Posts Tagged ‘travelling with medication’

Travelling with Cancer

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

It is that time of the year when we are all thinking about holidays – exams are almost over, and the kids have nearly broken up from school for the year. What is more, we have actually been having some sunny weather, which makes us even more inclined to daydream about a holiday abroad. But at AllClear we know that sometimes when you are planning a holiday there is more to think about than just going on a relaxing break….

If you have cancer, or are recovering from it, a holiday may be essential for you.  Indeed, you may want to plan a holiday at the end of your cancer treatment to relax and recuperate. But if you are travelling with cancer there are a number of extra things that you need to think about. Here are some of the tips we have put together which you may find useful.

Travel Insurance: You will need to arrange specialist cancer travel insurance. This is vital in case you fall ill and have to be brought home, or have unexpected further cancer treatment abroad, as this could be very expensive. Your cancer travel insurance will give you complete peace of mind so you can get on with enjoying your holiday. You may have had difficulty in finding travel insurance to cover your cancer in the past but because AllClear specialize in medical travel insurance, we can provide annual or single trip cancer travel insurance to worldwide destinations.

Talk to a Medical Professional: They may be able to suggest a good time to go, as well as helping to decide what is realistic for you. They can let you know if you are fit to travel.

Destination Decisions: For many, travelling with cancer will have little effect on their holiday. However, you may feel more tired following cancer treatment so you should check that the facilities you need are close to where you are staying. Also, certain cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy, leave the skin more sensitive to the sun. Consider your flight length, because some people with cancer are at greater risk of developing blood clots or DVT.

Vaccinations: If you are having certain cancer drugs or have a weakened immune system, you may not be able to have the required vaccinations for your holiday destination, so check with your doctor.

Medication: If you are taking any cancer medication, you should plan how much you need to take with you and get make sure you have extra in case you lose any.

 We hope that this information is useful for you. Please share any other tips in the comments box below that may be useful for people travelling with cancer.

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Posted in Travelling with Cancer | 2 Comments »

To cruise or not to cruise, that is the question

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

We have talked a lot on Globebloggers about travelling with different medical conditions, but what we have not spoken about so far is different modes of travel for your medical condition. Namely, the differences between fly and cruise travel.

For example, if you have a bad back, you might find flying very difficult – what with the cramped seats, and long enforced periods of sitting still. Cruising might be a preferred option for you as you are free to move around the ship as you travel to each of your destinations! It saves you starting off your holiday tired, aching and in a bad mood, as you might do if you have a bad flight experience!

Another advantage of flying compared to cruising is the increased baggage allowance, and this can be particularly important if you suffer from medical conditions. For example, you may have a lot of medication or a wheelchair that you need to take with you. If you tend to end up paying for extra baggage allowance when you fly, the benefit is that a cruise has no restriction at all – as long as it will all fit in your stateroom, you can bring as many bags as you wish.

What about the facilities actually on board ship? Well if you have a disability, many cruise lines now have adapted cabins for wheelchair users. For more information on cruises for the disabled, visit www.disabilitytravel.com. What is more, if you do have any medical problems on board ship, they are often exceptionally well equipped. In fact, they are apparently able to carry out open heart surgery on board!

 So I hope this blog has provided a little information which might be useful to you about travelling with medical conditions, particularly if you are considering whether ‘to cruise or not to cruise.’

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Posted in Cruises | 1 Comment »

National Hypertension Day

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

The 17th May is National Hypertension Day. The theme for this year is Healthy Weight – Healthy Blood Pressure.

Before I go any further I just want to explain exactly what hypertension is because, chances are, unless you have been actually diagnosed with it, you may not be absolutely sure. Hypertension is most commonly known as high blood pressure. It is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure is elevated. Hypertension has no specific symptoms and is called the ‘silent killer’.

AllClear4you can help you find out about travelling with high blood pressure

AllClear4you can help you find out about travelling with high blood pressure

Over 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from hypertension. Hypertension is the biggest risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes. Globally, 7 million people die every year because of high blood pressure.

