I wonder if anyone has an advice on the subject of changing time zone and taking meds. We are off on a holiday to Japan and I’m getting stressed about how we adjust my hubby’s medication. He keeps telling me not to worry and he will do it but I’m the ‘detail’ one and planner in our partnership and I need this sorted in my mind before we go. He takes Apixaban 5mg twice a day, 100mg Flecainide twice a day and 3.75mg Bisoprolol once a day. Also a statin like me but I’m not worried if we miss one of those. It’s just awkward because the Flecainide should be taken an hour before food.
I don’t want to bother our GP but I’m thinking I might need to. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.
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jerseygirl49
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We discussed this yesterday on another thread but for somebody travelling within Europe. Best idea if you are worried is to move your doses say an hour a day towards your destination time frame over a period of days so that you are on that time zone before you travel. If it is only a matter of a coupeof hours just forget it and take at your normal times when there. Then the opposite on return.
The most important thing is not to be too obsessive about it and enjoy your trip.
I can only comment on the Flecainide as I am on the same dose. On two 100mgs per day, I have varied taking it quite often due to food or more due to AF starting ie normal times 4pm & 4am but the latter I have taken as early as 10pm, that is 6 hours earlier than normal. No problem.
I did Australia to Greece with a 7 hour time shift. My Cardio said you have it settled into yr system by now so don’t stress. I delayed it for a few days by a couple of hours then after a week then delayed it another couple of hours. Then adjusted again once in Greece to same times I take here 6.30am and 6.30pm. I repeated when I returned a month later by delaying dosage a couple of times then got home and did 6.30 again. No problems
thanks to everyone who has responded- I’m very grateful to you all for your comments. This is such a great forum and I’m very pleased to be a part of it🥰
I was flying to New Zealand so I asked my pharmacist how to change my pill taking times for the changing time zones and he replied that no one had ever asked him that before and he had no idea 🤣
I take 125mg Synthroid, a 120mg DiltiaΩem, 2.5mg Bisoprolol. And PRADAXA twice day.
The PRADAXA was easy. 10pm and 10am about.
It wasthe Synthoid as I had to take it at 1 hour or more before breakfast.
So I set the alarm for 5.30am Japan time. 9.30 NZ time I keft my watch on NZ and cell changed to Japan.
So 5.30am Synthoid, an hour later 6.30 when breakfast available Diltiazem. Breakfast and the day. I took PRADAXA midday and midnight with alarm.
It was important to set up BP med Bisoprolol at night wherever I was and my thyroxine early in morning for breakfast.
Nothing drastically happened. I had persistent with no heart symptoms but had trouble walking far before I need to stop .. very frustrating.
The first hotel was HANNA AN TOKYO HAMAMATASUCHO with my room with a view of the TOWER. It changes at night and I could sit up in bed ansd admire it. Close to rail and hidden I got lost 3 times. Fine younger men escorted me back to my hotel.
You arrive with 2 ROBOTS facing me. English I said. Spotted a human who checked me in.
4 nights was great. Walked Tower and gardens I could do.
Not many speak English but I would ask for help in finding the exit to station or buying a ticket on their machines. The fast bullet train you will need a special machine. Get E window if you get a clear day between TOKYO - OSAKA or KYOTO.
Thanks Joy - lovely to hear about your trip - and for the tips. we are excited but also slightly apprehensive as we seem to have lost a bit of confidence (old age) my hubby says he has his meds all under control. I 'm only on daily eye drops for glaucoma and a statin so I'm keeping my regular watch at UK time while the electronic one will auto switch to Japanese time.
Many thanks for taking the trouble to comment. Best wishes
There's lots of walking into train stations with long pathways, stairs and some elevators.
Pity no one is geared up for elderly no or not much seating.
Flight great put down HELP and you get wheelchaired around into customs and out and to your gate etc. The last helper at Auckland to domestic terminal was loud and far too confident. The customs man told him off for pushing me on when I asked a question. I had not signed my new Passport. Right at the top of a page!
Then I had left 1 out of 2 books I had bought with the shop who asked me to go to Level 1 for it en route home.
I had the other book but the receipt had fallen out. I explained it to the pusher.
At the shop to pick up the book he took over the conversation. I said that I didn't have the receipt but the ?s from him kept coming. In the end I asked him to be quiet.
Later he told me that I said 'shut up'. I said I never use those words.
I saw another of the same shop in domestic. He had gone after putting me on bus transfer.
Later they rung to say they had the book and delivered it to me zat AirNZ departures.
All ended well. I got my book to take home.
I'm happy to have photos as for the first time I have used my cell phone. The TOWER will be the most photographed.
They say that in winter it is cleared to see Mt Fuju.
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Is my reasoning reasonable?
Nervous and scared about this whole AF thing
All Change and on List for Ablation - a post-cardiologist update
Can medication be reduced after a certain time with no problems?
