9 Tips for Travellers with Chronic Illnesses

Travelling to a new place while on vacation can be exciting, but it can also be therapeutic for people who suffer from chronic illnesses. The benefits of a getaway, even a short one, are many, but so are the difficulties faced by those suffering from illnesses. Travelling with illness is a big challenge. However, you can't stay home forever. At some point, you need to get out. There are tips chronic sufferers can follow to enjoy time away from home while caring for their health. 

1. Create a Travel Bag

By creating a special travel bag, sufferers of chronic illness can ensure their needs are met while travelling by any mode of transportation. In fact, if properly stocked, the travel bag can provide a ready-made remedy for most problems that may arise. Fill a small tote or duffel bag with bottled water, snacks, a media player, a blanket and pillow, and any medications you're currently taking. 

Don't be afraid to improvise and add anything else you think might come in handy in managing your symptoms. Don’t forget to bring your doctor’s note, which will be helpful in airport customs, as well as pharmacies. Having your medical ID is also necessary in cases of emergencies.

2. Bring Help

*Photo by The National Guard on Flickr

Even if you're not travelling alone and your companion is familiar with your illness and needs, you may also want to hire a practitioner to come along. A nurse will have more experience in helping you cope with your condition on the go. Also, in the event of an emergency, a real health care provider will react more efficiently and ensure you get prompt care.

3. Indulge Yourself

While travelling can be fun, it's also exhausting and more so for those with a chronic disease. One key tip to consider is to go for the four or five-star luxury accommodations. After a long day of sightseeing, you'll want to pamper yourself. Relax by the pool, hit the spa, or kick back in a jacuzzi before slipping into your bed for the night.

Travelling may put extra stress on you, so it is a good idea to take care of your diet, eat well, and rest. Have a list of healthy restaurants to go to and take a refillable bottle of water wherever you go. 

4. Take Days Off from Your Days Off

While on vacation, many people plan out everything they want to see and do. Even healthy people can overdo it and end up becoming ill or too tired. There's nothing wrong with taking one or two days and leaving them unplanned. You can spend them relaxing by the pool at that luxury hotel or stroll around the town leisurely.

5. Know Your Limits

This goes hand in hand with the previous point, but it involves more than just ensuring you don't overtax yourself. It also involves swallowing your pride. Bring a cane or a walker along if you know you'll need the extra support. Don't be embarrassed to bring anything that will help keep you mobile and as free of pain as possible. Taking care of yourself on vacation is just as important as caring for yourself at home.

6. Prepare for the Worst-Case Scenario

Once you arrive at your destination, try to anticipate your needs, both in everyday situations and in the event of an emergency. You may want to consider letting the hotel staff know about your condition, especially if you are travelling alone. Also, familiarise yourself with the local hospitals and emergency clinics, just in case you need to get to one on your own.

Today, most people carry smartphones or some other mobile calling device. Be sure you keep yours within reach at all times for easy access. If you're outside your own country, familiarise yourself with that country’s emergency response number and program it into your contact list.

7. Manage Your Prescriptions

*Photo by Jamie on Flickr

Taking your prescription medication with you is sometimes a challenge. The main challenge is in packing them. Some people like to remove the original bottles and put them in different boxes. However, the best solution is to keep the original bottles. They may come in handy going to a pharmacist in another city or country.

To be safe, it is good to pack the types of medicines that are not in your prescription but may be needed. Take an extra amount of antibiotics, aspirins and just simple meds. Such medicine may be costly in some places you go.

8. Schedule Your Day Carefully

What matters most is how you schedule your trip and your days. It is very important to keep everything organised not to cause extra headaches for yourself. Just to start with, the arrival time at your destination is essential and has a large impact on your health. For example, if you arrive during the day, you may be jetlagged and have little to no time to rest. You want to ensure that your journey has as little effect on your usual daily routines as possible.

Some even suggest longer trips for people with afflictions. In this way, you will have less anxiety and be able to do things more calmly. Plan your days and activities but also leave some days open-ended; you will either find something exciting to do, or just rest, which you definitely need.

9. Learn about Your Destination and Its Safety Concerns

It is natural for you to research your destination before taking off. You probably google its attractions and things to do, and you may even check the food prices and living expenses. When you have an illness to deal with, however, you need to check your destination’s safety and health conditions as well. 

You need to know if the weather conditions in the city you visit create complications for your health. It is good to know if you are allergic to that weather. Has there been a major breakout of an epidemic in that city or country? If so, you should think twice before travelling. Questions like these need to be answered before you embark on your journey.