Their key message given by National Hypertension Day is that to avoid the high blood pressure, you should control it. This means monitoring your blood pressure regularly and if it is high, speaking to your GP. If you already have high blood pressure, it is about remembering to take your tablets and thinking about ways to losing weight. This is because being overweight is a major cause of high blood pressure.  If you have hypertension and have a holiday coming up soon, you may want to look at our hints about travelling with your blood pressure medication.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Statins – the pros and cons

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Statins, the cholesterol lowering tablets, are prescribed to around 6 million people in the UK, so it is likely that some of you reading this blog are currently taking statins. Statins work by reducing the amount of ‘bad cholesterol’ in the blood, which can cause the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries and lead to coronary artery disease. Statins affect the amount of cholesterol that your cells make, forcing them instead to gather cholesterol from your bloodstream, thereby reducing your blood cholesterol level. They have been hailed as a wonder drug in fighting heart disease, and the British Heart Foundation credits statins with saving 10,000 lives a year. However, potential side effects include sleep disturbance, depression and memory problems.

Here are some of the arguments ‘For’ and ‘Against’. For the full detail of these arguments, check out this article :

For

  • Statins save lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes by delaying the onset of cardiovascular disease (which is Britain’s biggest killer, responsible for 1 in 3 deaths)
  • Serious problems such as muscle wasting are very rare. Many people take statins without any problems
  • It is always preferable to  alter your lifestyle to lower risk – cutting out fatty foods, quitting smoking, losing weight, and exercising more. But such measures are not always enough to combat rising cholesterol.

Against

  • Side effects include muscle problems, hair loss, depression and impotence
  • People sometimes think that taking statins then give them licence to eat what they like
  • Patients can be motivated by panic to take statins because they fear that they are at risk if they don’t

 If you do take statin medication, and have a holiday planned, you may want to check out our AllClear4you which contains lots of useful information about travelling with medication, and any special considerations you might need.

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Posted in Travelling with a heart condition | 3 Comments »

The Volcanic eruption and your health

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Ok, well we have talked a lot about the impact of the volcanic ash cloud on transport arrangements, but if you suffer from a lung condition, you might want to know about the public health risks.

 Well, the good news is that the Health Protection Agency said the ash from the Eyjafjallajoekull eruption did not pose a significant risk to public health because of its high altitude.

However, in light of the news that ash has started to reach ground level in the UK, the British Lung Foundation has warned people with lung conditions to keep their medication with them as a precautionary measure, as they may experience short-term worsening of symptoms.

The British Lung Foundation’s Helpline can also provide advice to anyone concerned about the ash cloud on 08458 50 50 20

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Posted in Travelling with a lung condition | 1 Comment »

Home Treatment #3: Magical magnesium

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Magnesium, chances are you have never really thought about it since those science experiments in school (where you burn magnesium ribbon in a Bunsen Burner to generate a bright white light – remember?!) and its symbol in the periodic table Mg. But it is actually pretty important for our bodies to and that is why we have included it in the Home Treatment Series – because it is pretty easy to top up your magnesium content with what you keep in your kitchen cupboard.

Wholegrains can boost your magnesium levels

Wholegrains can boost your magnesium levels

According to an article in the Daily Mail, a deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes in later life. Scientists studied 12,000 people for 19 years and found that those with the highest magnesium levels had a 30% lower risk of heart disease. Also, according to the European Food Safety Authority, there is a evidence to show a direct connection between magnesium and the health of your bones and muscles.

So what does Magnesium actually do in the body? It is required for the muscles to contract and relax, for nerve impulses and for energy production. A deficiency results in muscle tension and joint pain. Anxiety or fatigue may also indicate that more magnesium is needed.

Another study of 10,000 people revealed that 79% were magnesium deficient. But what does this mean for you? Well it is all about what you eat –  Green leafy vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, fish and shellfish are the richest magnesium sources. Also, coffee, tea and alcohol all hinder magnesium absorption, and our body uses up magnesium when we are stressed. So you might want to consider making a conscious effort to keep more of this fresh food in the home, and eat it more regularly.

 Ok, so that is the magnesium in your kitchen sorted out, but we are a travel insurance company, so we also need to talk about your holiday! We recommend that you get your magnesium levels balanced so that you can get the most out of your trip. It is worth taking some supplements with you to keep everything topped up.

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Posted in Travel Health News | 5 Comments »

Insurance concerns – the votes are in

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

 The March Poll results are now in…Thanks loads to everyone who voted!

