[Image by Africa images on Canva]
You’ve booked your flights; now you’re deciding what to pack, and maybe making plans around collecting your prescription. However, if you’re on weight-loss medication, the everyday details are just as important as your travel documents.
Potential issues during travel include flight delays, hotel fridges that don’t keep medication at the correct temperature, and long gaps without a proper meal, which can cause discomfort.
You can easily avoid these issues by planning ahead. Although you don’t need to plan every part of your holiday around your medication, it’s important to know how to safely transport, store, and take your medication. So here’s what to sort out before you leave home.
Check Your Prescription and Travel Documents Early
Read the information leaflet for your medication to find out how to store it, what dose to take, and what to do if you miss a dose. Medications will have different requirements, so you definitely need professional advice suited to your circumstances.
Next, check how much medication and supplies you’ll need. Take into account when you’re leaving and returning, and talk to your prescriber or pharmacist about how much spare medication to take. Not every pharmacy abroad will have the same product or strength.
When flying, ensure your medication is in your hand luggage so it’s easily accessible and won’t be affected by temperature in the hold. Ensure your prescriptions are in the right packaging, keep a copy of your prescription, and ask if a letter from your clinician would help with explaining injectable pens, needles, and cooling equipment at security checkpoints.
Check the rules and laws of the countries you’re visiting or passing through. Countries have different requirements for medications, and some countries will ask for extra documentation.
Talk to your airline to see what they recommend for needles and cooling packs. You may have different screening processes at your departure or arrival airport.
Ensure you know the medication name, dose, and how to contact your prescriber. Note these down on your phone, and keep a paper backup. If you’re using an online provider, make sure you know who to contact at the pharmacy.
Discuss Dosing Changes Before You Leave
A long-haul flight or a family holiday may land on your injection day. It may be tempting to take your dose early, later or even skip a week. However, you shouldn’t do this without advice from your prescriber.
Talk to your prescribing clinician about what to do if you cross time zones, miss a dose, or find it hard to stick to your usual routine. Some medications depend more on the time between doses than on the local time. The best approach will depend on the medication and your treatment history.
If you would like to speak to a pharmacist before your trip, Curely offers online consultations in the UK for weight management treatments. Confirm any changes to your prescription with the clinician overseeing your care.
Write down what you have agreed to do. While having a reminder on your phone can help, writing down clear instructions on what to do if you’re late or miss a dose is more important.
Keep Medication at the Right Temperature
One of the easiest mistakes to make is assuming all your injectable pens are stored the same way. Some need to be kept in the fridge, while others can be out of the fridge for a short time. Confirm the exact time and temperature limits.
Check the instructions for your medication. If you need to keep your medication cool, talk to your pharmacist to see what insulated packaging would be best for how long you’ll be travelling.
Don’t leave your medication in direct sunlight or press it against frozen ice packs, as this could freeze it.
Ensure you have planned for the time between leaving home and arriving at your accommodation. You can’t rely on the flight attendant to put your medication in the fridge. When you arrive at your destination, check the fridge. If you’re staying with family or in a holiday let, ensure there’s somewhere suitable to store your medication.
If your pen has frozen, overheated, or been out of the correct temperature range, talk to a pharmacist or manufacturer to see what to do. You can’t tell if it's still suitable from how it looks.
Make Meals and Hydration Easier on Yourself
Eating out can be a bit different when you’re on medication affecting your appetite. You may not have a meal for a long time, and eating rich food in restaurants or rushing through your meal in the airport can cause discomfort, especially if you already suffer from nausea.
While you don’t need to be super strict with your meals, try to have smaller portions, eat slowly, and stop when you’re comfortably full. When you have limited food choices, take a snack you know you can tolerate.
Ensure you have water to hand, especially on warm days or long transfers. Some weight loss medications can cause vomiting and diarrhea increasing your risk of dehydration. If you’re struggling to keep fluids down, feel lightheaded, or have ongoing symptoms, seek medical advice.
Don’t try any unknown remedies for your side effects. If you’re unsure how alcohol or other medications may affect your treatment, talk to a pharmacist.
Have a Plan for Delays or Illness
Think through what you'd do if your flight was cancelled or your medication bag went missing. Keep digital copies of your prescription, know how to contact your healthcare provider, and check what your travel insurance covers.
Plan what you’ll do if your flight is cancelled or you lose your medication bag. Keep a copy of your prescription on your device. Also, make sure you have your healthcare provider’s contact information and ask what your insurance covers.
Make sure you know where to get medical help locally. If you start to get severe/persistent abdominal pain, regular vomiting, or signs of significant dehydration, seek medical help quickly.
Don’t purchase an injection from an unknown source or guess what dose to take. Ask a local pharmacist or licensed clinician for advice on what to do next to keep you safe.
Final Thoughts
By doing a little planning, you’ll find travelling with weight-loss medication much easier. Check your prescription instructions, plan how you’ll store your medication, and talk to your clinician before changing any dose.
When you reach your destination, think about where you’ll store your medication, what you’ll eat, and who to contact if anything goes wrong. While you don’t need to plan every second of your holiday, if things change, refer back to the instructions you agreed with your healthcare professional. By having a sensible plan for your treatment, you’ll have more time to enjoy being with those around you.
*contributed post*
Post a Comment