Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I do a lot of traveling - including air travel. I carry all of my meds with me - I don't pack anything except my neubulizer. I also use epinephrine in the case of severe attacks -- I carry syringes and individual vials of epi. Another thing that I have found very helpful is sheet of information (name, address, medical ins., all meds I am on, dr's names, phone numbers, emergency contacts, etc.). I have had a couple of times had to show my paper since I couldn't talk due to an attack. It was great! That way I don't have to worry about trying to tell them information while I am in the middle of an attack. I print it out on bright yellow paper so I can see it quickly in my purse. Preparing is key for me to relax on trips. I have had occasional problems but I would have the problems if I were on a trip or not. Being prepared resulted in everything flowing as smoothly as possible. Suzanne ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 During times that I was doing poorly or was having periodic flareups requiring my neb, I've carried my nebulizer on the plane. Mine is the kind that has a battery that can be recharged by plugging it in, so I've been sure to recharge it before leaving for the airport. I did once have to use it on the plane and the flight attendants were very helpful. There is no problem taking it through security - they are used to seeing nebs and often just scan it without opening the bag to inspect it. I no longer need to pack my neb since being on Xolair but I do now take my CPAP machine for sleep apnea, again as carry-on luggage. You are even allowed an extra carry-on if it contains mainly medical equipment and/or meds by federal disability statutes, so it's on all airlines. You don't need a doctor's note for any of this, but do be sure you have the prescription labels with you for all your meds. Once when security inspected my CPAP machine, the agent saw all my meds and examined them one by one to see if they were prescribed for me! What a pain.... Fran > > I recently took a trip to Florida to attend a conference. The entire > time I could not help thinking what I would do if an asthma attack that > could not be controlled with my inhaler occured while on the plane or > during a meeting I attended? Call 911.... on a plane? Calling 911 > while strugling to breathe may be quite impossible. I asked the hotel > if they had any in-house medical services and they told me they had > none. Since I was unfamiliar with the area I really felt at a loss. > Just thinking about this scares me a little. > > I was wondering if any one else ever had this concern and what they did > about it. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 Hi, I do this all the time, not just for travel, my family thinks I'm paranoid, but it has come in quite handy many times. I have a medical binder. I keep checklists for everyday in it with 'daily sheets' to check off my pills/ inhalers, and to write in my nebs for the day (I print out the sheets a month at a time), I also have in my binder a written account of each phone conversation with my pulmo or my primary so if they want me to change anything, I have a record of it. In the binder I also have written out what changes any of my doctors make at any appoinment, my lab test results, my blood theophylline levels, any letters from doctors, phone numbers for my doctors, the local lab, the hospitals (for chest x-rays) and an updated listing of all my medications and their dosages as well as a print-out of my prednisone/solu-medrol dosing since July '05. It takes some time to get it organized, but all I have to do is run through the checklist daily to make sure I don't forget to take any meds and then I have a visual way to look back (my pulmo knows that I know, so he especially asks me a lot) and see what my neb schedule was, what meds I was on etc..., I empty the 'old' daily sheets out of the binder every month or so b/c otherwise it would get very full very quickly. I also wear a Medic Alert bracelet, which my doctors have recommended to me for years, they know that I have it on, it makes them feel secure, and it gives me piece of mind. It says asthma, anaphylaxis to strawberries, insect stings, and shellfish. It also has my 'member ID #' and the Medic Alert hotline#. All any emergency personnel would need to do is call the hotlint, give my ID #, and my doctors' names phone #'s, fax #'s, all my meds, my insurance info, my emergency contact info would all be right there. The record sheet with all my info is the first sheet in my medical binder and the combo of these two things, puts me so at ease. When my mom called 911 for me just over a year ago for an unrelated issue, the EMT's looked for my bracelet, (they are trained to look), and my parents, who were with me got my binder which ended up coming with me in the ambulance. I couldn't talk much, but my bracelet and binder sure came in handy that day. In fact, whenever I go to a new doctor, or to an 'old' doctor since a change in one of my meds, I bring a meds sheets and at the top it says my name, my DOB and when the sheet was last updated. My primary actually asks me for a sheet now b/c she knows that I bring one if anything has changed, and she puts it in my chart it the office. My binder/meds sheets also came in handy when I was in 3 separate hospitals last year, my meds sheets let the doctors know what med/dosage etc, to write for, they came in so handy I actually ran out of meds sheets b/c so many doctors held on to them! So the bracelet and the binder put me way at ease, and just always having my portable neb/inhaler, epi-pens, extra prednisone/ anti-histamines, and my cell phone with me, just always being prepared. Preparation can take some time, but to me its well worth it b/c I am then able to relax and have fun knowing that if anything happens I'm OK. Meagan > > > > I recently took a trip to Florida to attend a conference. The entire > > time I could not help thinking what I would do if an asthma attack > that > > could not be controlled with my inhaler occured while on the plane or > > during a meeting I attended? Call 911.... on a plane? Calling 911 > > while strugling to breathe may be quite impossible. I asked the hotel > > if they had any in-house medical services and they told me they had > > none. Since I was unfamiliar with the area I really felt at a loss. > > Just thinking about this scares me a little. > > > > I was wondering if any one else ever had this concern and what they > did > > about it. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 On 6/28/07, Steve <steve@...> wrote: > > > > > > > I recently took a trip to Florida to attend a conference. The entire > time I could not help thinking what I would do if an asthma attack that > could not be controlled with my inhaler occured while on the plane or > during a meeting I attended? Call 911.... on a plane? Calling 911 > while strugling to breathe may be quite impossible. I asked the hotel > if they had any in-house medical services and they told me they had > none. Since I was unfamiliar with the area I really felt at a loss. > Just thinking about this scares me a little. > > I was wondering if any one else ever had this concern and what they did > about it. > Ask and you shall receive In my asthma-allergy-keeps me from being paranoid that I might have to go to an ER that is one step above a low rent vet clinic.....I have in my bag of tricks: 1. peak flow meter. first thing I use to see if my lungs are crapping out, or anxiety Epi-pens-2 of 'em (I have ana allergies) 1. portable neb that uses AA batteries. I have 6AA batteries. 12 ampules of albuterol neb soln. 12 amps of Intal neb soln (helps with my allergies) Zantac pills in a bottle. (Use that for food reactions) Medrol dose pack 1 package of Benadryl quick dissolve strips (25mg) kind My doctor's instructions on " how much how often " for breathing treatments when things head south. Basically, my asthma/allergy reactions usually wind up being: doing nebs, take the Zantac, start the pred, call the doctor. Even in the ER, I get albuterol, oral pred, maybe a shot of Benadryl, and Zantac or Pepcid. I've never been intubated. The above combo makes me feel better that at least I can start treating the symptoms, instead of waiting for 911 to arrive--then start. HTH Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 I tend to map out the area for hospitals before I would leave. Taking a nebulizer is a must plus all meds. I have to say I haven't traveled in years. Now that I am feeling well on xolair. I might travel now. I still am a little nervous but the possibility for me to travel is at least an option for me.... Sharon who understands _http://pets.care2.com/welcome?w=358080679_ (http://pets.care2.com/welcome?w=358080679) ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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