 So at the start of March we asked people to let us know their most important concern when booking travel insurance.

The results were: The most important concern, at 50% of the votes, was the cost of cover. And we can well understand this! Almost a third of people thought that the most important concern was the cover includes medical conditions.  And around 13% people thought that  ease of set up was the most important thing.

We know that we have made that poll a little difficult to put just one vote in – because obviously all those things are an important consideration in your travel insurance purchase. And we agree with you! But we prefer to use the term value for money to cover both ‘cost’ and ‘quality’ because there are so many different types of travel insurance available. For example, if you are going on a skiing holiday, does your insurance include winter sports cover?

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, you have particularly important considerations, as you will want to make sure that your conditions are actually included in the policy. Otherwise, if they are excluded, the cost of treatment in a foreign country can be frightening – so then the concern about ‘cost of cover’ becomes catastrophic! It is vital to read the small print (I know everyone always says that but it is true!) to check the detail of the cover for your conditions.

Things we think about when buying our travel insurance

Things we think about when buying our travel insurance

Having said that, we know that you have already saved up for your holiday, and want to know the travel insurance is reasonable, as well as comprehensive. And why shouldn’t you?! Just to let you know, at AllClear, we continually review our claims data to match our customer’s medical conditions, age and destination to a suitable and fair premium and to determine what the most relevant questions are. This information changes as medical conditions, their impact, and treatment costs evolve.

Please let us know if you have any questions about our medical screening and premium calculations and we will be happy to try and help you out.

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Posted in Travellers Experience | 1 Comment »

FactFile on Arrhythmias and Travel

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Arrthymia is a change in your natural heart rate – an increase or decrease in speed, extra beats or even missed beats – due to a change in the normal electrical pattern of a heartbeat.Beach_deckchair_vector

 But what is a heartbeat? Well basically the heart acts as a muscular pump. It is activated by electrical impulses that  that first direct the upper 2 chambers of the heart (the left and right atria) to contract. These squeeze the blood into the lower chambers – the ventricles. The impulses then cause the ventricles to compress, pumping the blood to the lungs and the rest of the body. This process is a heartbeat.

 As we know, a heartbeat should normally occur between 60 and 100 times per min when the body is at rest. Tachycardia is when the rate is over 100, and brachycardia is when the rate is below 60.

If you have been diagnosed with an arrhythmia, you may be worried, but at AllClear we believe you should be able to live your life as normally as you can, and that includes being able to travel if at all possible. Please take a look at the AllClear4U page for full information on travelling with an arrhythmia. But for now, here is a brief description of the different types of irregular heartbeat and considerations for travel (Thanks to an article in the Daily Mail for providing some of the info).

 Atrial arrthymias

 Supraventicular tachycardia (SVT)

What is it? A fast heartbeat. Tony Blair suffered from this, although patients are more typically young females

Diagnosis? Diagnosed using an ECG (electrical tracing of the heart rhythm)

Symptoms? Palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid breathing, dizziness

Complications? Unpleasant, but generally not life threatening

Treatment? Medication can be taken for infrequent symptoms. Ablation therapy – when a soft catheter is fed up a blood vessel to the heart and abnormal tissue is frozen – has a success rate of around 95% with many SVTs.

Travelling with medication? Make sure you carry sufficient medication in your hand luggage to cover you from “check in“ to reclaiming your baggage at your destination (Allow a few more hours on top in case of delays). Take a list of your medications which includes both the generic and brand names of each together with respective dosages. Keep the list separately from the medications themselves. Ideally all medication should be carried within your hand luggage just in case checked in luggage goes astray or medications are damaged in the hold.

 Atrial fibrillation (AF)

What is it? A particular type of SVT. Attacks can last from seconds to days and can become permanent. Up to aged 65, there is a 1% chance of developing AF, over age 75, it is 10%.

Causes? AF often occurs in those with high blood pressure, when the heart muscle in the left atrium begins to stretch, causing abnormal impulses to be sent out.

