debilitating symptoms after travel

[susan]

Needing your experience & opinions (realize this is a minor issue in the grand scheme!)

I have not traveled for ten years due to Sjogrens, Stills Disease & Acromegaly. Have a chance to take a short trip involving air travel.
What has happened in the past is that after a flight, drive, or whatever, I am wiped out for a couple of days. Then, need to use vacation time to recoup.

Any tips, or should I just realize that this is the way it is? Would love to get away from the frigid weather, I would be traveling south!

Thank you so much for your help.

[JannaLee]

Speaking for myself, it seems like I have disappeared from my life and certainly from the lives of loved ones.

I encourage you to go and just expect you will pay a price after.  Life is short.

Sending you wishes to be well and come home strong!
Janna
 

[sugarbugar]

I just traveled to Mayo and came back last Friday. I used a wheelchair at the airports and that really helped. I am still tired, achy, etc from the travel though. I am also extremely dry. Eyes, mouth, head etc.  I stayed very hydrated, did mucinex, nasal spray etc. It didn't matter dryness still got me. Just take it easy the first day you get there and a few days after you get back. Do the best you can and try to enjoy!
Good luck on your travels and I hope you have fun!!

[mews]

Dear Susan,
I travel (fly now, use to drive but that's way too much on me now) every month to see my Dr's in NY, I'm in NC and they do not except my health insurance... it's tough, too say the least. Make sure you have all the meds you need at you finger tips!! The airplanes and airports can be a very dry place!!

Make sure you use a wheelchair, they are more comfy than the airport chairs if your plane is delayed, and they will zip you through the long lines and get you on the plane first!!

Take your time, wash your hands a lot, stay away from sick people... Good luck and have fun...just give yourself a few extra hours for rest the day you get home, don't plan to clean and do laundry, there's plenty of time to do all of that..

HAVE FUN!!!!!
Mary

[Bucky]

Susan,

Most airports are HUGE (except for my small airport that has puddle-jumpers for airplanes  ).  If you aren't using a wheelchair and will be walking to your departing flight and lugging a carry-on piece of luggage, I have found it helpful to rent one of those luggage carts they have at the airport.  That way you aren't hurting your arms, shoulders, neck and back lugging it.  Well worth the money in my opinion.  Hang onto it until you are sure your flight is departing.

Prior to traveling, be sure and hydrate yourself.  Drink lots of water.  They won't let you carry bottled water from home with you any more at the airport.  You can buy some there at the airport after you have cleared security (at a WAY inflated price!!  ).  You do what you have to do.

Make sure and keep your medicines with you.  These have to be in the clear bags in their original containers to go through the security check.  Don't forget eyedrops.

The air inside airplanes is notorious for being dry.  Again, make sure you have some water with you and take frequent sips.  I usually turn off the little vent above my head as I don't want that blowing on me.

Rest up if you can the day before you go.  While on your vacation, enjoy yourself, but don't try to "do it all", that will definitely catch up with you when you get home.  If you can take a break during the day while there, that will help.

I know for myself, when we go on vacation, we usually stay up late at night and get up early in the morning and go, go, go all day long.  It's very tiring.  Like I mentioned, if you can find an hour or so in the middle of your day just to unwind, put your feet up, close your eyes and rest - it will help.

Enjoy your trip.

Bucky

[brownskin510]

Hi Susan,

This happens to me everytime I travel, whether by car or plane. When I travel by plane, I seem to suffer from extreme fatigue and joint pain, as well as cold like symptoms sometime. When I travel by car, I am just usually tired with joint pain while traveling. So, what I do is always schedule my vacation, leaving 1-3 days after for recouperating. But, I like some of the ideas that have been given on the board, and will try to incorporate it. However, I am only 40, and would feel uncomfortable being wheeled around the airport because most say that I don't look 40. So, to me, I would feel like I am taking a chair from an ederly or severly handicapped person who doesn't have a choice, but to use a chair.

[Pisces24]

Any kind of travel causes a certain amount of stress especially if you are don't travel a lot.
Glad it hit you AFTER you got home. I have traveled only to feel sick & nauseous when I get there which really puts a damper on any vacation enjoyment.

The only suggestion I can make to help is pre-prepare. Go through all what is going to happen in your mind. If you are driving, go to Expedia and print out your driving directions. MapQuest is good to help find nearby restaurants, gas stations and pharmacies from your hotel.  Make a list of what you are taking with you: clothes, meds, etc. It helps getting your mind wrapped around everything.

