Holidays abroad - Risk it ?

[meadfoot]

Cruise travel to Black Sea and Baltic Sea. Has anyone traveled there as an AF sufferer and would you risk it. Destinations include Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Istanbul and Russia. Also have you needed AF treatment while abroad and if so how was it. Missing my hols abroad !!

[migmog]

Green with envy - last year my daughter booked a few days for her and I in Prague, was so looking forward to it. Unfortunately a few weeks before I had a TIA - stroke. From then everything went downhill - no plane flights. So no holiday!! The most important thing is to make sure your INR are pretty regular and show very stable readings. Also declare the AF on insurance - can be rather costly, but paid out on my side all holiday costs for both daughter and I were reimbursed! Gathered you must be on Warfarin. Have a brilliant relaxing holiday and keep in touch as to how everything went.

[meadfoot in reply to migmog]

Thanks migmog. I pulled out of a holiday last May too on way to airport as AF kicked in so bad I was passing out. Found myself in A&E instead. Got money back via travel insurance. I am on one of the new anticoags so no worries re INR. Hope you get a holiday soon and things settle down for you. Take care x

[migmog in reply to meadfoot]

New anitcoags does that mean Pradaxa - might have drawn the lucky straw - I am on the same one!! Have come to conclusion that away abroad hols have now gone out of the window!! For me must bear in mind problems family could possibly have sorting out to get me back home. What a headache AF can and does cause!!! Mags

[rupert12]

I hope you have a wonderful holiday if you decide to go, unfortunately I would not be comfortable yet to go outside the UK. If your attacks can be stopped by self medication and you don't need to go to hospital, then I suppose you could manage yourself, if you had an attack. I would do some research into language and facilities, perhaps getting some translations in the local language. It's a difficult one, but I think I would stick to France, Holland & Spain, if you live in the UK. I can't think anything worse than being in hospital in a foreign country and no one can understand you and you don't know what they are doing to you!!

[meadfoot in reply to rupert12]

Hi Rupert12. Thanks for your reply. Take your point re France and Spain. I have traveled there extensively although never needed to use their med facilities. I guess it is the relative familiarity I have of these countries which is comforting, rather like being at home but not quite! Have a friend who had his first ever AF episode while on hols in Majorca, he was very happy with his treatment although he was in hosp there for 4 days and had loads and loads of test. Good luck for your future hols too. Regards x

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

Good luck on your trip! I've not traveled to those places, though I have traveled to the U.K,, Spain, France, Italy, Central America, Caribbean islands as well as all over the US including Alaska and Hawaii in the decade since my diagnosis. Thankfully I have had only two episodes while traveling far from home: One in Alaska and one in Canada. Both resolved, as they do at home after about 12 hours so it wasn't an issue. I am heading out again next week on a cruise so I am hoping that the episode I had the other day has "disaster-proofed" my vacation! Don't forget to take your meds on time and try to stay hydrated and get plenty of rest while you are gone!

[meadfoot in reply to SRMGrandma]

Hello SRMGrandma. Thanks for your reply. Good advice re meds and hydration. You are obviously well traveled. Good on yer for taking control and getting on with life. Hope you enjoy your cruise next week. Have a good holiday. Regards x.

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Certainly go for the holiday, take all the precautions you can but I suspect the relaxation will far outweigh the risks.

I was wondering the same things I cancelled a holiday to the Phillipines this Feb due to the diagnosis in December 12, and in any cases I was not INR stable and still undergoing tretaments, I am now thinking of travelling in June.

But thinking back, and hindsight is wonderful, but I have almost certainly had A Fib for 5 years (Chinese doctor in Kuala Lumpur told me I had a strange pulse) and probably 5 years longer than that, and yet I have travelled widely around S E Asia in pretty basic accomodation and areas without medical facilities available, and without even knowing what was wrong. Now I have been diagnosed nothing has really changed apart from the meds being prescribed.

I'm going to take the advice from others on this and other boards, take the medical advice of course, and take reasonable precautions, but you control your life, not your A. Fib. If you let it control your life it will become all consuming.

Have a great trip

Ian

[meadfoot in reply to Beancounter]

Hello Ian. Thanks for your reply. You are right AF is all consuming if you dont take control of your life. Had it for 5/6 years now. Up to last year I was very cavalier and travelled extensively with no episodes and thought my meds would fully protect me even though passed episodes had been highly symptomatic. However my last episode shook me badly and I realised how vulnerable I was to attacks out of the blue. Need to get my head back in a better place. Best wishes x.

[BobD Volunteer]

Don't let AF rule your life please. Go for it! What is the worst that can happen? Maybe you will feel ill for a short while but then you would back in blighty. From my experience rushing to A and E is overrated. So long as you have declared your AF on your travel insurance and take plenty of your medication, not just enough but a good margin extra there is no reason at all not to go. Admittedly it isn't Bulgaria but I have been abroad several times and flown with AF at 160bpm on one occasion.. It came on while I was driving to the airport but I was going come what may. Five days later I flew back but by then it had slowed to 140. .lol.

