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There are two things in life that never get any less annoying : overdue library fees and getting a prescription refill. For some people, prescription refills may be every once in a while, maybe for a cold or something. Maybe it’s more regular, like with birth control, but otherwise isn’t a big deal. OR MAYBE, it’s a matter of life and death. Yanno. Just routine stuff.

I feel like the term “chronic condition” sounds so dramatic to anyone who doesn’t have one. I mean, yeah, I guess it kind of is, but for someone like me who has been “chronic” since basically birth, it’s just life. Traveling when you have a chronic health condition comes with its own set of challenges, which can be daunting for sure. How do you juggle medications and judgement and worried loved ones and emergency doctor visits? Oh, and don’t forget flare ups, immobilizing pain, and the occasional “accident.” Or your body just saying ‘nah not feelin it,’ and shutting down for the rest of the day. How do you do all that while still having a good time?!?

With me today are two other bloggers well-versed in the art of traveling with medication for a chronic condition. If you have a chronic condition and are hesitant to travel because of health concerns, hopefully this post will alleviate some of those worries. If you don’t have a chronic condition, then maybe it’ll be an insightful read regardless. So without further ado!

First, I’ll introduce Amanda from ARoamerTherapy!

We also have Katie from Just Chasing Sunsets!

And then, of course, myself.

Let’s dive in!

1. In the most basic explanation, what is your chronic condition?

Katie: I have a heart arrhythmia called Long QT Syndrome that I’ve been taking daily medication for since I was 13, so 18 years (not to give away my age or anything). This condition affected me when I was physically active and competing in sports. I haven’t had an issue since I started taking medication.

Amanda: Oh boy, this is never a pretty one to explain! So I have Crohn’s Disease, which is getting common enough for most people to have at least heard of. Crohn’s Disease is an autoimmune disease related to the digestive tract. In essence, my immune system gets really confused and starts attacking my gut.

For most people, a flare normally involves a lot of stomach pain, frequent runs to the loo, and sometimes even an inability to hold on till you reach the blessed throne. That’s why a lot of Crohnsers (Crohnsites? Crohnsies?) carry spare clothing. For me, it’s not that bad (actually, I’m in remission and have been flare free for a while, yippeeeeee). Pre-diagnosis, the symptoms were stabbing pains in my belly. Today, the worst cases involve nausea and perhaps a night hunched over the toilet bowl. Hey, you asked!

Kay: Hey y’alllllll. I kinda have hypothyroidism – in the sense that I don’t have a thyroid at all, so very hypo. Hypothyroidism is basically when your thyroid (or lack of in my case) doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone for your body. Those hormones regulate…A LOT of things, especially metabolism. It’s nbd though and totally maintained. *shrug emoji* Aduke: Two years ago I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (aka MS) an incurable neurological illness – which in my words “is a pretty stupid disease to have”. To cut what could be a really long story short it’s where your Immune System gets all confused and starts attacking the nerves in the Brain and Central Nervous System. (The bit in your body that controls absolutely everything you do). Over the past 4 years, I have lost 100% of my vision in one eye (it came back after a month- phew!), and the relapse that led to my diagnosis was having pins & needles and numbness creeping up from my feet all the way to my waist. Let me tell you absolutely EVERYTHING from the waist down was numb *ahem* yeah that was interesting! Anyway, it meant I could hardly walk, my legs were stiff, I couldn’t feel the ground beneath me, my balance was none existent, I was falling over, it made my whole body weak… the list was endless. I have Relapse Remitting MS which means I have periods of  relapsing and then periods of remission, but the daily symptoms are constantly ongoing.

2. Does the condition require you to take daily medication? How long does your usual supply last?

Kay: Yup, EVERY FRIGGIN DAY. I can get a month supply or a 3 month supply. Unfortunately, my medication is one of the few where the brand name medication and generic DO NOT work the same. I mean, they’re similar enough where I won’t die and I can function normally, but I definitely react better to the brand name. That said, the brand name is also three times as expensive. SOO, I generally get the generic hahah. If I want to feel exceptionally fabulous, I might splurge for a month of premium brand name, but that’s rare. Aduke: Yep. Fortunately for us MSers, there are a vast amount of different drugs that we can take, ranging from daily injections, to infusions aka Chemo, or daily pills. I started off with injecting myself 3 times a week for about a year (that was fun travelling with needles), but now I am on tablets which I take twice a day *ahem – when I remember*, which fits into my lifestyle perfectly. I get a 3 month supply, but I normally tell a little porky about how much I have left so that I get a bit more.

