walking vacation | Arthritis Information
My family just booked a trip next month to go to Gatlinburg. It's only a few hours away so it's our usual long weekend vacation. Every time we go though it's A LOT of walking. I'm already nervous about it. For the last few weeks I wake up and it feels like I've twisted my ankle. It improves through the day after working it, taking pills, and sometimes heat.
This will be one of the first years my daughter will not be in a stroller (she's almost 4) so I'm hoping we'll have to cut down what we do for her, but I doubt it.
I'm already trying to plan for this- I (anyway) need some more options for heating pads including some I can microwave and carry with me in the car and such. Does anyone have luck wrapping their ankles or wrists? Since it's not really twisted I haven't noticed it helping. I'm going to go get some new shoes for some support.
Today was my second day of Leflunomide (again) taking it with zofran. Of course it helps some with the nausea but not the pain in my stomach. Even if I manage to stay on it this time and get over those problems I understand I'll probably have to take a combo of jobs to really get relief. I don't even see the doc again until after I get back from vacations so I'm thinking about asking for another prednisone taper for the trip.
That always seems to help with the pain and fatigue. I really want us to have a good trip where I don't have to think about all this!
Any tricks or products you guys can recommend?
Try the Thermacare heat wraps. They last 8 hours and are self-heating. They work very well, at least in my opinion. Another option is to use a heating pad with a power inverter while in the car. You can get a cheap power inverter in the auto maintenance section of Target or similar stores for around .
Sometimes when my ankle acts up (damage from injuries, not RA) I use an off-the-shelf adjustable ankle support, also found at just about any drug/discount store. It helps quite a bit, at least for me.
Definitely get the prednisone taper pack. You don't have to take it, but it's good to have it in case you need it.
Yeah... I done the prednisone taper pack when I went to california a few years back, because I knew I was going to do a lot of walking and all. Without it, I would have been like I am now and would have ruined the trip for everyone around me.
I would ask for the pred taper pack. It will help you out greatly.
I hope you have fun on your trip.
Oh and try not to start the pred taper pack too early in the trip. If you are like me and you get fast relief from the first days dose than wait until you know you will be needing it. I would hate for you to run out of "steam" halfway thru your trip and be misrable the rest of it.
Oh yeah- I am a firm believer in wrapping when ankles and wrists are giving me trouble. Ace bandages or HandEze gloves really do the job for me.
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