Holiday advice

[Markandevie]

Hi All,

I am travelling to Turkey in a few weeks for a holiday and am concerned about getting PMR pain and ruining the holiday. I currently take 6.5mg of prednisone and under control but will travelling make things worse as I feel it on a 2-hour drive let alone a 4.5-hour flight and then an hour and a half transfer? I have read on here that taking a higher dose of prednisone before flying helps?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Travelling is stressful at the best of times... so it might be sensible to take a bit extra on the day of travel. .. and a restful day the next day.

I'm not really an advocate of taking extra "just in case" and didn't when I still had GCA on a couple of flights of Spain... However, on long haul flights to New Zealand I did slip in an extra dose though more to do with change in time zones than travelling per se.

[Markandevie in reply to DorsetLady]

thank you

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Markandevie]

My opinion only, others may suggest you do increase.. but always wise to carry extra anyway.

[Markandevie in reply to DorsetLady]

I will do

[Charlie1boy]

Well, that’s what I always did when I was flying - even on relatively short journeys to the Balearics. There is inevitably an awful lot of faffing about at airports, which I found both stressful and tiring, so the extra one or two mg of pred that I took did seem to help.

Good luck.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

We don't really say increase your dose for travelling - what we say is that having slightly more while adjusting for the time difference will probably be helpful! Which isn't quite the same thing.

However - booking airport assistance is an essential in my view. You may feel you don't need a wheelchair but it means you always have a seat available and you skip the standing in queues and the scrum that security can turn in to - never seen anything like it at Manchester last November - never mind boarding! Wasn't even a holiday weekend! They worry about gate changes or delays, you are on the plane ahead of the crowd and straight to passport control at the other end. Even take you to your transfer vehicle.

And missing all THAT means you arrive at the other end in a fit state to start your holiday rather than take a day or two to recover.

[Markandevie]

Great advice . Thanks

[sidra1968]

All I can tell you is I definitely take more starting before the flight, sitting in those small seats being unable to move for 3+ hours flares me up. I do it throughout my trips, also..too fearful of the trip being ruined and wasted time and money (not to mention ruining things for my friend) not to do it..usually by 5 mg..but I am on a high-ish dose to start with. Enjoy Turkey, been twice, really enjoyed it!

[Wouldlovetorun]

Hope you have a fantastic holiday 😀