You might convince your employer, your family, your banker and yourself that you deserve a break, but your asthma will never take a vacation. It will always accompany you to your destination. Allergies and irritants, and all your triggers will go with you wherever you decide to take a holiday.
Dr. Yoav Golan, assistant professor of medicine at New England Medical Center in Boston, and several other colleagues recently studied 203 vacationers with asthma. Eighty-eight of these travelers experienced asthma attacks during their trips. Of these, 32 reported their “worst asthma attack ever.”
For this reason, the Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists wrap up Asthma Awareness Week with some tips for managing your asthma while you travel.
There are an abundance of advisory articles published on the internet, which leads us to believe that controlling your asthma, while on vacation is a significant issue.
The very idea of a get-away tempts you to cast aside your normal good habits, but if you do, you risk an attack. Hence we submit our travel tips to you in the following, very specialized Travel Guide:
The FLASS Field Guide to An Asthma Attack-Free Holiday
FLASS agrees with the American Lung Association that you should create an Asthma Travel Pack.
1. In this pack or kit, place all the asthma medicines, instructions and supplies in one accessible place. Do not forget to include at least two Copies of your Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists’ Asthma Treatment plan.
Remember you have two types of medicines to keep track of: your emergency medicine and your treatment drugs. The experts at Health Central remind you, “Before you leave, check the dates on all your medicine. If it’s been in the medicine cabinet for more than a year, consider it expired. This is especially true of rescue inhalers like Ventolin. The last thing you need on a vacation is a rescue inhaler that has no potency.”
2. Also in a convenient place, put written copies of your prescriptions. You never know when your medication might be lost, destroyed or stolen. Make copies of the lists of drugs and dosages you commonly use. If there is an emergency, the a doctor will need such a list.
3. Do not forget your Insurance Card and healthcare provider contact information.
Sometimes vacations are extended, so make a count, and be positive there is enough medicine to help you if your arrival home is delayed.
4. With your medicine, pack your Peak Flow Meter, if you have a prescription for one.
5. Special Caution: Remember the preventative antihistamine of your choice! Special Caution: Remember – Some medicines are temperature sensitive. So, “do not store inhalers or pre-loaded epinephrine syringes in glove compartments which overheat quickly.” See more tips for car and plane travel at this convenient source.
6. Identify Yourself! Are you aware that, if your asthma is acute, you should invest in a medical alert bracelet or necklace, and wear it?
7. We know you will hate this idea, because it’s bulky, but we found it to be emphasized at several sources: Take a pillow, dust proof and allergy-proof, of course.
You could also carry a mattress cover or a special coverlet, you know will protect you from misadventures with unfamiliar allergens in hotel beds and linens. Hypoallergenic tissues and toilet paper are also good suggestions, depending on how sensitive you are.
8. What if you do not know your triggers? Perhaps you should take another look at possible triggers, once you have decided where you would like to vacation. Click and read the American Lung Association list of the most common triggers, before you finalize your plans.
The Florida Asthma, Lung and Sleep Specialists know you can not avoid all of your triggers all of the time. But, with some advanced planning, you can create the best vacation you have ever had, as opposed to the worst asthma attack you ever had!