Katie: Usually, I get a 30 day prescription. However, I told my doctor I was planning to travel for a year so he gave me enough for 90 days at a time. He told me I could get it for up to a year, I’m not sure why I didn’t take him up on the full year prescription!

Amanda: Yes, it does, but I’m working to get off of them because they come with allllll their own problems. I take pills that suppress your immune system. I guess they work, considering the whole remission deal. But at the same time, this shit is SUPPRESSING my immune system (increased risk of contracting other diseases, skin cancer, etc). So while one supply should last less than a month, I’ve reduced my dosage to one a day (shhh, don’t tell my doctor!). During a flare, I take steroids, but not the cool beef-you-up kind. Instead I take the kind that bloat you up like Aunt Marge with a spell on her.

3. Do you keep your medication in your original packages when you travel, or do you have other tricks to save space?

Aduke: I keep everything in it’s original packaging. My meds come with a handy daily tracker so it helps if I’m away for a longer period of time…sometimes I forget whether I’ve taken them or not and plus I really can’t be dealing with explaining to security at the airport why I have so many tablets just floating in my luggage. Katie: I keep my medication in it’s original bottle, so it has my name on it. It’s a small enough bottle so I’m not concerned about space.

Amanda: I keep all pills in the original packaging because I don’t want to deal with the weird looks and long explanations at Customs. The steroids come in a little container, while the immunosuppressants come in packages.

Normally, I cram as many pill sheets (is that the right term?!) as I can into one box. If I’m passing through countries likely to be more iffy about the meds, I often squish down the empty boxes and include them in the bag just so they don’t think I’m pulling tricks on them.

Kay: I’m insanely lazy to do anything but keep my pills in the original bottle. I’ve had friends that try to save space by putting their medication into ziplock bags. It’s up to you, but the only thing I would consider for that is the bag popping open or something. If you have multiple medications, it might be helpful to get one of those pill organizers, but it’s up to you.

If you have lung issues that require oxygen tanks or liquid oxygen, those are both not allowed on airplanes. BUT! That doesn’t mean you can’t travel. Instead,  you can use a battery-powered portable oxygen concentrator (Department of Transportation approved tho). Airlines landing in the United States are now required to allow use of these devices throughout the flight. Make sure to double check your airline’s policies and requirements.

4. While traveling, has there ever been any concern by TSA/Customs over your medication? Do you keep your history records with you?

Katie: I don’t keep my records or any paper prescription with me and I have never had a problem with TSA.

Amanda: I carry a medical certificate from my specialist doctor, stating my condition and treatment plan. I’ve never had any problems, BUT…

In Australia, there’s actually a line on the Customs form that asks you to declare steroids. They’re included in a long list of suspicious items, including weapons. When I tick that box, I get special treatment, sent down a dedicated “suspicious persons” line that can actually fast track me through Customs. Hot tip!

Aduke: Thankfully never. When I was travelling with needles it was the single most scariest experience although nothing actually happened – they didn’t even blink twice about it, but I made sure I carried a letter from my neurologist stating why I was carrying liquids and needles in my hand luggage. Now that I’m on tablets, I have absolutely no concerns and of course it keeps my anxiety about travelling at an all time low. Kay: Mmm nope, I’ve never had any problems. You don’t have to notify TSA of your medication (in the USA) unless it’s in liquid form. SO. If you need to take insulin, make sure to keep a letter from your doctor that explains your equipment and insulin need to be carried with your carry-on hand luggage. That way the liquid won’t get confiscated by TSA. Also take a portable sharps container with you for syringes.

If you’re flying with an ostomy bag, it might be comforting to know that TSA   says you do not need to show your ostomy, but it may be subject to additional screening. Like a pat down or testing your hands for explosive residue. You can check out more about flying with an ostomy bag here!