This may sound neurotic but I do this everytime I travel which is not very often. But I learned it eliminated a lot of stress for me.

Good Luck!!

[sugarbugar]

I almost forgot I was able to bring my electrolyte drink and my coconut water through security. If you have a letter from your Dr on a script they take your drinks and run some test on it. Mine obviously cleared and I was able to have my fluids with me 

[Chickpea]

These are really great suggestions.  I've been taking notes because I'm hoping to do a long trip to visit my daughter who's at Occidental College near Pasadena, CA for a semester.  It's a 10 hour flight from London so I'll need lots of eyedrops, bottles of water etc etc.

Does anyone have suggestions about how to deal with tremors - arms and legs - on a flight?

I use a powered wheelchair which I'll take with me on the flight.  I just hope they take good care of it because one time I flew to Newark, NJ my manual wheelchair arrived in pieces.  To all of you who are thinking of using a wheelchair at the airport I'd encourage you to do so.  Those corridors seem to go on for miles and standing in line is tiring too - you'll arrive at the plane exhausted if you don't ask for help.  Plus it would be nice for those of us who use wheelchairs most of the time to see other 'young' people in them!

Chickpea

[susan]

Thank you so much for your fabulous travel tips---it was so helpful to read them!

Confused,
great idea to use wheelchair, and I will check into handicapped card

Janna,
I really could identify with what you said about disappearing from life---loved your reminder that life is short

Sugarbugar,
Mucinex is a great tip, and appreciate knowing it is possible to bring fluids

Mews,
Thanks for reminding me to wash hands & rest when getting home

Bucky,
Luggage cart wonderful idea, always need reminder to hydrate, & resting day BEFORE

Brownskin,
Loved the idea to leave 1--3 days to recoup

Pisces24,
You are not neurotic, tip to pre-prepare makes sense

[Carolina]

Wheelchairs

Lists, lists, lists.

Fluids

very careful eating.   Take protein snacks if possible. 

Medicated hand wipes.

Hand washing

Lotions (quart bag has to hold the carry on fluids unless you get a special dispensation)

Soft earplugs for the plane noise (the waxy kind).  The noise wears you out!

Nature's Tears eye spray mist is a life saver.   Jam it all in the quart bag.

Do you take any med that relaxes you?   For huge trips (to China) I get Ambien to help me relax and sleep.

You can watch and listen to your own DVD on your lap top for more control and escape.

Fly as EARLY as possible in the day.   Nothing is as bad in the morning, I've found.

That's about all I can suggest.   

Keep us posted.

It's gonna be worth the extra stress.

Kisses

Elaine

[sjogrens53]

My sister and I flew to NYC (from WA state) in October just for fun.  We were gone for 5 days -- Wed. night-Sun.
I had to be back to work on Monday morning.  I wouldn't reccomend doing that......  it took weeks for me to "get back on my feet".  I would suggest at least using a couple of days to recouperate.  It was a fun trip, but, boy did I pay a price.  Thanks everyone for sharing your travel tips.  I'm hoping to do some more traveling in the next year or two.

[Lesleybird]

     My best advice is to go but not push yourself to do too much at your destination. Take your favorite pillow and sleep in late. See a few things or do a few activities at your own pace. Don't let the person you are traveling with make you go go go, run run run to see and do too much. Relax in the hotel and sit outside by the beach or pool (in the shade), and take it easy. You are on vacation so no cooking or cleaning. Direct non-stop flights are nice if you can get them.    Lesley

[Tinker]

Even if it's a short trip, I pay a price. Most of the time it's worth it just to get away from the daily grind...ya know?

FYI:  at our airport, the mode of travel is not so much the wheelchair, but the big 6 passenger speed demon cruisers blowing their whislte and telling everyone to get out the way.  Then you get the wheelchair.  Tell them AHEAD of time you need it on arrival and departure.  That part was great.

If you're a little concerned about looking  well, put on a mask and you are instanly afforded every convenience.   

My dh and I took a cruise last May (never again) but they really took care of me geting off that ship and through customs. 

I was nauseated the whole time so it wasn't much fun except for getting off the ship at ports.  BP was low and could barely walk but I went anyway. 

Travel is more and more difficult but I do better by car.  I hope I helped a little with a few tiips to make your travel a better experience. 

Please excuse tying errors...can't see as i'm flat on my back with spinal headache.

[JannaLee]

Oh Tink honey!  Sending a tender stroke to your brow!