Traveling can be both exciting and stressful. For those managing a health condition, travel can present even more challenges than normal. Perhaps stress makes your condition worse, or maybe you’re traveling with special medications or equipment. Whatever your unique situation, learning from others who have had similar experiences can help you gather best practices and tips for staying as stress-free and healthy while traveling. 

Across Inspire, members share their tips and tricks for traveling with health conditions of all kinds. Here are some of their tips below. For more advice about traveling with your particular health condition, start a post in your Inspire community to keep the conversation going. 

Traveling with conditions that affect movement, comfort, and mobility

Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) are a group of rare disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues. The Ehlers-Danlos and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Community on Inspire is a thriving community where members affected by these conditions share their health experiences and tips. 

One member shared their tips for traveling to Europe specifically for those living with EDS, but also included advice that may be relevant for any one who deals with movement restrictions, mobility issues, chronic pain, or fatigue: 

“Wheelchairs can be more work than support in European cities. Google your stops for experience with wheelchairs to see if any are a good choice for renting and use. That would be a good place to conserve energy even if you don't need one at that point as it could give you energy at a later stop where you will have less support. Watching others with disabilities and how they cope there can also be freeing by opening up normalcy and creativity and determination.

Watch your attitude. When I'm hurting, I'm grouchy. It takes a lot of spoons to manage emotions when having to manage the body, too. Commit the spoons needed to building relationships with your travel companions, not letting negative emotions drive your experiences together. (This doesn't mean that bonding has to happen in a certain way. It's OK to sit in a bistro and people watch while your companions go off on a walking tour, then sit in the bistro together to share dessert and your experiences with each other. The goal here is bonding, not pretending to be someone you're not.) You might want to discuss this challenge openly with your travel companions before you go so they value and make time for connecting, protecting, improving, and appreciating together as well. But if they get grouchy from being tired and off schedule, you can't let that steal YOUR spoons or turn you resentful. You must appreciate their good health making that management and conservation new to them and you must show them the grace you would want to receive while learning as well. It's less demanding to teach and extend compassion than it is to be resentful and hurt that you're the one who has to do that, too. See it as a grounding and re-grouping only YOU can offer and bring your grace!

Don't forget a good attitude is important in relationship to yourself, too! You must obviously believe it's better to hurt traveling Europe than to hurt alone at home in bed. :) Remind yourself of that. A positive attitude reduces pain and it also opens up all sorts of creative solutions as you won't feel guilty doing what you need to do as you'll be confident in who you are and that you are living your life to its fullest, no matter what that looks like compared to others'. And it makes you unashamed to appreciate and partake in beauty even when you feel like crud. So if that overpriced European chocolate is something you'll appreciate and will make you feel alive and in the moment, get it. If skipping the guided tour to sit on a waterfront and watch the waves will fill you with a sense of awe, do it. Don't act out of guilt, shame, hurt, fear, or resentment. Act out of beauty, wonder, goodness, appreciation, and awe--giving to yourself the same as you give to others.” 

Flying with conditions that require special equipment or medications

Many conditions require you to travel with special equipment or medications that may not always comply with the restrictions put in place by the Transportation Services Administration (TSA). From colostomy bags to IV poles to baby formula, travelers may be worried about how approach flight security with these items. 

One Inspire member from the Oley Foundation Community shared their fears about traveling with their IV pole and feeding formula. Members responded in kind with lots of helpful advice, including this tip from one member that is relevant for anyone traveling with special equipment or medications: 

“Call the number on this page, the TSA cares hotline. I had never heard of this but just called them a few hours ago, they were so nice and helpful. They will input all your information for your flights and what specific needs and items you will have etc then send it to the relevant airports who will contact you to let you know who will meet you and where to take you through security etc. Since I am flying for a medical appointment in <72 hours they got me in touch with the specific people at my outgoing airport and I got calls from the supervisors confirming the details of my outgoing flights and telling me where to meet the person as well as a call from the destination airport. They did this all in the space of about an hour and a half.”

In addition to these tips for going through security with ease, many Inspire members emphasize carrying-on any of your important medical supplies. TSA allows one additional medical carry-on per traveler, and there are exceptions to the carry-on liquids requirements for medically necessary items. See the TSA website to learn more. 

Want more tips for travel? Start a post in your Inspire community today to hear from other people like you.