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Traveling Tips for Cancer Patients, Caregivers |
Traveling Tips for Cancer Patients, Caregivers
For the more than 1.3 million Americans diagnosed with cancer, vacationing is no easy feat. They have many difficulties that regular summer travelers do not have.
Many patients can travel safely and comfortably as long as they take proper precautions and use common sense. Patients are advised to talk with a physician before embarking on a journey. The physician can point out basic precautions that should be taken and assess whether it’s a good time to travel.
Medical preparation tips:
- Carry a letter from a doctor describing the diagnosis and treatment plan
- Keep the doctor’s name, address, emergency and office phone numbers handy
- Wear a Medic Alert bracelet describing the medical condition
- Take copies of recent test results
- Consider long-term antibiotic therapy to protect from illnesses such as traveler’s diarrhea
- Keep a list of all medications and drug allergies
- Check restrictions before traveling regarding carrying syringes if a patient requires injectable medications, such as insulin
- Ask a doctor whether or not to take aspirin before the flight to thin the blood
- If anemic, ask a doctor if it is OK to visit high-altitude locations on vacation
While traveling, patients should:
- Contact a cancer facility in the destination city to see if they accept vacationers
- Get up and walk around at least once every hour, if traveling on a plane, in case they have an elevated risk of blood clots
- Drink only bottled water and well-cooked, hot food
- Have meal-replacement drinks and snacks they have packed as a backup
If there are any strange symptoms upon return or even months later, it is recommended that patients tell their doctors where they have traveled. Some illnesses can incubate for several months or longer.
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Rene Caisse's Essiac: Cancer Cure?
Part 1
