Need some travel advice

[allykat]

Some of you may know that my lovely GP has retired so I am seeking some advice on this forum. Next week I head off to Canada for 3 weeks and will be doing a fair bit of coming and going in order to see all my family, friends and former work colleagues. I got all the way to zero last year after having GCA only to then end up with PMR. I am now down to 2 mg prednisolone per day and plan to stay on that for a good wee while.

My question....would it be advisable to go up to 3 for a few days at the start of my journey? It's a long travel day for me and with the 5 hour time difference, I am afraid it might affect my meds.

Many thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

For the long day travelling I add a mg or so extra for the day of travel as a bit of a boost and I take a proportional extra dose to take me from the time at home I should be taking the next pred dose until the time in the destination country that I would take the next full dose. Does that make sense? For pred you need to adjust the time of taking the dose rather than sticking to the home time as doctors suggest for many medications. Pred needs to be active in the morning.

The short way travelling I take my normal dose the day of travel and the next day even though it is less than 24 hours.

[allykat in reply to PMRpro]

HI and yes that makes sense. I had a quick trip over in January when I was on 6 mg and didn't adjust my meds and had about a 30 hour break between my doses. When I woke up the first morning, I felt like I had been run over by a truck!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to allykat]

I'm not surprised! As I say, a tad more to cover the stress of travel and traipsing around airports and then enough for that extra 5 hours or so - about a quarter perhaps? Rounded up... Don't stint

[SheffieldJane]

I have done that in the past and I think it insulated me from stress and strain. Having said that, I am flying to Majorca in a week or so and as there is nothing too demanding ahead I don’t think I will increase. It all depends how strong you are feeling and whether there will be ample opportunity to rest. Even when we get to zero, the advice is still to pace activities and avoid stress. I would feel differently if it was a long-haul to the bosom of my energetic family in Australia.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

Oh no - I don't bother for flights within Europe - there isn't enough time difference to matter. But several hours - and Canada is anything from 5 to 9 hours - definitely requires something to cover that long day to allow you to take your pred in the morning rather than stick to the at-home time.

[Hidden]

Hi

Pretty much the same as PMRPro says & my Consultant at the time even worked out the increase for me, when we were going to Singapore.

I always add in a little for Airport Security Stress whenever I’m flying because l am that person who’s bag they always want to look in & have a good delve about in, even including my lipstick!

Always take a bit more than too little!.....

Have a Great Time! x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Your lipsticks should be in your fluids bag!! That is probably why they keep looking at it...

I am almost always the one who is selected for frisking and hands swabbed - they insist it is random selection and then we usually have a good laugh about me being random (that's not in the USA by the way).

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

It is in my fluids bag but still ‘it’s always me!’💄

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Probably coveting it! I've had questions about my perfume but the most unnerving was while sitting waiting to board a ferry. A child wanted a pee (as they do) and the only choice was "potty" - this customs chap came up to us and started to ask about our Espace. At the time they hadn't reached the UK and ours was one of the very first models even on this side of the Channel. First we thought we were in trouble for "potty", then worried about the papers etc for the car - but he'd seen the ads and was interested in the car! Phew!!!!

[Marilyn1959]

Hi Allykat. Did you know that f you are flying you can arrange for disabled transport at the airport to take you to your boarding gate. Sometimes it can be a very long walk especially under duress of time scales. I used the disabled service last year. You don't need a disabled badge or anything. You can pre book or book it on arrival. They tell you when you need to return to meet them and the buggy and driver will be there waiting. All you need to do is relax inbetween. Takes out all the stress!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marilyn1959]

Not always a buggy - I've only ever had a wheelchair. I keep hoping for a buggy!

[Marilyn1959 in reply to PMRpro]

I told them hubby wasn't fit enough to push me all that way. It was you, PRMPRO, who told me about disability support ar airports last year prior to my first cruise. Don't know if I thanked you afterwards. It made a significant difference. So just in case......Thank you!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marilyn1959]

No - they also provide someone to push! And they pick the luggage up off the carousel and load it on a trolley which they fetched for you! It all depends on the access to the gate actually - in a lot of airports there aren't lifts that will accommodate the buggies between the points you are going from/to.

[Marilyn1959 in reply to PMRpro]

Either way it was a great help on outward journey. Homeward journey I managed under my own steam, since there was no rush to be anywhere.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marilyn1959]

Coming back from S Korea I said no thanks as it was less than 100 yards to the gate. What I HADN'T bargained with was standing in the "priority" lane for security for ages - and it is standing that gets me! "Priority" my foot - it was for about half of the punters!