[meadfoot in reply to BobD]

Hi BobD. Thanks for your reply. Very brave of you to get on the plane and well done for not letting AF control you. Take your point re meds and insurance. You are right AF can rule supreme if you let it. Regards x

[goolybash]

Having worked extensively in most of these countries and suffering from AF I have found their treatment to be of a very high standard. They have fantastic medical facilities and well trained doctors, and it's very reasonably priced ( the state system is a little lacking) The only problem I had was getting hold of whafarin as its not prescribed in any if these countries. Happy holiday

[meadfoot in reply to goolybash]

Hi goolybash. Thanks for your reply. Its good to know you have had positive experience of med facils in these countries. Very brave of you to work abroad having AF. Would be easy to let AF rule our lives which you obviously do not. Good on yer! I am on new anticoags rather than warfarin but will be sure to take more than I need with me. Regards x

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

I love hearing everyone's advice to go for it! As you say, meadfoot, it would be so easy to let AF rule our lives. One other thing I suggest is to take two sets of all your medications, keeping them in different places; one is always with me and the other tucked away for emergency. The only inconvenient thing about being on the Pradaxa is not being able to take it out of that big bottle for travel, though sometimes I can get the individually wrapped ones.

[Hidden]

I have travelled the Baltic states & Russia on a cruise ship since my AF diagnosis. I would say ' go for it ' . You only live once etc etc. Just make sure you have all your meds & most importantly that you HAVE included this on your travel insurance . I did actually go into AF on acruise back from the Med whilst going through a rough Biscay. I took an extra Beta Blocker & just relaxed through it -- it lasted 40 hrs & I reverted to NSR spontaneously ( v unusual for me! )

[meadfoot in reply to Hidden]

Hello Yatsura. Thank you for your response. It is good to know you have traveled widely while having AF. Did you have severe symptoms while on your med cruise. Mine are so bad I pass out, have all the symptoms of a heart attack, have a pulse of over 200bpm and have been taken to A&E each time. My AF is Paroxysmal. Good luck with your future trips. Regards x.

[Hidden in reply to meadfoot]

Hello Meadfoot

No, I didn't get severe symptoms - just a fast irregular beat ( obout 160 ish ) & a bit shaky. I have never passed out with AF - famous last words! -- & only get a bit of pain whem bpm exceed 230/40 . latterly my rate does zoom up to 200+ & suffice to say that I am quite well known to some A&E medics! I am now paroxysmal after being mainly persistent for the best part of 18 years -- we are still working on it!

Because of my planned ablation I can't getinsurance but am looking forward to resuming hols. You will have a fantastic Baltic cruise I am sure -- St Petersburg is amazing.

[meadfoot in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Yatsura. Good luck with your ablation. Just wish someone could get to the bottom of what causes AF and find a cure for us all.

[watchdog]

first check with your doctor before you go. I have travel on several cruises to all the places you mentioned ,even flying to turkey fron belfast. go on holiday just take care and don`t over do it.

have a great time

[meadfoot in reply to watchdog]

Thanks Watchdog. Good advice and hope you continue with your travels too.

[watchdog in reply to meadfoot]

just booked a cruise from cyprus to newcastle a 15 day cruise. have to fly from belfast via gatwick. saw doctor a week ago and got the all clear this means if ?? I fall ill my insurance will cover me. enjoy your holiday. as I said before just don't over do it and take care

[Keith1973]

Having AF is all about managing what you have, if you are on medication and it works go on holiday and enjoy yourself. I was diagnosed 12 months ago, i run most days, have low cholestrol, and take flecanide once a day, sometimes i miss a few days and retake. I may be one of the lucky ones for now, but dont let AF dictate ro you what you can and cant do.

Go for it, enjoy it, and take control.

[meadfoot]

Thanks Keith1973, good advice. On a good day I can be really positive but I then get some blips and the confidence wobbles again. Pleased you have things under control both physically and emotionally.

[Warriors]

Agree with the posts that tell u to get on with your hols and don't be afraid.Like they say keep hydrated and chill out and take your meds!! Enjoy!

I had 2 episodes in Lanzarote at Christmas but both resolved themselves without a hospital visit. Going to one of their hospitals would not have been daunting. I'm reliably told that their healthcare is far superior! Just choose your countries that's my advice!

[Keith1973]

I have also found that an exercise regime has completely stopped my AF. And i am taking one fleicanide every two Days, i used to take two a day. The increased heart rate seems to agree with me, to the extent where i am exercising 3 times a week cardio kickboxing.

( im 50 ) i would most certainly recommend as much exercise as possible, and maybe push that heart a little to get it going properly. Easier said than done though .... Maybe i am one of the lucky ones with AF, but it increases my confidence too, and i feel much better overall.

Which makes me look forwards to my holidays ..... A lot ! Thailand in May