Good planning can lead to a much more enjoyable holiday.*
Travelling can be difficult for those with LTHCs. Wherever you intend to travel for leisure or for business. A few additional safety precautions can reduce stress levels. To enable a positive trip. Using tips and reminders from The Addison’s Disease Self-help Group and its members.
Whether you are heading abroad or taking a staycation, the same conditions apply.
Why Addison’s disease?
A rare condition that can be affected by the stress of travel. Where the correct medication is taken at the right time is crucial. Baseline medication is given by the Endocrinologist but additional ‘top-ups’ are taken by patients according to how their body reacts during the day. This has to be done by judgement as there is no direct test for cortisol levels — as in comparison to say Diabetes, where it’s easy to check your sugar levels.
Member travel tips are often the most helpful and less daunting than a long list of reminders.
Usually formed from positive or negative experiences and not out of a medical textbook. Some basic ones here are:
Start preparation well in advance
Take your medical paperwork with you
Find and make a note of the nearest hospitals — especially those with an A&E service
Make sure you have all your medication and enough for an extra week
Andrew Glass is Chair of the Trustees for the ADSHG and reports from Bangkok. Mr Glass is an experienced traveller in hotter climates. His blog has ten top tips including food and drink choices. He said:
“Street food is tasty, cheap and culturally exciting but it can present a higher risk of picking up an infection or food poisoning. I suggest sticking to places with lots of people (especially locals) eating –- they should know after all”.
Glass suggests that smaller restaurants and markets can be as cheap and tasty and generally have higher standards of hygiene. Ensuring you know what to do in case you do you vomit or get diarrhoea is also recommended.
The Medical Experts!
These are important! The late Nikki Kieffer was a senior endocrine nurse with Royal Leicester Infirmary. Her research and dedication earned her the Annette Louise Seal Prize and the Society for Endocrinology Endocrine Nurse Award, before her death in 2019. Kieffer’s work lives on in this blog Making the most of your holiday tips , where 16 factors for those with Addison's Disease are discussed.
Including sharing how to inject your medication with whomever you are travelling with and wearing a piece of medical jewellery. (If you may be swimming purchase a silicone band) — keeping medication out of the sunlight and ensuring you remain well hydrated.
Preparing for an emergency
If travelling abroad Adrenal crisis guidelines (what to do when the body is placed under stress and requires additional cortisol urgently) are available in various languages. Cantonese, German, Greek, French, Italian and Russian are a few of the ten options available. Download directly from the ADSHG.
So here we have a balanced contrast between the patient and the expert. Equal importance and in simple language. Easier to grasp. Easy to implement.
Summary
Anyone with an LTHC can benefit from a few bits of extra planning and preparation. The advantage of reducing stress levels and building confidence before you travel will put a smile on your face — reduce the anxiety and ensure you have the best time possible. It may not work out exactly as you want it to.
There will be things beyond your control but simple positive steps really make a difference, without you even realising. Top five to finish:
Get your medication well in advance
Research emergency hospital locations
Purchase adequate health insurance if outside the UK
Plan and prepare your itinerary
Listen to your body!
Then finally — sit back, relax, enjoy — savour every minute and refresh!
Andrew Glass - Travel tips from Bangkok
ADSHG Member Travel Tips
ADSHG Adrenal crisis guidelines
Nikki Keiffer - Making the most of your holiday tips and reminders
*Please remember that these blogs are very real to us. We are on the same journey. It’s tough, slow and frustrating. Most of the Scenarios we face ourselves. Sometimes we find what we print useful. Other times we don’t. It’s included because everyone's journey is different. We have passionate perseverance to help others. To dispose of all content would be a waste and a disservice to our readers.