Protecting our Health on a RTW Trip
David has a gut of iron. I, unfortunately, have a chronic intestinal disease. However, we are serious foodies and I am not going to refrain from tasting local foods. So, my digestive system needs protection. Also, we are going to areas that present dangers such as mosquito-borne illnesses, malaria, and contaminated water issues. Here is what we are doing to protect our health.
Vaccines
If you look on the CDC website, you will get a long list of vaccines they recommend for places like Indonesia and Africa, as well as information about other potential health threats. However, when we met with a medical travel consultant who had more detailed information about these illnesses, we learned that some of them are only a danger if you are going to be working in a refugee camp or in the rice paddies. Since we are doing neither, our list became somewhat shorter.
I didn’t realize that you have to arrange a “travel consult” with a medical professional in order to get travel vaccines and medicines. None of my research indicated this but I suppose it makes sense since they require prescriptions. I discovered that our local family practice offered travel consultations with specific doctors, so I made an appointment. At the same time, I was researching where we could get the vaccine for yellow fever. There is currently a nationwide shortage and it is available in only a few clinics and pharmacies around the country. I found out we would need to travel 1.5 hours to Seattle to get ours. Then our doctor’s office called to inform us that very thing and that we should arrange to have our travel consultation at the same place we would be getting the yellow fever vaccine because, otherwise, we would end up paying for the consultation twice. With further research, I was able to locate a pharmacy in Seattle that offered appointments for travel consultations and also had a supply of the vaccine.
The pharmacy we went to was crowded and very busy. We met with a knowledgeable pharmacist who seemed to specialize in travel medicine and she got quite excited about our trip. We ended up getting yellow fever, typhoid, flu, and hepatitis A shots. She also gave us medicine for malaria, altitude sickness (more about this when we get to Cusco, Peru), and antibiotics in case of severe diarrhea. We got all of these at once. Insurance didn’t cover much and the total bill was close to $1,000 for the two of us – be forewarned. We have to show our official vaccine record for entry into some countries to prove we have the yellow fever vaccine so we will keep them with our passports.
Since we were making the long drive to Seattle anyway, we took the opportunity to go shopping at Uwajimaya, an Asian food market. That turned the drive into an adventure. We got a bunch of seafood and vegetables we can’t get at home and invited our kids and their girlfriends over for a sushi feast. Yum! I told you we are serious foodies.
IAMAT
During my research about health risks and vaccines, I came across a website for the IAMAT organization. Here is their story from their website, https://www.iamat.org
On the IAMAT website, you can find information by country or by health risk and they have a directory of trusted English-speaking doctors and clinics around the world who will treat member travelers for set fees. You can become a member for free, but they do ask for a donation later to help support their work, which includes continued research and training for practitioners. We are now members and I will carry with me a list of their doctors and clinics in the countries we will be visiting.
Travel Insurance
Speaking of paying for medical care in foreign countries, a good travel insurance policy for emergency care is a must. We went with the plan recommended by our Airtreks travel planner. It includes trip reimbursement prior to leaving as well as coverage for emergencies on the trip. It is through Travelex Insurance Services. In the past, I have used insuremytrip.com to compare policies for shorter trips and bought plans from Global Underwriters. One thing I learned when buying one of those plans for my son is that you have to purchase a rider in advance for sports activities such as mountain biking, rock climbing, etc.
Prescriptions and Supplements
I made appointments to see my current doctors well in advance of our trip to get advice and make sure my prescriptions are up to date. My gastroenterologist pointed out that we can use their online portal to communicate in case I need his medical advice on the trip and he gave me a prescription for an emergency supply of my prescription.
I called our health insurance to see about getting an extended supply of prescriptions. Apparently, they can authorize a six-month supply but I have to wait until two weeks before the trip. I have already stocked up on other supplements and OTC medications. According to recommendations from the TSA, I will pack them in clear bags labelled according to what they are and what they are for.
First Aid Kit
Since much of our traveling has involved tent camping, I have always had a first aid kit ready to go with the usual bandages, antibiotic ointment, etc. One thing I added, after a frightful trip to an emergency ward with a child who had severely sliced his finger with a brand new pocket knife, is super glue. That is what the doctor used to seal up the cut because it went partway through his fingernail and couldn’t be stitched. For this trip, I have also included anti-diarrheal medicine, pedialyte crystals to replenish electrolytes, and Benadryl for allergic reactions to things like spider bites (which I seriously hope we never have to use).
Insect Protection
You can purchase clothing that has been impregnated with bug repellant. However, some of it doesn’t maintain its effectiveness through more than about six washings. Insectshield.com claims that their treatment with permethrin will last through 70 washings. Also, you can send them your own clothes to get them treated, which is what we are doing – lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts and socks – 2 of each for each of us. I also bought a shawl treated with permethrin that I can wrap around my head. In addition, we are each taking a travel size tube of heavy duty insect repellent containing DEET which was recommended by the place we are staying in Indonesia; they said that the mosquitos have become accustomed to the repellants sold there.
Safe water
Of course, everyone says, “Don’t drink the water.” And we don’t intend to, at least not without some safety measures. The excursions we are taking into the more remote areas specify that they provide bottled water. In addition, we are taking a steripen that zaps water with ultraviolet rays which we can use on tap water if needed, as well as a supply of water purification tablets in case we ever need to use water from “the wild.”
Sun protection
Hats, sun screen, sun glasses and sitting in the shade with a pina colada – the perfect precautions.
Comments