This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

[surfbird]

I was recently diagnosed and will begin injection therapy in about 2 weeks. I'll be going to Germany and France with my husband (we live in the US) and I'm nervous about traveling. I know there are good doctors there and obviously they know what MS is - I just don't want to be in a situation where I can't enjoy my trip.

What has anyone else experienced while traveling with MS? I love to travel so this is something I'm going to have to figure out I can't let MS keep me grounded!

Does traveling with oral steroids help in case of a flare up? I know Prednisone pills aren't the same as a solu-medrol drip but maybe it would help. Any trouble traveling with injections (Betaseron)? I've read that as long as you have a doctor's note and the original Rx, you'll be fine going through security/customs.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[gymbuff]

Hi Surfbird
I fly 2 or 3 times a year nd never had any problems altough the longest flight time since diagnosis has been 4 hours. I am on Tysabri now so the issue of needles is gone but during the time I was on betaferon I had a 'medicines passport'. Enjoy your trip to Europe

[ActiveMSers]

Hey surfbird, I've toted my MS all over the world to nearly every continent. I've put together an exhaustive list of travel tips based on my experiences for ActiveMSers: http://www.activemsers.org/tipstricks/t ... ithms.html

I also wrote about what happens when a relapse hits when traveling and how to keep your head straight and still have an incredible time: http://www.activemsers.org/tipstricks/carpediem.html

Hope this helps and have fun!

Dave Bexfield, ActiveMSers.org

[jimmylegs]

hey there, when i got dx'd i was days away from a 2-semester trip to study in australia. i was getting last minute health check-ups that led to my dx. (i also had an accident on a snowboard that seemed to precipitate my dx attack).

on the day before leaving i had to make the final call, and decided to postpone my trip. at the time i did not know when the progression of problems would slow. it was too scary. my bon voyage party turned into a non-voyage party.

i recovered enough (barely) to make the trip for the second semester. it was rough. luckily i had had trip cancellation insurance, and still i did have to wait for three months of stable health, in order to purchase 'pre-existing condition insurance'. it cost me 600 CDN extra because i was going away for months.

the trip was rough because the flights were long to get from SW ontario to western australia. at that point i was still paying others to wash my hair for me.

anyway i gradually got better over my time there, although i've learned much more since i returned in late '06.

at the end of the day, yes there are risks in travelling but you can manage if you are determined. i was fortunate not to require emergency care overseas. if you think you will, i guess i would advise caution.

in the final analysis, it is all up to you - all i can provide is one experience

HTH