Traveling for pleasure, business, or for a mission trip?
Your pharmacy can help you prepare for your travel by taking care of your travel health needs. Here are some travel needs with which Bremo Pharmacy can help:
Travel Vaccines:
- Traveling to other countries can mean exposure to different diseases that are widespread in the area such as typhoid, measles, yellow fever and others – it is very important to get vaccinated to protect yourself during your travels and after you return.
- The ideal time to start receiving your vaccines is a month or more in advance of your travel, but at least two weeks before travel. This is because our bodies take two weeks to build up immunity after receiving the vaccine.
- Many countries require proof of vaccination of travel and routine vaccines for entry into the country, such as the yellow fever vaccine. Bremo is one of few pharmacies certified to provide such vaccines without a prescription from your doctor.
Prevent Blood Clots:
- Traveling for long distances by plane, train, car or bus with limited activity and movement can put you at risk for blood clots in your legs. These clots can even be fatal if they break off and travel to your lungs.
- Reduce your risk for clots by getting up and walking around once an hour, as well as doing simple stretches while seated (like flexing and relaxing calf muscles and feet, rolling ankles).
- Use properly fitted medical compression socks. These may be covered through your insurance and can also be used after travel to improve blood flow during daily activities.
- Symptoms of a blood clot may include: swelling, pain, or tenderness in the affected limb (usually the leg), redness and increased warmth of skin in the affected area.
- If the clot travels to your lungs (Pulmonary Embolism), the symptoms may present as unexplained shortness of breath, faster than normal heartbeat, chest pain, cough (which may be bloody), lightheadedness or fainting. Seek immediate medical help as this is a life threatening emergency.
Medications during your travel:
- Medication management around your traveling may be a daunting task, thinking about refills and storage of medications.
- Here are some tips to make this an easy process for you:
- Remember to refill your medications well in advance of your trip and have enough for the whole trip and some extra to cover you in case of travel delays.
- Utilize convenient medication storage options such as,
- Medicine-On-Time Packaging: This allows you to carry fewer “bottles” and helps you stay organized without having to worry about remembering whether you have taken your medication(s) or not with easy tear-off bubbles for each specific date of the month.
- Ensure to carry an up-to date medication list with you at all times, especially when you travel, so that in case medications are lost or if there is an emergency, the list can be referenced.
- Carry what you may need in your personal hand-baggage in case any luggage is lost or misplaced.
- Beware of counterfeit drugs.
Learn about the safety hazards in the area you are traveling to, including any food and water precautions.
- During the travel consult, your pharmacist can discuss and health concerns in your destination of travel and share ways to keep yourself protected, including any informational handouts.
- Also, be mindful of ways to protect yourself against mosquitos. Your pharmacist can recommend the most effective repellents.