5. Do you think your chronic condition ever hinders you while you are on vacation? How do you deal with the challenges?

Aduke: MS itself has never hindered me physically (as in not being able to walk or function properly) while I’m travelling *touch wood long may that continue*. At the moment my main hinderance is fatigue. Fatigue can knock me down like a huge ton of bricks, so after a long day of travelling it can be pretty debilitating, but after a bit of rest I’m usually raring to go again.

Amanda: The Crohn’s itself has never hindered my travels, although I know some people who have been unable to leave the country because of it. I count my blessings. But I do have issues trying to figure out whether tummy problems are just your stock-standard travel belly or whether it’s a flare up. I can normally tell pretty quickly though, since I’m so familiar with my own flare ups.

Something that is SUPER annoying is that my pills come with a host of side effects that increase my risk of contracting diseases or even just the flu while I’m away. That’s life though, so I just take it as it comes. PLUS, the pills increase my chances of getting skin cancer. And this year, I had my first carcinoma cut out (yippy). That’s naturally made me far more cautious, so I now have plenty of hats and long-sleeved tops in my bag and layer on the sunscreen A LOT. Doesn’t make my outfits quite so Instagrammable these days though…

Kay: NAHHHH only if I forget to take my meds ahaha. But other than that not really. If my levels are off, sometimes I like…have no energy, hahah. But if I can’t power through, I just nap. Sometimes I get very painful and debilitating pain in my abdomen that will take me off my feet for a few minutes. That’s always a bummer. But hey, things could be worse! I take the pain in stride, rest when I need to, then keep on trucking when it passes!

I also have a VERY finicky digestive system though. You never know when your lower intestines is gonna come pounding on the back door after eating some street tacos, so I like to carry Pepto with me when I travel.

Katie: My condition hinders me when it comes to physically challenging endeavours. I always consider whether or not my condition will come into effect when hiking or surfing. That being said, I’ve hiked to elevations of 4900 m twice, completed a 5 days 75km trek to Machu Picchu, and surfed for a week in Costa Rica. So while I always consider it, I usually go for it anyway. Although, because of my condition I will likely not be jumping out of planes or off of bridges.

6. Have you ever run out of your medication while on vacation???? What did you do? Were you able to get a refill?

Kay: Hahahahahahhahah ahahhaha ahhhh. Yeah. It happens. I’ve actually never gotten it refilled while on vacation though. I just…ignore it until I get home haha. I don’t recommend anyone doing this, but you know your body so take care of yourself as best you can under emergency circumstances.

Katie: I came close in Ecuador. But I just walked into a pharmacy, showed them my empty bottle, and they told me to come back in two hours to pick it up. Since I knew I could get more in Quito, I did this twice while I was there to stock up before moving on to other countries in South America. I am currently in Europe and have enough medication to last me a good amount of time. But I’m sure I’ll have to try to get more here at some point.

Amanda: Hehe, well I’m pretty bad at remembering to take my medication anyway so shhhh. Actually, it’s one of the reasons I lowered my dosage recently – my specialist didn’t actually give me a generous enough subscription to last my entire journey! As long as I’m not flaring, I’m OK. There was one time when I was struggling with the foreign foods (having just switched from an all-natural, paleo-base diet) and I needed some steroids just to tie me over.

I was in the UK, which actually has a reciprocal medical agreement with Australia. I was meant to pay something like 30 pounds for an appointment to get the prescription and had to fill out all these forms. But it was a 2-second appointment. I stated the type of drug I needed and the dosage and explained my treatment plan. The doc handed over the prescription and obviously felt a little useless so he waived the fee. Side note: steroids in the UK are insanely cheap. Make note, people. Aduke: Thankfully it hasn’t happened to me. I don’t actually know what I would do if I needed more meds while abroad. I’m guessing I can’t just buy it over the counter haha.

7. What’s your take on travel insurance? Did you ever need it for your chronic condition? What’s your advice on picking the right one?

Aduke: Oh gosh I’m currently hiding my face answering this question. Don’t follow my lead – but I don’t actually have travel insurance. *Yes I deserve a slap*. I will get some soon.

