Before I was dx'd with RA, I was a keen traveller with many trips across Australia and several overseas. I am now contemplating another trip but I am a bit concerened about being squeezed up in economy for several hours at a time. Does anyone else do long flights? What are your experiences? Our minimum flight times over here in West Oz are around four hours and that seems like a long time between leg stretches.
Isabelle.
It depends on how YOU feel. SInce being diagnosed 2 yrs ago, I don't even do long car trips (over an hour)!The only problem I found was getting the ice pack for my meds refozen every day. Just had to find a nice bellman. (Kineret must stay refrigerated at akll times, except for the 20 minutes before you inject it.)
Make your reservatins, and have fun!
FOr those that travel with meds that need to stay cold... ASK THE HOTEL FOR A FRIDGE! They have them for rent usually, but if you tell them its for meds ("insulin" usually covers that) they should give you one for free. This should be covered in the disabilities laws that they provide one. I have travelled with a diabetic several times and the hotel always give us a fridge.. she needs to keep her insulin cold and yeah its nice for water or pop.
I usually tell them "insulin" cause most people dont know about all the other injectable drugs out there, but they all know insulin. GOod luck... i just need to figure out how to get the needle on the plane! hee hee Going to DISNEY in 3.5 weeks! WOO HOO!!
Needles on plane--no problem. Pack in your carry-on. Always have the prescription label with it. Good to have a letter from your doctor as well.
I have flown at least 20 times since 9/11, and I have not once been stopped when I walk through. You willl be stunned. They don't seem to see them on the Xray machine. I once asked a security guy why they don't ever stop me, and he said "lots of people have diabetes." I wanted to say, "yeah, well, lots of terrorists are wondering what nasty stuff they can put in a syringe, too" but I didn't. You don't have to tell them you're carrying needles--just be ready with the letter and script.
Say hi to Mickey for me.
I have to travel for work, and if I'm on a plane for a few hours I have a hard time getting up and walking afterward, but during the flight I try to get up to go to the bathroom at least once, and to flex my hands and ankles while I'm flying. I am planning a trip to Europe this winter, and I don't know how I'm going to do in a plane for eight hours, but I don't care how bad I feel, the fun will be worth it!Thanks for the positive answers. Addison's Disease and Diabetes have not stopped mr from travelling in the past, so why should I let RA stop me? It was the cramping up that worried me, but as long as I take your advice and stretch and go for a walk to the bathroom, I should be OK.
On the carrying needles on a plane - I have done this many times and never been pulled up. I always declare that I will be carrying needles, I carry my prescription with me and I carry the needles in my carry-on luggage (no way I'm gonna let my meds get out of my sight).
I once was able to see the x-ray machine as my carry-on went thru and the needles just looked like a couple of pens. The actual needle-tips were just too fine to show up.
Isabelle
I just read your information bout taking the meds with you on flights...but what about catching something from their re-cycled air? Do you wear a mask? I think about that circumstance because those of us on meds that suppress your immune system run the risk of catching something while traveling. I have worn a mask during flu season and been fine but that was before I took Methotrexate and prednisone. What do you think? I am trying to decide between flying and driving for our next trip. Thanks for your input! Susan LeeI take my own temperature whenever I just think I might be getting sick. If it's even a point above normal, I'm on the phone with the doc. My temperature is what I use as a gauge. I think if I worry about every little germ, I'll turn into Howard Hughes. We all need a few little germs so our bodies can develop immunity to them, even supressed as our systems are.
There's my 2¢ worth.
Does that make any sense to any of you?
I'm not sure about the drugs masking the infection. Kind of scary if it's true. I guess it's true, though, that a temperature doesn't aways exist during an infection. Maybe that's just my way of staying in a bit of denial. If I didn't have a little denial going on here, I'd feel way too sorry for myself. I prefer to tell myself that whatever disease I have or medicine I have to take, it will not get in my way. I don't have time for that. Things to do, places to go, people to see....I recently tried Airborne. I woke up last Friday with a bit of a sore throat and felt like a cold was coming on. I took airborne that day and Saturday and yesterday all symptoms were gone.
I usually get a cold after flying so I will take Airborne after a trip in the future.
My legs and feet swell terribly after flying. Other than soaking them in a hot bath I have never found anything to stave off the swelling.
Anyone have any ideas? (besides avoid salt and drink lots of water)
I traveled to Europe 3x in the space of 7 months while taking MTX and 2 other immunesuppressants. I did not wear a mask and I had no problems. I did the walking, stretching, etc like other people have said. I also drank lots of water, airplane air is very dry.
Yes, these drugs we take can mask symptoms of infection. I have had that happen to me 2x while I have been on Enbrel. You have to take precautions to protect yourself. Wash your hands often, stay away from people who are visibly ill, and don't develop a paranoia over it. If you want to go somewhere by plane, by all means go.
Barb
I started MTX a long while ago (more than a year, prolly 2) and Enbrel in February. As a school teacher, I am exposed to EVERYTHING you can imagine... well this year was the healthiest year ive had, I had only one cold and it lasted about a week. WEll go figure that the end of the school year, today is my first official day of summer vacation (sat and sun dont count) and here i ma having trouble breathing due to cough and chest congestion!!!!! it took me til like 4 to take a shower and then i just got home from getting cough syrup and dayquil, and that zapped my energy! Now all i want to do is sleep and its GORGEOUS outside! UG!!! I will call the doc if its not better tomorrow, so dont think im not keeping things in check! And to keep this sorta on topic
Later, off to nap Unicorn....I hope today is a better day for you. Check in if you feel up to it. I'll be anxious to hear how you are doing. Hope your summer vacation isn't going to have to start off with the crude!! Lovie Lovie Your OB was right.....our immune system is designed to send in the "soldiers" to fight infection thus causing an increased WBC count (white blood cells). This also causes an elevated temp due to all the soldiers activated at once........so if our immune system is depressed we dont have as many WBC's (soldiers) to fight the infection so often no great change in temp. This is why it is important for us to stop our immunosuppresants if we get an infection...we dont want to run out of "soldiers" as the infection would get much worse!!! Hope this helps
training) and yes i have the yukky cough, but not the
labored breathing i had yesterday. Cough syrup and
dayquil work wonders!
I have like 6 hours of computer training today, most
of which i already knew, but im not telling the higher
ups that! I already learned the new stuff i wanted to,
so im just sitting here bored! feeling good tho...
Took 1/4 of a pred today, so now i went from 2.5 to
1.25 mg... lets see how i last! Hopefully i can be off of
it by the time i see my RD! ill take some to FL with
me in case of a flare tho!
PM me if youre bored too!!!!!!!!!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com