My next dilemma is regarding foreign travel. We have a holiday booked for December, but even when there was only coronavirus to concern me, I wasn't sure about going. Add to this PMR and the holiday is probably off, needs paying for very soon.
Made a travel insurance enquiry and PMR didn't seem to be a big issue.
It's probably an over reaction on my part but I suppose I am looking for reassurance that it is relatively safe to travel abroad with PMR or a recommendation not to go. Probably the latter.
I am concerned about what would happen in an emergency situation.
Also not sure of the implications of brexit on health care abroad. I'd appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Written by
Trainy
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
As you’ve discovered PMR is not an issue insurance wise......and in the past neither has it seemed to cause a major issue health-wise for anyone on here.
I travelled to New Zealand in 2014 whilst I still had GCA with no issues.
But we are in very different times - it probably depends on a couple of things -
where you are intending to go post Brexit (regarding health cover etc) -
but more importantly where you can go according to Covid.
I had hoped to go to NZ last Christmas, not even thinking about this year, but fingers crossed for Xmas 2022.
To be honest I think this December is iffy.......we have another winter to get through, and if you’re going to Southern Hemisphere they are going through theirs at the moment....
Europe and canaries will be destinations of choice. I booked the holiday months ago with a view to having something to look forward to post covid. A plan that failed spectacularly on day 1 by booking the wrong dates and still no end to covid in sight. . My fault entirely, ( the dates, not covid) At least now I am reassured that travel is possible. Until then we will explore this beautiful country of ours.
I think the main issue for you will be Covid rather than PMR. I’ve travelled abroad successfully with PMR and provided you declare it to your insurer you should be covered sometimes with a small increase in premium. I’m not considering travelling abroad until 2022 to be honest as I’m not convinced we'll be out of the Covid woods by then and being anxious about whether you’re going to be able to go or not because of Covid rules changing at the last minute is likely to feed your PMR. PMR thrives on stress as you will find if you haven’t already. Is there any way your travel operator would consider transferring your deposit to a trip next year?
Quite frankly I am not going to travel abroad in the near future, it is much too stressful, as we don’t know if we will get there or we could be stuck out there or spend months trying to get our money back. There are some beautiful places in UK. I really do not know my own country that well if I look at the map. Having PMR and stress is not a good idea I have found, so I try and avoid it.
PMR did not impede upon my travelling Pre Covid, on the advice of my Consultant l took plenty of Pred with me as back up & l travelled to Singapore & Cruised from there to Australia, then on to New Zealand. I even managed a Trip to the Far East again well backed up with Meds as well as closer to home destinations. It only became an issue when l developed other conditions that Insurance became a bit more complex but travel l did......
Thank you to everyone for the advice. We are going to put travel abroad on hold until late 2022 at the earliest. Reassured about PMR. Not sure about end to covid. Looking forward to new areas to explore in the UK.
Since I have had PMR I have been to most of Europe by car, the US and Canada on several occasions, China, Australia, Japan, S Korea and several ports of call on the way there or back. Never had any problem. I have done tours by bus, train and plane (China) and bus and cruise, (Canada). I have never had a PMR-related emergency - and if I did, I have medical insurance.
However - Covid is a very different matter. They have recently opened up tourism in our region in northern Italy and there are some tourists here, mainly Germans. Last week they closed the quarantine facilities and today they have reopened one because there are cases of Covid in hotels in one of the main valleys and a load of hotel staff now have to be quarantined. It isn't over yet - and I'm happy enough to wait. I don't have to book - I just drive to most of Europe.
We flew to The Algarve on Saturday evening. We had booked before it was changed to Amber. The infections in The Algarve are approx. 12-15 in 100,000.Ours was the only evening flight at Southend. The only paperwork we showed to Ryanair were our boarding passes. I estimate that the plane was about half full.
At Faro there were no queues and the officer merely glanced at our negative test result and stamped our passports.
We are in Alvor about 40 minutes drive from the airport .
It’s glorious weather of course, the sky has a “ blueness “ that seems exclusive to Portugal. Everyone is super friendly and of course delighted to see us.....hiding their despair at being changed to Amber.
It’s very quiet but if you feel well enough and can quarantine without hardship when you return I would definitely say come here.
The big drawback of course is the ridiculous cost of the tests you have to take.
It’s odd isn’t it that travel takes it out of you even though you are sitting down most of the time. 😎
I have slept 8 hours both nights since we arrived but to wake up to the magical colours of The Algarve is worth the journey for me.
We travel four times a year usually twice in europe and twice far flung! Our last trip was a three week tour of colorado which I planned, booked etc. But I built in a rest day then a busy day and kept the mileage lower than our usual USA travels. I drove the whole time, mainly because I’d researched so knew the way..ish. We went ziplining from 14,000 feet down to 9,000 feet in the valley on a series of zip wires, for example. Oh and many other things too. I think it’s all possible with careful planning, eg we stayed in hotel at Denver airport on arrival whereas we would normally have driven 50 miles or so to first stopping place! My travel insurance is very expensive as I have a cocktail of health issues but I don’t believe PMR is the ‘expensive’ part! But Covid? Missed our Ruby wedding anniversary trip last year, missing it again this year. I think it’s best to put it out of our minds completely, if I’m honest! Look at the issues people who are having if they do travel (assume you are in uk..,look at current Portugal issue)!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Travelling and tapering.
Travel with Tocilizumab
Need some travel advice
Health insurance for travel to Europe
