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5 Tips for Traveling When You Have a Chronic Illness

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When you have a chronic illness, everything in life is a little more challenging. This includes traveling. However, just because it’s more challenging doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Traveling with a chronic illness simply requires some additional planning. Here are several helpful tips:

Choose the Right Travel Accommodations

As someone with a chronic illness, the right travel accommodations can make or break your travel experience. Be particularly mindful of both flights and lodging.

  • Flights. If you have special medical conditions or situational factors that prevent you from flying in a standard passenger seat, communicate this with the airline in advance. For example, if you need more leg room, you might be able to reserve a seat near an emergency exit. Or if you have an issue that requires you to be seated first/last, they should be able to accommodate this as well.
  • Lodging. Think carefully about the type of lodging you select. Depending on your condition, you might be better suited for an independent housing option like an Airbnb (rather than a hotel). Or, it may behoove you to consider the type of room you select (for example, a handicap room on the ground floor instead of a traditional room on the 12th floor).

If you’re smart about flights and lodging, your travel experience will be much more positive than if you just try to wing things and hope they work out. Be thoughtful!

Plan for Your Care

Unless you’re fully independent and face a low risk of any sort of serious flare-up or health issues, we highly recommend you plan for some care while on your trip. In other words, don’t travel alone. Bring someone with you who can help out.

The obvious choice is a family member, such as a spouse or child. However, if you need additional help, try a travel nurse. Hiring a travel nurse affords a number of benefits, including:

  • Less panic and anxiety traveling alone
  • Highest quality of care regardless of where you travel
  • It takes the burden off the shoulders of your travel companions
  • Offers some comfort and companionship on your trip
  • Gives you more freedom with where you can travel

Traveling with your own nurse is probably the safest thing to do when you have a chronic illness. It gives you total peace of mind, while also neutralizing many of the risks that you’re probably feeling stressed about.

Notify Your Healthcare Team

If you have a healthcare team at home, it’s important that you keep them in the loop regarding your travels. Let them know where you’re going, how long you’ll be away, and what kind of activities are on your itinerary. They can provide some thoughts on activities to avoid and tips for staying healthy. You’ll also want to have them on speed dial, in case something does happen while you’re away.

Have Contingency Plans in Place

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. You have to plan for what happens if your health takes a turn for the worse. This includes knowing how/where to access healthcare, obtaining the proper medication, notifying the right people, etc.

Practice Healthy Habits

Most people slack off when they travel and all of their good, healthy habits go to waste. But you can’t afford to “cheat” on your healthy lifestyle just because you’re traveling. In fact, you need to turn things up a notch and practice even healthier habits. This includes:

  • Eat a diet that’s full of fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. The goal is to fill your body with the proper vitamins and nutrients so that you can strengthen your immune system and fight off sickness.
  • When on the plane, avoid soft drinks and alcohol. Instead, choose tomato juice as a way of boosting your immune system.
  • Bring a refillable water bottle everywhere you go. Aim to drink at least 64 ounces of fresh, filtered water per day.
  • Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep per evening. And if you’re constantly on the go, make time for a one-hour nap or “rest” in the middle of the day. This will help your body recharge.

Don’t Let a Chronic Illness Hold You Back

Chronic illnesses are tough. And unless someone has experienced a chronic illness in their life, it’s difficult to relate. But whether your chronic illness is physical or mental, you don’t have to let it hold you back.

There are ways to continue doing the things you love, including traveling the world. By implementing some of the best practices outlined in this article, you can continue traveling while still being mindful of any increased risks or limitations facing you. Good luck…and safe travels!