate, ask the airline for assistance are available during the flight. On short flights, you might be okay, but on long-haul flights, the ability to get up and move around is important.
- Get a MedicaAlert® Medical ID. These come in the form of bracelets, tags, or necklaces. Thank goodness, nowadays you can find one that fit and suits your everyday style. Take a look at some of these from MedicAlert Foundation.
- If you are traveling with others, keep them in the loop. Should anything happen they would be able to help even by simply communicating accurate information about your condition.
- Please get some rest!!!!
Bonus: If traveling abroad find out if and how much your health insurance covers. You may want to consider purchasing traveler’s medical insurance.
Planning ahead will give you the peace of mind you need and in some cases could be life-saving. I hope these tips for traveling with chronic illness help. Happy travels!
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