Travelling Internationally With Neuropathy

Today's post from siren.care/blog (see link below) is an article containing basic advice for international travel with neuropathy in your luggage. There are some helpful tips as well as the patently obvious but perhaps its greatest value is that it reminds us that we are transferring our nerve damaged bodies out of their familiar and largely safe environments, into new ones, filled with hidden pitfalls - it's good to be prepared! You can often get carried away by the excitement of a foreign holiday and can easily forget the basics of daily living with neuropathy. Medications for instance...you'd be amazed how many people forget their meds and only realise when it's too late to do anything about it. Similarly, different countries have different rules regarding medications, so a covering letter from your doctor and an official list of your medications from your pharmacist, are pretty much essential when passing through customs, or visiting doctor in a foreign land. The article is addressed at an American readership but of course applies to all nationalities. All in all, however exciting a holiday may be, your health still comes first (or you won't enjoy it) and taking a few precautions is only common sense.

International Travel and Neuropathy
June 4, 2018

If you're reading this you're probably about to travel overseas. Congratulations for embarking on a new and exciting adventure. Whenever you travel, it's important to prepare as much in advance as possible. We've come up with travel tips for traveling internationally when you have neuropathy. Whether you have painful or painless neuropathy, these tips will help you have a successful trip!

Travelers' Health Tips from the CDC

The CDC is an excellent resource for international travel. You can discover specific recommendations for the location that you are traveling, as well as, other resources around vaccines and suggested travel medication. The site also includes "healthy travel packing lists," along with health tips for traveling.


Talk to Your Doctor Before Traveling

Set up an appointment with your primary care doctor before going overseas. At this visit, you can get necessary vaccines, and travel medication you may need. For example, travel to some places may require malaria or anti-diarrheal medication. You'll have a better idea of what you need after visiting the CDC website, and your doctor can help you figure out what medications you absolutely need, and how to manage your current medication list while overseas. You will also want to talk to your doctor about your existing neuropathy symptoms. Make sure that your doctor knows your current neuropathy symptoms, and what concerns you have about your neuropathy. They may make different recommendations for your trip based on your current symptoms and your foot health history.

Prescription Medications and Medical Supplies

Bring any prescription medications on the plane with you in their original labeled containers. You may also want to bring a doctor's note describing your current health condition and any special requirements that you may have. This can help you go through airline security as well as customs. If you are traveling to another country, consider using google translate to translate the text into a local dialect. You may want to bring a number of over the counter medications so that you don't have to purchase something overseas. Don't forget some medications in the U.S. that are legal are illegal in other countries. Make sure that whatever medications you carry with you are allowed in the country you visit. We recommend:

Stomach and Digestive Medications: Anti-Diarrheal, Mild Laxative
Cold and Flu Medicines
Pain Medications
Allergy Medications
Basic First Aid

You'll also want to bring all of your diabetes testing supplies, as well as any medications used to treat your neuropathy or neuropathy symptoms.

Bring Items to Prevent Illness and Injury

When you have neuropathy, you may not feel your feet, or you may be experiencing incredible pain. It's important to prepare in advance to avoid illness and injury.
Bring proper fitting shoes for all activity. If you have special shoes make sure they aren't too tight
Wear socks every day. Siren Diabetic Socks monitor the health of your feet every second you wear them. They can help you find out if you're about to have an injury so you can take action to prevent an ulcer.
Bring moleskin or other items to prevent foot blisters or problems.
Hand sanitizer - bring a variety of types and continuously wash and sanitize your hands.
Sun protection
Bug Spray

Stay Healthy and Safe

When you're traveling it's easy to get caught up in the sights and amazing experiences of wherever you are. Don't forget to take basic care of yourself. For example, don't forget to drink water constantly. It's easy to get dehydrated. Make sure you check the local area to see if you should only drink bottled water. Some other safe travel tips:
Try to not overexert yourself
Wear a medical alert bracelet
Research the local laws, customs and culture of wherever you are going
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): the US government will send you alerts and it lets them know when you're traveling and to contact if you if there's a problem in your area.
Know the location of the local US Consulate
Purchase Travelers Health Insurance to cover everything from medications, hospitalization, and medical evacuations.
Call the TSA Helpline Before You Go to The Airport

The TSA helpline can provide you with advice on traveling with neuropathy through the airport. It's a great resource if you have any special medical devices, you can call (866) 289-9673.

Pack a Smart Carry On

When packing your carry on make sure you have everything you could need for a long flight. This may include diabetes supplies, pain medication, or snacks. You'll want any comfort and health items easily at hand.

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Have you traveled internationally before? What are your favorite travel tips? Please share them in the comments below!

https://siren.care/blog/international-travel-neuropathy/