Katie: I get travel insurance for every international trip. While I hope I never have to use it, I’m glad that I have it as a “just in case”. I was deciding between two companies and they both appeared pretty similar, so I honestly went with the one my favorite bloggers recommended.

Amanda: I ALWAYS get travel insurance but when it comes to covering the Crohn’s Disease, it’s pretty useless. Unless you fork out a ton more (and many companies don’t even offer that possibility anyway), travel insurance doesn’t cover you for pre-existing illnesses.

I normally just go the basic option that ensures my valuable laptop (a necessity for work on the road) and other equipment is covered, and that flight cancellations and delays won’t leave me stranded. I only ever go for travel insurance with unlimited health care coverage, because who knows what a clumsy but adventurous gal like me might get up to.

Kay: Wow, y’all making me look irresponsible. I’ve never gotten travel insurance hahah.

8. Do you give your travel companions a briefing on your chronic condition, just in case?

Kay: Nah, my condition is pretty self contained on medication. I’ll sense something is wrong before anyone else and I can take care of it myself. If you have a condition where an emergency might pop up out of nowhere like low blood sugar or anything that would cause you to faint or lose consciousness, maybe a heads up to your travel buddies would help them help you if needed.

Katie: My condition usually comes up in conversation at some point when people ask me why I stopped playing sports. So, when I hiked the Quilotoa loop with my friend, she already knew about my condition from previous conversations. I usually don’t bring it up though, as it has been well managed and I’ve tested my limits over the past 18 years to know what I should and shouldn’t be doing.

Amanda: Travel companions? What’s that?! I’m generally a solo traveller, but if I do go on a trip with someone else, they’re close enough to me to know the deal.

For those I meet on the road and travel with for a time, I try to keep the deets to a minimum, because I can normally handle any potential issues myself. Plus, only other Crohnsies really appreciate the endless poo talk. Aduke: Nope, never, whoever travels with me knows my situation and everyone is really supportive. If I need to sleep they let me sleep, if I’m feeling a bit off we slow things down as and when necessary. I’ve never felt the need to explain anything.

9. What are your top tips for traveling with a chronic condition?

I decided to lump all of our suggestions together for this last question!

1. Talk to your doctor. If you don’t travel regularly and have concerns about your health while traveling, definitely ask your health care provider. Let your doctor know your plans, they can give you advice on medication, perhaps extending the prescription and being lenient with recheck appointments.
2. Don’t do too much in one day. Take as much rest as you need. The sights and activities will always be there when you’re feeling up to it. Pace yourself. AND SPEAKING OF–
3. Know your limits and how different activities might affect your condition. You know your body better than anyone. Don’t be stubborn and press on if your body is screaming for rest. If you are sensitive to certain weather conditions or altitude changes, pack accordingly or opt out of certain activities. No shame in taking care of yourself first.
4. Don’t be afraid of hospitals in other countries. Whether you need a prescription refill or your blood drawn, you should visit a doctor if needed! Carry a medical certificate from your doctor. This will aid your passage through Customs, but it also helps explain your condition and treatment plan to any other medical experts.
5. Stay on top of your medication. Travel with enough medication (if you take it) to last longer than your trip. Or if someone is coming to meet you, have them bring refills. When you’re flying, keep your meds in your carry-on luggage. You don’t want them to disappear with lost luggage and ruin a whole trip. Take your back-up pills for flares or a spare inhaler, even if you end up carrying them around pointlessly for the whole trip. Better to be safe, right?
6. Ask for help when/if needed. Self identify your needs on a trip and manage what you need when you need it.
7. Don’t stress it. From my experience, stress is THE main cause of a flare up. Thankfully, travel is normally pretty conducive to stress relief, so you’re OK there. In fact, all my worst health problems have occurred when I’ve been sedentary at home too long. If it helps set your mind at ease, get the contact information of a nearby hospital in case of an emergency.
8. Don’t let it stop you.

Thank you Katie and Amanda for your amazing insight!!

Here are their social media links, check them out!

Amanda from ARoamerTherapy

website

instagram

facebook page

Katie from Just Chasing Sunsets

website

instagram

facebook page Aduke from Dukes Adventuress website instagram facebook page

Do any of you have experience traveling with a chronic condition? What was your experience like? I’d love to know in the comments!

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