me time Hooray the for holidays! Its holiday season again, so we look at simple ways to manage your condition, makingyour time away easier and less stressful WORDS: JULIETTE WILLS s exciting as it is when you finally reach the beach, going on holiday can be very stressful. Its particularly daunting for those of us with painful, debilitating conditions such as arthritis and we may feel that staying at home is an easier option. Well, I have ankylosing spondylitis, scoliosis, ulcerative colitis and fibromyalgia, yet in the past year I have travelled to New York, Venice, other parts of Italy, and France. Its not easy by any means, but it is possible if you plan ahead and do your research. DEALING WITH NIGHT-TIME AWAKENINGS Holidaying in the UK Its often a better idea to book into a big hotel than a B&B. Larger hotel chains are more likely to have a steam room/sauna, which can help ease aching joints after a day out. They will also have disabled parking and most will have ground floor bedrooms with disabled facilities. Rooms will usually have a mini-fridge, which is essential for keeping medication cool. Consider taking the train rather than driving. You can relax with a book and get up to stretch whenever you need to; you cant do either if youre driving! If you do drive, plan some pleasant rest stops along the way. You could, for example, take a 10-minute detour to have lunch at a country pub, rather than just stopping at a motorway service station. It sounds obvious, but avoid very hilly places. Cornwall, the Lake District and the Isle of Wight, for example, are all popular holiday destinations, but theyre not very disabled-friendly; neither are coastal destinations with pebble beaches. There are, however, plenty of beautiful places with sandy beaches try Dorset or Suffolk, or go for a city break instead, to somewhere like Brighton. Theres lots to do, a great promenade to stroll along and plenty of outstanding disabled-friendly hotels and restaurants. Getting travel insurance If you go abroad, dont underestimate the importance of travel insurance and dont be tempted to leave out vital information in the hope of getting a cheaper deal. You must declare all of your medical conditions; failure to do so could result in a claim being refused. Apply for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if youre travelling to another EU country. It doesnt replace travel insurance, but can give access to local healthcare free of charge or at a reduced cost. You can get one here: www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC. Try www. medicaltravelcompared.co.uk for insurance companies that specialise in people with pre-existing medical conditions. Travelling with medication Always keep clearly labelled medication and any medical documents in your hand luggage (youre allowed to carry essential medicines of more than 100ml in your hand luggage, but you need supporting documentation from a relevant medical professional, eg. a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription. Drug providers, such as Healthcare At Home, will also be able to supply you with this). Airport staff might need to open the containers to screen the liquids at the security point. The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society recommends taking double the amount of medication youll need for your trip, and putting one set in your hand luggage and the other in your checked-in baggage, if possible. If you are travelling with anti-TNF drugs, which need to be kept cool for the duration of your trip, you can purchase travel cool bags here: www.medactiv.com Avoiding sunburn Some drugs, including those that treat arthritis, can increase the skins sensitivity to the sun, which means you will be at higher risk of burning. Among these medicines are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and Plaquenil (used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis) along with sulfasalazine andmethotrexate. Check the side effects notes for your medication to see if this applies to you. Apply a high sunscreen at least factor 30 and sit in the shade, if possible, between midday and4pm. Take the time to plan your journey in detail, to minimise stress on the day. How will you get to the airport? Where will you park or be dropped off? When and where will you eat, or take your medication? Travel light re-packing several times, if necessary until you are sure you have everything you need, and nothing that you dont. Consider buying travel-size toiletries in duty free to save space. n If travelling by plane, find out where the Blue Badge parking zone is and remember to take your badge out of the car if you will need it on your trip. Each airport has a system for this, so read up about it before you go. n Call the airline or tour operator at least 48 hours in advance of your trip if you require assistance. This could be for the loan of a wheelchair, help on and off the plane, or simply taking the special assistance buggy to the departure gate if you find walking long distances painful. n Dont be afraid to explain your condition if its not immediately obvious. For example, I find queuing excruciatingly painful, I cant manage the 15-minute walk to the departure gate, and I cant lift my hand luggage into the overhead locker. However, Im not in a wheelchair; nor do I use a walking stick. I explain always with a big smile that I have inflammatory spinal disease and ask if I may hop on the special assistance buggy to the gate, and have help putting my luggage in the overhead locker. Ground staff are extremely accommodating, and nothing is too much trouble if you smile and ask nicely. n Its worth paying extra for speedy boarding and/or a designated seat just to make things easier. Book an aisle seat so its easier to get up and stretch when you need to. n Factor in time for a good rest once you arrive at your destination. Its tempting to try to pack too much in, so pace yourself on days out and allow time to sit, hydrate, and have a snack. Make sure whoever youre travelling with really understands your needs and dont try to keep up with whats normal go at your own pace, and that way youll enjoy it.
