My family and I have a wonderful opportunity to travel to the netherlands with my wife's father in july. We live in the usa so this is a really big trip. we would be going for 2 weeks. I would love to go but am afraid of how sick I might get from my RA. I have very aggressive RA and am on disability. I was wondering if I could get a few opinions and advice on what others with RA think? Should I try to go or will it be too much?
I don't think you should pass this trip up, Hutch. I mean you're going to be with family, so if things get bad you take some time out to just rest...you're family I'm sure knows what to expect with your RA.
Go and have the time of your life!
hi hutch, boy this is a really tough one. i think you really should talk with your rt. i have been to europe many times and can tell you that the flights are long. the time change all by itself is fatiguing and that was before i started having the ra stuff. having said that, i wouldn't change even one experience. there is something so special there. the people, the history, the places. so...you are going to have ra a long time and there just has to be some quality of life. if the doc thinks you can you will love it. choice is yours.definitely go!! There are lots of ways you can deal with the RA and travel issues. Order a wheelchair when you book your flight and you won't have to carry around luggage and walk around airports. they will pick you up at check-in and take you through customs to the flight lounge and then you board first so you can get settled before everyone else gets on. You can rest lots on the flight and go for short walks to the loo and do seat exercises to keep active. Wheelchair at the other end gets you off the plane last, picks up your luggage and gets you through customs again to your taxi or whatever. Make sure you have somewhere you can rest during the day if you need to while you are visiting. Break the day up if you are sight seeing. Don't let RA rob you of this experience.
Hi hutch, I've done some travelling with RA including Rio about 2 years ago. This summer it'll be Rome. I would run it by your rheumy but if she's like mine, she'll encourage you to go. It takes some planning. I'm taking out travel insurance just in case something really bad happens like an infection from the enbrel or MTX. I had a great time in Rio and was actually better than usual. I think the adrenalin from a big trip helps.
I requested and got aisle seating so I could get up, stretch, and exercise during the flight. I packed my enbrel in a freeezer kit using a frozen block rather than the shorter lasting cool pack that came with the kit. I wrapped my med kit in bubble wrap so it wouldn't freeze.I also had room to fit some food. That way I can take meds with food even if the stewardesses aren't serving any.Hotels will usually accommodate you with a place to refrigerate your meds.On the plane I have a little inflatable pillow I use for my neck and I have something under my feet( a bag), so I can change leg positions during the flight.
I'm on about 10 pills a meal so I pack them in daily snap boxes which I keep in my purse. I'd never trust myself to keep my pill regimine straight any other way. The prescriptions and bigger bottles I keep in a medicine bag which goes on the plane with me.Don't eat salty things that can make you retain water and feel worse. Keep well hydrated. I don't know if you have Sjogren's like me, but I carry a nasal spray(Ocean) to keep my nose from drying out on the plane.
I try to pick lodgings that have a pool where I can do my water exercise or at least a hot tub. Sometimes they will make arrangements for you to use a neighboring pool or health club.
Once there, relax, take things in small doses and enjoy. Don't eat enormous meals that could bog you down. Good luck.
I agree - go! There will be some things you can't do, or can't do as much as you would like. You may need to rest in the middle of the day - but I'm thinking of the trips we've taken - there's no reason why you can't do a modified version of pretty much everything. Is it possible for you to have access to a wheelchair while you're there, just in case you need one?hi hutch, i responded to you earlier but here's my list..... i assume you will arrive in amsterdam. a HUGE international airport. this is a european gateway facility. they unplane you on the tarmac and bus you to the terminal. often you have a long way to just get to customs.(not much fun anymore) the wheel chair is a MUST! drink only bottled water. watch what you eat. it's all good but your system may not be used to it. carry energy bars on the plane. drink lots of bottled water. talk to your primary care dr about starting a course of bactrim and carry pepto bismo if he/she says it's o.k. get an inflatable neck pillow. get noise canceling headphones. believe me there is nothing worse than the screaming kid in the row behind you. if you can, try to adjust you internal clock before you leave,ie get up a 4,go to bed at 7. sleep as much as you can on the plane. if you are on central time the change is 7 hours earlier. coming back this way you at least have your own home to get re-adjusted. it has always been harder for me to adjust to eastern standard than going. convert your currency at the arrival airport. change only as much as you think you may need., mostly tips. you will be charged aprox 10%. charge as much as you can. the rate is better. remember that you will pay the 10% to change your money back to US. in europe, it is customary for tips to be included in the bill. LOOK! do not over tip. we americans often do that. it is not expected! they are well paid. always tip your taxi driver. not necessary to tip the bus driver if you use transport from the airport. oh my hutch, amsterdam is a fantastic city! ride the canal boats. find your way to the red lite district. be sure to see the rembrandt meuseum. most important, rest, pace yourself and don't feel guilty if your family has to leave you behind to recharge. remember i said earlier, quality of life matters!
think of anythin, just ask, be well, phyllis
Thankyou Starmom. What is Bactrim? The things you mentioned to do are at the top of my list. My wifes parents were born in the Netherlands and moved here in 1956. We will be accompanying here father on our trip to the netherlands. He's 82 and runs circles around me. It will be funny when they bring up a wheelchair and the 39 year old gets in it. I hope our plans work out. Should know within the week.
Hutch
Oh how exciting!!
I don't have time to read what everyones written and I'm sure you've gotten excellent advise from regular travelers.
2 things I can think of right off the bat. Make sure you keep all medications in a carry on in your possesion. Lost luggage is horrible; lost medication will be a nightmare!!
Don't try to see and do everything everyone else will do. You'll exhast yourself too early. Go slow.....and enjoy some R&R.
How fun!!
i agree with the carry on of meds but also make sure that they are in the origional rx containers. security types are pretty uptight about drugs. especially the pain stuff. bactrim is a sulfa based antibiotic. there is a nasty bug called travelers diarrhea that it is useful for. again, best to talk with the doc!Hutch,How controlled is your RA?
I do know the long plain trip, if not controlled, can ruin a whole vacation with the pain it can cause if you can't lay down during it.
But, if you can make it and take all your meds with you, you should be fine.
Be sure that your meds are legal to take into other countries.
Oh yah, request airport chairs and/or transportation.
I was in the Sanfracisco airport witha baby once and it took 1/2hr to walk from one end to the other, I was very very close to missing my connection flight. They said the rides were only for disabled people so they wouldn't give me one.
i ride the local one though, usually a cart like golfing that gives you a ride., but you can do a wheelchair on the way out.
Nothing to do with pride, just very long walks and you don't want to get worse before you vacation actually starts.
Hutch, You will want to have prescriptions with you for all your meds. Don't pack the meds. Carry them with you on the plane. If you're on enbrel or another injectable that needs medication, they have little freezer kits you can take on the plane. They have a compartment outside the kit that holds a prescription and doctor information.Hope you decide to go. You only live once.Go Hutch and then tell us all about it. That's what I tell everyone who goes on a trip now. I am currently living vicariously through others. It's great because people just love to tell about their journeys while others get bored easily. Not me.
Go, have fun. Live!