[powerwalk]

Oooh - visiting Canada myself in a couple of weeks - to see my two children who live there at the moment - looking forward to it so much and also kinda terrified in case I feel rotten. The fatigue is what I'm worried about more than anything. So will increase a little bit too for the travel part. Nine and a half hour flight - Yikes!!!! Have a great time!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to powerwalk]

I had no problems at all - I flew to direct to Vancouver on my own and back a week later and then about 3 weeks later back to Calgary via Chicago (on one day, don't really recommend it but it did work with airport assistance which smoothes US immigration wonderfully) with OH. I had worried about the tour, different hotel almost every night, but it was OK too.

I wish I could persuade my two to go to Canada/OZ/NZ - they are tempted I think.

[powerwalk in reply to PMRpro]

Gosh thats a lot of travel - different hotels etc. But great when you do it. Yes my two love Vancouver - very happy there.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to powerwalk]

Mine in Vancouver I could cope with! I have some lovely PMR friends near Vancouver. Not sure how the qualifications as nurse/paramedic transfer there though.

[powerwalk in reply to PMRpro]

Yeah - thats the thing. To find the fit!! I would imagine those qualifications would travel anywhere!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to powerwalk]

You would think wouldn't you - but apparently not. Sometimes you actually have to retrain and resit exams.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

If they did, the majority of dentists and medics are long gone to Canada (from the UK).

[Linda369]

Hi allykat,so glad you posted this because I travel tomorrow to Phoenix and not looking forward to the 10+ hrs flight. Been having some wonderful days of late as I am still on 11 mg of Pred, so hoping I will cope ok. Be just my luck to have a fatigue day, because they seem to just turn up for no reason. It is also going to be a big gap from taking Pred here tomorrow morning and waiting until the next dose in Phoenix being about 8 hrs late due to the time difference, if I take it with breakfast as is my normal routine. The joys of PMR, just keeps giving. Take care and hope you enjoy your holiday.

[Hidden in reply to Linda369]

Hi Linda

You can add in the extra Pred for the approx the time difference.

I’d take my Pred in the morning as usual tomorrow, then work out the time difference between here & there, then take the correct proportion or a touch more, (don’t split it into point 0.5mgs)

I’ve only just woke up (resting after a busy week!)

Are you going from the UK to the USA?

Mrs N

PS

Basically what you can do is have an extra half your dose after twelve hours travelling then start again the following morning on your usual dose! Happy Holidays ✈️

[Linda369 in reply to Hidden]

Hi MrsNails, yes travelling from UK to Phoenix and then onto Sedona. Such a beautiful magical place that just keeps pulling me back. I will take your advice on board, it makes sense to do this. Just don’t want that horrid old pain returning. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Linda369]

Do not just wait for the time in Phoenix. Take your pred as normal before travelling and then count about 24 hours later - and take a proportion of your daily dose then to carry you over the other 8 hours, about 1/3 of your usual daily dose. Then take your morning dose as normal while you are away. Coming back it doesn't matter - you'll just have a short day.

[Linda369 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi PMRpro,

Thank you for advise, a God send for newbies like me. Been having some really good days of late and really want to keep it that way, as I know my son will not be coping so well with the journey and I need to be there for him. Thank you.

[HeronNS]

As Canada has five (and a half) time zones, I'm a bit curious where you will be landing to start your visits. It will be more important to adjust your dosage amounts and times the further West you go, as the four hours to the Atlantic zone from the UK isn't so difficult, sort of the equivalent of forgetting to take your breakfast pred until lunchtime, and 3.5 to Newfoundland is practically nothing!

Have a wonderful time!

[allykat in reply to HeronNS]

Glasgow to Halifax to Ottawa so just 5 hours to worry about. 2 days later, Toronto so still in the same time zone.

[HeronNS in reply to allykat]

I'm looking forward to an art tour in Glasgow next June!

[allykat in reply to HeronNS]

You should try to make it up to Oban. There's no nicer place when the sun shines!

[HeronNS in reply to allykat]

We were in Oban in 1973. If I remember correctly it was rather grim then. Train station packed with people leaving Ireland because of the troubles. But that may have been where when asked what I wanted on my porridge, probably sugar or syrup, I forget, and I replied "salt" the woman was very skeptical that I meant it.... If that is the place I do remember the B&B there was one of the nicer ones we stayed in.

[HeronNS in reply to allykat]

Maybe you can help me. I remember looking out the train window very early, almost certain it it was in Scotland, and flashing by was a model of an ancient structure. The coliseum?

[allykat in reply to HeronNS]

It's called McCaig's Tower. Construction was started in the in the late 1800's by John Stuart McCaig. It was to create employment for the local stone masons and was to be a monument to the McCaig family. Sadly he died and it was never completed so only the outer walls were finished. It is a great backdrop for wedding photos and the views from the tower are spectacular. Worth a visit!

[Hidden]

This thread makes me want to travel Thank you, guys.