overseas holiday - not wise said my liver consultant yet consultant in London said go for it

[daisy11]

I am wondering if anyone has flown with AIH,PBC,Varices with portal hypertension and cirrhosis and also Lupus. Said to my consultant I would like to go away and he said is that wise? Yet consultant in London said just go and enjoy. I feel that had I not been diagnosed then obviously I would not hesitate, but I am so desperate for some Vit D (Sunshine)

[Bigplanet]

Similar - have ALD and varices and portal hypo. Both Dr and Consultant said fine, as long as you are sensible. But guess its onto each persons health profile. insurance is a nightmare but eventually sorted. My vote is go for it and enjoy.

[daisy11]

what insurance did you go with - tried a couple but declined.

[Bolly]

As well as insurance that would cover you should you need emergency healthcare in the country you holiday to, you might also need to check what rules apply to taking any medication you are on into the country that you’re going to. Different countries have different rules and regulations about the types of medicine they allow to be taken into the country and the maximum quantity you can take in.

If you need prescribed meds at the moment talk to your GP or practice nurse about your travel plans at least two months before your departure date. They should be able to tell you if you need to make any special arrangements.

Always carry your medication in a correctly labelled container as issued by your pharmacist. You should carry your medication in your hand luggage (airline regulations permitting), with a copy of your prescription. Pack a spare supply of medication in your suitcase or hold luggage, in case you lose your hand luggage.

Some medicines need to be kept at room temperature (below 25C) or stored in the fridge. If you’re travelling to a warm country, get advice from your pharmacist about storing your medicine. For example, to keep your medicine at the right temperature you may need to store it using a thermos flask, ice pack, cool bag etc.

It’s a good idea to travel with a copy of your prescription and a letter from your GP giving details of your medication, including its generic name (not just the brand name) and the name of the health condition that you need the medication for. As well as helping you avoid any problems at customs, this will be useful if you need medical help while you’re away. It may be worth getting the information translated into the language of the country or countries that you're visiting.

Some prescribed medicines contain drugs that are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs legislation. You may need a personal licence to take controlled medicines abroad.

Some medicines available over the counter in the UK may be controlled in other countries and vice versa.

[findasolution]

I haven't taken a recent holiday that involved flying but have just returned from a two week cruise in far off waters. A few weeks prior to embarkation I started to encounter problems with water retention and ascites so I did become somewhat hesitant about going on the holiday but as neither my GP or Consultant raised any objections I made the decision to go. However both the GP and Consultant did give me the once over including LF and FB blood test beforehand.

As it turned out, a few days into the holiday I did start to encounter problems with fluid retention while at sea but as I had plenty of diuretics with me and disciplined myself to control my fluid and food intake ( very difficut with all that is on offer during a cruise) I managed to enjoy as well as survive the full period of the holiday and by the end of which my fluid retention problems were again under control. I also managed to survive without visiting the ship's doctor or hospital which is just as well because that may have cost me more than the actual cruise itself .

If you feel up to it and really need the holiday and the sunshine then why not follow the advice of your London consultant and go for it? However apart from availability of medication I imagine another thing you will need to consider is whether or not you will be near to other people during your holiday who you can turn to for assistance should the need arise.

Have a good holiday and return refreshed.

[Hidden]

My daughter did have varices and portal hypertension and her consultant was not so keen on her flying. However, her varices have been obliterated and the portal hypertension too, therefore we are going away to warmer climate - fed up of this cold. Only a short plane journey to Spain as I am understandly a bit nervous but she has been given the okay and having bloods done couple of weeks before we go.

Dr said meds should be ok, but I will take the letter, packaging, prescription etc. just to be on the safe side.

To all of us having a break - enjoy

Just to add, we flew literally weeks before we had a diagnosis a couple of years ago, and the thought was this could have added to the problems but it was not clear cut!