John Steinbeck the author, once said "People don't take trips... trips take people." I saw this quote the other day and while I pontificated on its meaning, I realized for a neuropathy sufferer, travel takes a whole new meaning all together. Many neuropathy sufferers tend to reduce their ventures outward. I must admit I am more hesitant to jump in the car and drive for a few hours, and flying is a whole other story. That being said, there are indeed times when we must travel and there are some tips and tricks to handle this travel much more "neuropathy friendly."
Proper Travel Gear
This one is key and thus we have to talk about it first! No matter where your travels are taking you, and how you are getting there, make sure you have the right shoes and socks for the journey to not only protect your feet, but also to maintain as much strength and endurance as you can. I always travel with my comfortable slippers in my suitcase, but make sure to wear a good shoe with lots of comfort, paired with good support, and an anti-roll design to improve balance. I was all New Balance when I first was diagnosed with neuropathy, but lately Sketchers have won me over. They include a padded collar, a memory foam insole, and a supportive rubber sole. To me the most important thing is they are lighter than pretty much any other sneaker. Plus they have like 9 different colors for the Men Afterburner Sneaker for those fashion conscious consumers, and 7 for the female equivalent D'Lite Sneaker.
Socks actually are just as important for your neuropathy as shoes, if not more. You have to really find the ones that work for you. Diabetic socks for all sufferers with neuropathy have their definite positives. Look for these things in any socks: Soft material that will adjust to the weather well like bamboo; moisture wicking to absorb any moisture away from your feet to avoid infections; seamless toe to eliminate any foot pressure; and a non-binding top. These are the best rated and I like them a lot and they carry socks for men and women in different colors.
Regardless of what mode of transportation you are taking, you may want to consider a compression sock which are designed for achy and tired legs, swelling, or long hours of traveling. The idea of a compression sock is that they can help ease swelling and boost pushing blood back out of your legs by a differing amount of compression as it works its way up your leg. Multiple styles and colors are available in a cost effective pair of Dr. Scholls compression socks.
Finally for those of you that suffer with neuropathy issues in your hands I have found that these wrist braces are really worth the money and sooo much better than the normal bulky and hot wrist braces that don't work. Compression is also key here. The BioSkin is comfortable and made of great material that keeps you cool and dry (the problem i have with others) and I find that if my hands are hurting, wearing these just for a few hours, makes the pain go away. I have suggested these for family and friends who now all own one or two depending on which hands experience pain.
Pack a Travel Bag
However you are traveling, make sure you are prepared with the essentials. Make sure you have snacks, water, and all of your medications. Make sure you pack medications for all levels of your neuropathy regimen as often travel may induce a flare-up and you will need more pain medication than normal. I often will have a pill carrier in my "go bag," but also will carry my actual prescription bottles in my luggage (when traveling by car or train). This is a good idea for several reasons: to show you have the prescription in the case of schedule 2 narcotics such as oxycodone; to have the prescription number in case you need to call in a refill for whatever reason; in case of any medical emergency, the hospital will know the amounts and types of medication you are on. This is the travel pill case I love because they have three compartments for varying medications, are large enough to handle any pill shape or size, and have a texture on the container which makes it easy to twist, even when your fingers are numb.
Because we are more susceptible to cuts and wounds when traveling and because again, we cannot oftentimes feel our legs, I like to have a travel bottle of wound cleaner to make sure you do not get an infection. This is a travel size of the hand sanitizer I like that is also a wound care agent. It is foaming and alcohol free so I will not dry you out or be painful.
Have a Travel Companion
It is important when traveling to have someone that you are traveling with that knows about your health and wellness needs. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies, and we need someone else to tell us to take a break. The men in my family have always had an unspoken contest when traveling by car to make incredible time. It is not a race, it is just in our DNA I think, possibly in all men, I don't know, but a travel companion can tell you to stop and take a break when needed! They can also let you know if they notice anything out of the ordinary with your health. Again, it is important to check for wounds when traveling and a companion can aid in this.
Plan Ahead
Make sure you have planned ahead for whatever mode you are traveling in. If by air, make sure you leave those medications in their original containers in your carry-on bag. The TSA has a toll-free phone number designed to help anyone with health or medical issues. You can call 1-855-787-2227 over 72 hours prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. They can be a great resource to help you figure out how to prepare for air travel. Make sure you talk to your health insurance or know if your coverage travels with you. If not, you may want to consider travel insurance which will cover the cost of an accident or injury while abroad.
If you are traveling by car, the National Weather Service has a great collection of phone numbers and web sites of where you can check the road conditions in any state. You can find that here.
Practice Self Care
This is vital. Make sure you check in with yourself on an daily basis. Did you eat enough? Drink enough? Take your medications? Check your feet? Are you overexerting yourself? Remember neuropathy flare-ups can be brought on by stress and overexertion. It is better to go slow and steady and not overdo it each day than to overdo it one day and be in bed for the next three days. BE FLEXIBLE! If you need to extend your stay somewhere, do it.
Have a wonderful holiday and please be safe and if all else fails go to a beach, grab a mojito, and stick your feet in the sand...
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