Symptoms? May be asymptomatic but could include palpitations or shortness of breath

Complications? Can cause clots which could cause a stroke

Treatment? In an otherwise healthy patient, aspirin is normally used. Those in high risk groups, such as the elderly or diabetics – are prescribed warfarin

Travel Destinations? Prepare your trip well in advance by checking out your accommodation. For example, avoid staying at a hotel situated at the top of a steep hill, miles away from the nearest town. It may not be advisable to travel to countries which have extremely cold conditions as this may affect the heart by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure, and the risk of developing clots. If you intend travelling to high altitudes, you should check with a medical professional that you are fit to travel.

 Ventricular arrhythmias

 Ventricular tachycardia (VF)

What is it? Rarer than SVT, it is a fast heartbeat originating from within the ventricles,  where the electrical impulses are firing too quickly to empty blood from the heart

Causes? Include scarring of the heart muscle following a heart attack; hereditary; viruses or alcohol abuse

Symptoms? Dizziness, palpitation, shortness of breath, collapse and loss of palpable pulse

Complications? VT can become ventricular fibrillation (when blood stops pumping into the arteries) and asystole (when there is no cardiac electrical activity) and cause sudden death

Treatments? Any underlying condition such as heart disease will need to be treated. For the symptoms, beta blocker medication

Travel Activities? If you have arrhythmia, there is a risk of losing consciousness if you go diving. Therefore, you will need to visit your doctor to see if you are fit to dive

 Heart disease can cause problems whilst on holiday, however if you choose your destination and plan your itinerary with care this should help to minimize any potential risks, and make sure that you enjoy your holiday!

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Posted in Travelling with a heart condition, Travelling with Medical Conditions | 8 Comments »

Holidays for your heart

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

So you have suffered from a heart attack or have been diagnosed with heart disease. You would not be alone – you would be among 3.5 million Britons, but what does this mean for you now personally?  You may have the medication, and made the necessary  adjustments to your lifestyle but how about living the rest of your life? It may be that you have a holiday booked and are now not sure whether you can go on it. Maybe it involved specific activities like horse riding or skiing and now you are not sure whether you can do this activity.

Well the good news is that keeping active is still said to be good for the heart, even after a heart attack. Here are some things that might help you if you are considering going on holiday with heart disease (Thanks to a nurse from the British Heart Foundation speaking in the Daily Mail for some of this information). For more detailed information, you might want to check out the AllClear4you page on travelling with a heart condition, and obviously you will still need to take advice from your medical professional for your specific situation.

 Can I go on holiday? For most heart disease patients, it is said to be better to keep yourself physically active, as this often helps reduce symptoms and the risk of another heart attack. The important thing is to discuss your plans with your medical professional, to ensure that you can travel safely. You could consider going on a holiday somewhere with beautiful scenery where you can enjoy some lovely long low-level walks, for example!

Travelling with a heart condition

Travelling with a heart condition

 So what precautions should I take?  Discuss any planned trip, and activity on that trip, with a medical professional. If you have recently had a heart attack, or have high blood pressure, you should be assessed by a specialist in cardiac care, who will check for diabetes, blood pressure and weight. It may be necessary to adjust your medication before taking part in any strenuous holiday activity such as skiing or living at altitude.

 What about my medication? Some medications used to control heart disease or angina can affect how the body responds to exercise – for example, beta blockers regulate the heart rate. This means that the heart cannot beat as fast, so an extreme sports activity holiday, may not be advisable

 What kind of activities are best? A cardiac care specialist will be able to suggest specific exercises, which could include low impact activities like yoga or Tai chi – imagine carrying out these activities on a lovely warm beach somewhere! For all heart disease patients, warming up and cooling down before any activity is very important to prepare the heart. You should stop the activity if you have chest pain, palpitations, dizziness or breathlessness. According to Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, walking is one exercise that is suitable for almost everyone – best get booking that low-level picturesque walking holiday!

 Am I covered on my insurance? Just as you would get specialist cover if you were doing winter sports on holiday, you will need to get specialist travel insurance for your heart condition. It is important to make sure that your insurance actually includes your condition, in case you require medical treatment while you are abroad – check out AllClear for more info.

 So what is the key message here then? Well, basically, as long as you make some specialist plans and preparations, in consultation with your medical professional, a holiday could be just the thing you need. In fact, you could consider the type of holiday that your heart might need first…

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Posted in Travelling with a heart condition, Travelling with Medical Conditions | 4 Comments »