Planning a holiday is stressful enough but it can be even more so when you or a family member has a pre-existing medical condition that could affect your trip. You should never let something like that hold you back, no matter where you want to go. Here are some of the things you need to do if you are planning a holiday abroad with a pre-existing medical condition.
Get Insured
One of the most crucial parts of planning your holiday should be your insurance. Travel insurance is useful for a number of reasons. However, one of its primary uses will be to help you pay for any medical bills which you might face when you are away.
Not every country has free healthcare and you do not want to become caught out by a large bill when you are ill or struggling. Find a company that offers specialist travel insurance for people with medical conditions and make sure you buy enough coverage for the whole length of your trip plus any extra activities you are doing. For example, if you are planning to go away for winter sports, you are going to need to pay more for your insurance than you would than if you were just going away for your city break.
Stock up on Medication
Check how much medication you will be able to travel with as some countries have restrictions over how much you can take in and out. You will then need to speak to your doctor or pharmacist about getting your prescription in advance so you are covered for the length of the trip. The more you can take away with you, the better.
Try to get enough to last you a few days longer. You do not want to get stuck somewhere without enough medication. From grounded flights to unexpected storms and more, there are many reasons why you might end up not making it home at the time you predicted. You need to have enough medication to last you in this scenario or risk some serious health issues.
Learn a Few Helpful Phrases
If you are traveling to a country where you don’t speak the local language, you need to make sure that you are able to communicate with people in the event that something goes wrong. Learning a few helpful phrases might be the difference between fighting off a bad health episode or ending up in a foreign hospital.
Speak to your doctor to find out if your medication has any other names. Make a note of them just in case someone tries to give you something you don’t recognize. Key phrases like “Do you speak English?” will also be incredibly helpful. If you can speak another language, make sure that you are able to communicate that if necessary.
Think Positive
Most holidays you take will go off without a hitch. You do need to make sure that you are fully prepared for a worst-case scenario but that does not mean that you should be overly paranoid. Everyone goes on holiday for a reason. Whether you are wanting to relax or try something new, you have to keep this at the forefront of your mind. Relax, think positively, and enjoy your holiday as much as you can.
You should never let your health hold you back from the things you want to do. No matter where you want to travel, there is always going to be a way you can prepare so your pre-existing health condition isn’t an issue. Start planning your next holiday now!