Pack Your Prescriptions!
First and foremost of any medications that you should pack in your baggage is your normal prescription medication. Forgetting your medicine…then “trying to go without” is just setting yourself up for problems along your route. Prescriptions are right at the top of the packing list, along with your money, credit cards and identification. Don’t forget them! To help you remember, put “add my prescriptions to the bags” on your last-minute to-do list (along with such other things as making sure the stove is turned off, for example.) Another good idea is to fill your prescriptions at a chain pharmacy which has a location in the town you’ll be visiting. If something happens to your prescription…no problems! You can visit the local outlet of your pharmacy and get another. Always pack your prescriptions in their labled containers, and never drive after taking medications that could make you drowsy.
Don’t Let Your Vacation Give You a Headache
Vacationers often find that they get headaches more frequently during their travels than they do at home! When you think about it, though, this situation is only natural. Participating in out-of-doors activities such as swimming at the beach, trekking through a theme park, or hiking a National Park trail exposes travelers to much more sun than they’re used to at home. Or, what about the “all time worst”–driving directly into a rising or setting sun? It’s easy to get a headache from simple exposure to the sun’s glare in any of these situations. Be sure to pack–and WEAR–sunglasses, so that you can PREVENT headaches before they happen! But, if a headache does occur, be sure that you have your favorite headache remedy tucked inside your luggage.
Stay One Step Ahead of Blisters
Many vacationers do much more walking than they normally would at home. Will you be one of the thousands touring theme parks or city monuments this year? If so, you need to do two things: try your best to PREVENT blisters, and be prepared to properly care for them if they happen, anyway. You certainly already know that walking in brand-new shoes…or tight shoes…can be a cause of foot blistering. Now, follow your own advice–and wear your most comfortable, “broken in” shoes on the days you plan to walk the most. (Note: for diabetics, this advice isn’t just important, it’s VITAL. Hard-to-heal foot ulcers can begin with simple blisters. Now is the time to utterly PAMPER your feet!) If a blister occurs, be prepared to treat it by having bandaids and antibiotic ointment already packed in your purse or other luggage. (Neosporin or its generic counterparts are popular and effective infection-prevention creams, and are available without prescription.)
Don’t Be Rash
If you’ll be hiking or engaging in other outdoor activities, you’ll be exposed to plants with which you normally never come in contact. It only makes sense to plan ahead to prevent minor itching and redness. Slipping some over-the-counter Benadryl or hydrocortisone cream into your baggage can soothe pesky itching and relieve minor redness. (But DON’T try to treat the skin “burns” of poison ivy yourself. That’s a serious problem for which you should get prompt medical attention!)
In addition to causing skin rashes, allergies can cause you nose to run and eyes to water. For minor allergic reactions, bring along either some Benadryl or Claritin tablets (or their generic counterparts.) You might even want to bring both of these medications. Benadryl causes drowsiness, which you might desire when taken at bedtime. On the other hand, Claritin has no such side effect.
Advice for When You’re on the Run
It’s easy to get diarrhea while on vacation. You’ll be eating different foods, and you’ll have no control over their preparation. Sometimes, you’ll be so busy, you’ll skip a meal, and other times, you’ll find the food so delicious that you may overeat. Changing your eating habits will affect some of your other habits, too! A good over-the-counter remedy to add to your luggage is Immodium, or its generic equivalent. If you get traveler’s diarrhea, use as per package directions. It’s often effective very quickly; often as soon as one hour after taking the instructed dose.
If you have the opposite problem straining your good time, you’ll likewise need to prepare ahead to correct the problem. Tuck a box of Correctol (or whatever is your favorite laxative)into your medicine case. When you’re constipated, take the appropriate dose as directed on the label. If possible, take laxatives at bedtime. If the medication doesn’t work on its own in the morning, try drinking a warm beverage or eating a light meal to stimulate some action. Naturally, you should allow yourself some time for “things to happen naturally” in your hotel room before you rush off to your day’s activities.
As you can see, simply tucking a few inexpensive remedies into your bags can save you time, trouble and frustration on your vacation if a minor health issue should arise. And, if these items are already sitting in your bathroom medicine cabinet–and they just MIGHT be!–you won’t have spent one extra penny for this extra peace of mind!
Vicki Funes is an RN…AND an avid traveler. For further details about packing your vacation medicine kit, you may view the “Travel Medicine Bag” page of her website, “Family Vacation Getaways at Los Angeles Theme Parks,” URL: http://www.family-vacation-getaways-at-los-angeles-theme-parks.com/Trip-Checklists.html Diabetic vacationers may be interested in viewing the “Checklist for Diabetic Travelers” page of this same website, url:http://www.family-vacation-getaways-at-los-angeles-theme-parks.com/Checklist-for-Diabetic-Travelers.html
Tags: travel checklist, travel health, travel medicine kit, vacation health