Before you take off on this year’s vacation, take time to prepare yourself for the trip. With a few phone calls and a bit of planning, you can pack some security into your bags along with everything else.

When you make reservations:

• Call the hotel. Ask for a room with blinds or shades instead of drapes, and for linoleum or hardwood floors instead of carpet. Request that the air conditioning filter be changed or vacuumed before you check in.
• Call the airline and airports. Tell them you have asthma, and ask if their flight attendants are trained to handle this kind of potential medical emergency. If you expect to use a nebulizer compressor during the flight, find out if the model you usually use is allowed. If some foods trigger your asthma, you may be able to order a special meal in advance. Ask about in-flight peanuts, too, if you’re allergic.
• If you have both asthma and emphysema, and plan to carry oxygen, tell the airline and the airports.

Two weeks before you leave:

• Call your health care provider. Ask for a brief medical history, and copies of your asthma management plan (naming current medications) and asthma action plan (emergency instructions). Also ask for the name and number of a recommended health care provider at your travel destination.
• Call your pharmacy. Order a double supply of routine and emergency medication (one for your carry-on and one for your suitcase). You may or may not need a refill prescription from your doctor for these extra medications.

One week before you leave:

• Prepare your luggage. Vacuum suitcases outdoors while wearing a dust mask.
• Review your insurance policy’s rules on out-of-area or emergency room visits. Call your insurance company if you have questions.
• Make an extra copy of your medical history, referrals, and proof of insurance.
• If you are traveling by car, take it in for detail cleaning.
• Check out pollen projections at your destination. Call your health care provider if counts are high and ask if you might need a different medication or increased dosage.
• Check the altitude and weather forecast for your destination, especially if you know that environmental conditions are a trigger for you. You might want to examine your planned activities now, rather than changing plans or canceling reservations at the last minute.

Packing checklist:

Review the following list just before departure to make sure you have everything you might need on the road. The items below should be packed in your carry-on bag (for air, train, or bus travel) or in an easy-to-reach front seat bag (for car travel). Pack the extra set of medication and paperwork in your suitcase. If one set gets lost or damaged, you won’t need to spend precious vacation time on the phone tracking it down.

• One complete supply of medication
• Water bottle
• Medical history, asthma management plan, and asthma action plan
• Physician or hospital referrals
• Proof of insurance
• Particle mask, respirator, or personal air purifier (optional)
• Anti-allergen pillow cover (optional)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007 at 11:46 am and is filed under Adult Asthma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.