Flight Risk?
The love I have for travelling is like no other. Travelling is something that I am fortunate enough to do frequently and it brings me so much joy. I love immersing myself in different cultures and experiencing different ways of living. However as someone living with sickle cell, travelling can be a completely different experience, for me it’s definitely a more stressful one.
I’m writing this on a plane, Nigeria bound to spend the Christmas holiday with my family, and while preparing for this trip I was reminded about the worst crisis that I’ve ever experienced in this my 21 years of living. This crisis was on a plane and I was extremely underprepared for it, so to prevent this unpreparedness for anyone else I’ve listed a few things below that, as an individual with sickle cell, have to be considered while travelling: beforehand, during and while you’re abroad. (btw I’ll talk about my worst crisis in another post).
First Things First
Pack for Every Situation - Tito and packing light are words that just don’t correlate. The way I can pack a suitcase for a weekend is as if I’m travelling for a month…it’s truly a skill. This is because I think of all the things that I might need from A to Z. I pack for absolutely any possible situation I can think of. When I’m packing the “what ifs” have a field day... “What if it rains”, “What if I get ill”, “What if I’m too cold”, “What if I’m too hot?”, “What if my fight gets cancelled?”, “What if I’m stuck there for a few more days?”.
I normally end up packing way more than I actually need but better safe than sorry right?
I normally end up packing way more than I actually need but better safe than sorry right?
Weather - Check the weather before you travel!!!! Do all that you can do so you know what to expect and pack accordingly. You may be going to a country known for its good weather, but the good weather may not be forecasted for the time your there. Just be sure!
Insurance - Being UK born and bred I tend to take the NHS for granted because its all I’ve known. I’m fortunate in the sense that I’ve never had to worry about requiring medical assistance because no matter where I am in the UK, it is always readily available if needed. But when traveling don’t be ignorant to the fact that not all countries offer free healthcare, always get health insurance. I admit, it’s pretty difficult to find insurance companies that provide insurance to people with pre-existing medical conditions but I have listed some companies who do.
Note: these companies do charge more than the standard rate of other insurance companies…its expected as we are more likely to need medical support abroad than others. Its not fair, but its necessary *shrugs*.
Vaccination - Make sure you’re up to date with all your vaccinations. Sickle cell commonly results in a weaker immune system so it makes sense that you do all you can to protect yourself from any potential infection as it can have a greater effect. You can check if you’re up to date with all the necessary vaccinations by contacting your GP.
For this trip to Naij I ensured all my vaccinations are up to date. I’ve also had to get some antimalarials…it’s kinda ironic isn’t it?…Sickle cell developed as a natural defence to resist malaria but its still something that can still do so much damage to me. Those with the sickle cell trait are known to be “immune to malaria”, technically, having the trait only makes it difficult for the malaria parasite to spread throughout the body, which significantly reduces the chance of the host getting infected, the trait however does not result in complete immunity.
Take the necessary precautions!!!
Is it Worth the Risk? - I was reading Jenica Leah’s blog post about travelling with sickle cell (YOLO) and she said “Only travel at 100%”. This is something that I agree with whole heartedly. If you are already feeling weaker or in pain 1/2 days before your flight please reconsider going all together. Already being in a weaker state just makes it more likely for your condition to worsen when you’re in the air. Think to yourself “Is it actually worth the risk?”. Cancelling your holiday may be an L but being in pain is a bigger L in my opinion.
En Route
The environment provided in a plane is not ideal for our bodies. On this flight I’m experiencing 6hours and 45mins of reduced O2 levels, tight spaces and cold temperatures. So to reduce the risk of getting a crisis while on a plane make sure you:
Dress Appropriately - When travelling try and wear clothes that aren’t tight, clothes that are kind of loose so that they do not contribute to restricted blood flow in any way. This is a perfect example of “do you practice what you preach” because this my love for high waisted skinny jeans is like no other. I’m working on it anyway and I’m quickly learning that you can never go wrong with a tracksuit.
Bring Water Bottles - Obviously you can’t take liquids over 100ml on a plane, but there are no rules about taking empty bottles. When on the plane, once I’m comfortably in my seat I ask an air host/hostess to fill up my hot water bottle. This will help you keep warm and it may relieve any pain that may have started. I am also a regular drinker of warm water, so that is something that I always request the hosts to fill up my drinking water bottle with hot water. That way I feel warm both inside and out.
Carry Medicine - No matter where it is I go, I always carry painkillers in my bag, and it’s even more essential that I carry them around with me when I travel as there is an increased risk of me falling ill, and having to wait for my medicine in my bigger luggage to come out of baggage claim just causes inconvenience.
Move - The tight spaces on an aeroplane makes it harder for the heart to pump blood around the body and blood clots are 3 times more likely to be formed. Simply put, a sickle cell crisis is the result of a blood clot, and to reduce the possibility of a crisis while flying you have to be active, stretch your legs, get up from your seat and walk around the plane every hour or so…(also if possible, book an aisle seat so you don’t bother the people sitting next to you).
Tell Staff - Tell at least one member of the flying crew about your health so that they know what to do if you’ll ever need their assistance. Them knowing whats happening and how to react if you have a crisis may avoid unnecessary panic.
Upon Arrival
Repellant - In Naij I’m literally taking no chances with these mosquitos, insect repellant is another thing I’m carrying around with me. The repellent I have (Jungle Formula) is maximum strength and is said to last 10 hours, but really and truly I’m gonna apply a fresh coat every time I leave the house. A actually cannot risk getting bitten… prevention > cure!!!
Stay Hydrated - From all my previous blog posts you should know that staying hydrated is always a given.
Have Fun - De-stress, enjoy your holiday, make memories. Stress is know to be a trigger of a sickle cell crisis so do all you can to avoid it, relax and don’t work yourself up too much.
Back Home
Rest Up - I got back from Nigeria a couple days ago & I realised that travelling actually takes a lot out of me. I didn’t realise how tired I was (& tbh still am) until I got in bed. I’ve been so lethargic and basically bed bound over the last few days…and honestly I don’t feel bad about it at all. After travelling I recommend that you take time out to recover, get used to the timezone & change of climate…jumping straight into a busy routine can have adverse effects for your health.
Stay Healthy, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year in advance!!!
Tito xx
Links as promised:
Comments
I am 69 years and 9 months old, I live in The Bahamas and because we are a group of islands we must fly. I have been flying all my life, but I fly over 30,000 feet altitude and not for more than 2 hours. If you have to, then take 2 or even 3 shorter flights.
In your article you mention several preventative steps, but you left put the most important thing. The most important thing is to inform the airline about your SC health condition so that they can have a portable oxygen bottle. Better still, if you insist on flying at altitudes over 30,000 feet for over 6 hours, then you your own portable oxygen bottle, it could save your life. Stress causes a SC crisis, and travelling is very stressful.
I know of an incident where a young lady in her late 30's flew from Florida to California, a 3 hour plus flight. She got sick in flight, went into a major SC crisis, and had to be rushed to the hospital, and she spent her entire vacation week in hospital. I do not recommend flying on very long flights because you are risking not only having a crisis, but maybe your life.