One thing that many people with health conditions tend to believe is that traveling with friends or family is no longer a possibility for them. More often than not, as long as they prepare far in advance for the trip, a person with a medical condition can still drive or fly wherever they’d like. If you’re not sure where to start in the planning stages, though, we have some tips for you that will help you travel more effectively with a medical condition.
Talk to Your Doctor
The first step to planning your trip is to talk to your doctor. Even if you have a bad feeling that you won’t be able to travel with your condition, still go. Your doctor will know for sure if it’s a possibility. Plus, they might be able to give you some more specific tips that we could have never suggested for you.
Decide the Best Way To Get There
Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, it’s time to plan out which method of travel is best for your condition. Make sure you differentiate the myths from reality during this decision. For example, many people believe you can’t get on a plane if you use a catheter, but that’s not true. This is just one of the many misconceptions about living with a catheter that many people still believe it today.
Regardless of which medical condition you have or what types of supplies or equipment you need to use, you must know what you can and can’t do during the travel part of your trip. If needed, feel free to ask your doctor about these questions as well.
Pack Extra Medical Supplies
No matter the length of your vacation, you should pack some extra medical supplies. Finding the items you need while on the go is never easy, especially depending on where you go, so bringing them with you is essential.
This can also apply to prescription medication. Your doctor can fulfill an extra prescription if you plan on being gone for a long time. This might not always be a guarantee, but the sooner in advance you plan this, the better your chances.
Carry Detailed Medical Information
Depending on your health, if you reach a state where you can no longer respond to people and tell them your condition, you’ll need a way to communicate that information with them. Carry detailed papers explaining your condition, or wear a wristband that informs people what you have. Any of these things could help save your life if something were to go wrong. No one wants to think about this possibility, but it’s always better to be prepared.
Make a Plan B
In the end, no matter how many tips for traveling with a medical condition you try to follow, you can’t plan for everything. That’s why you need a plan B. Whether it’s a way to get home quickly or finding a hospital you can visit at your destination, having a backup plan is necessary while on vacation with a health condition.
