Going on holiday with PMR!!

[Rowergirl]

After two and a half years I am eventually going abroad on holiday again on Thursday, but this time with PMR. I am currently on 7mg prednisolone having reduced using one of the slow reduction schedules ( thank you for those!) and should be reducing again while I am away, but have decided to stick on the same dose at the moment until after I come back. I am going to the Caribbean, so will have a 4 hour time difference ( and an 8 hour plus flight) and I think I saw a post about taking an extra small dose at some point when I get there to compensate for the time difference, but I can’t find it again! Does anyone have any tips?. I am going to take at least an extra weeks worth of meds with me , just in case of any unexpected issues!! Thanks again. This group is so helpful!!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Travelling east to west is a LONG day. For a 4 hour time difference, work out a 6th of your daily dose - and take that about 24 hours after the dose you take the day you travel. That will carry you over to the next day when you just carry on taking your dose at the same time as at home. It can be early, so you are not waking to take it in the middle of the night. Does that make sense?

Enjoy!

[PMRCanada in reply to PMRpro]

I too am travelling East to West in June, 2hr time difference. Can you please share the calculation for that scenario? Or could I just take my split dose at 9pm and 9am, instead of 11pm and 11am?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to PMRCanada]

I probably wouldn't bother for just 2 hours - or add 2/24 ths of your 24 hour dose to that day's dose.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRCanada]

Like PMRpro I don’t think I’d bother tbh.

[Rowergirl in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you, that is so helpful. Just realised it is a 5 hour time difference, but I get the jist!.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rowergirl]

So it is time difference over 24 times the daily dose needs to be added to bridge the gap ...

[Golf-1 in reply to PMRpro]

Being new to PMR I had not thought about this !! I will travelling the other way round, East to West;- London - Singapore - Australia, about 26 hours journey , and then the opposite for return journey a few weeks later with a stopover in Singapore and times all over the place. Any advice would be very much appreciated including is the heat and humidity going to have any affect on my PMR?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Golf-1]

First time I went to NZ via Singapore (was on 7mg) - took usual morning of flight before leaving home, stopover in Singapore - so took another dose their morning (so earlier than usual UK time). Was only there a couple of days so stuck to mornings - and then another with breakfast before I got off airplane in NZ - so their morning..then continued as normal throughout holiday. So for a couple of times it was less than 24hrs between doses, but as travelling is stressful anyway, no great issue.

Didn’t stop on way back - apart from couple of hours in airport so took usual dose on morning in NZ, half a dose in airport lounge, then normal dose again with breakfast before landing - arr rime 6.00am …

Does that make sense?

Didn’t feel too bad in Singapore with heat etc, but wasn’t there very long…was a bit wiped out when I got to NZ for a day or so, although not an issue as staying with daughter,

Enjoy!

PS -forgot to say don’t reduce just before you go or whilst you are away..:

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Golf-1]

That's west to east - I take the normal dose that way round so that the next dose is sooner than 24 hours but that doesn't matter.

How you will react to heat and humidity is impossible to forecast - I keep out of the heat in the afternoons even here but in general, I quite like dry heat. But humidity is another matter and I don't like it at all, it makes me hurt! Everyone is different, But I would try to avoid being in the sun - always walk on the shady side of the street, wear a hat and sunglasses and use an umbrella like the locals do. Don't set the air con too fierce for too long - it makes going out in the heat even worse. You sweat outside - and walking into a shop can be a chilling experience!

When travelling I make sure i have nothing I must do the day I arrive - I travel 24 hours earlier if I can. I get there and go to bed and sleep - after all, those long flights are hard work anyway. In S Korea I had to attend a lunch as soon as we arrived - I almost went to sleep in my soup. I went to bed about 3pm their time and slept through until next morning (despite my husband's protestations I wouldn't sleep at night, I did). Next morning we had to be at the train at silly o'clock and I dozed on and off for the journey and slept at the hotel - it was chucking it down so I missed nothing that day. Then we had 3 or 4 days of being tourists where I did everything and rested whenever I could. It was fine.

Pack something thin in your handluggage if you can. Just in case - I arrived in Hong Kong in jeans - and my luggage was still in Newcastle, not even in London! I roasted - no idea what size you are but larger sizes are often difficult to find there as the locals are usually very dainty. And who wants to go shopping when you are only somewhere a couple of days.

[Bcol]

As already said but please remember to take all medication with you (carry on luggage) not in cases in hold, just in case, no pun intended,luggage gets lost. Have a great time, love Barbados.

[Polymialgia]

Have done UK to Caribbean a few times since being diagnosed, I just take an extra couple of mg on morning of flight and a couple extra the following day at the same time, not making any allowance for the time difference and I’ve never had any issues,

[Rowergirl]

Just returned from a fabulous holiday in Barbados. Thanks for all the suggestions. On the way out from the UK I took my normal dose in the morning ( 7mg prednisolone) and then took 2mg before going to bed ( approx 11pm Barbados time) and then my normal dose at 8:30am ish in the morning when I woke up. No problems at all. I swam every day and kayaked with no aches or pains which was great. Had a few aches the day after a couple of longish walks but otherwise I was absolutely fine. I was a bit achy after the flight home, but feeling not too bad now. I’m off to Holland, rowing in the St Ayles skiffs World Championships in a couple of weeks time, so will see how that goes. Training has been absolutely fine, with no real problems ( I know a lot of you suggested I give it a miss, but I am a bit stubborn and have managed with no problems so far). I have three training rows this week, but during the competition I am only rowing a couple of times, so should have a bit of recovery time. I am staying on 7mg prednisolone until after the competition and then will try and reduce again by 0.5mg very very slowly using the guidance I have obtained from this group. Apologies for the long post, and thanks again for the advice everyone.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Rowergirl]

Glad it all went well, and good luck in Holland - and do what you can when you can!