Travel and COPD
Fortunately for all you travel bugs, living with COPD does not mean you can never enjoy traveling again. The key to an enjoyable trip is safety through planning and preparation:
- Travel to a safe and healthy location
- Make sure to have a checkup by your doctor before you leave
- Don't forget your medication
- Get your medical equipment serviced before you leave
- Carry an oxygen prescription with you if on oxygen
- Bring the proper clothing for the climate you are traveling to
- Eat, drink and be merry in moderation
- Get enough sleep
If you are oxygen dependent and planning to travel by plane, certain restrictions will apply with each airline. Most will not let you bring your own oxygen on board, and will therefore require a prescription and/or letter from your doctor prior to departure. Make sure you contact the airline prior to your travel date to find out what is required. Remember too, that altitude may affect your oxygen requirement. Discuss this with your doctor at your pre-travel appointment.
Remember, COPD does not have to be the end of your dreams. By implementing lifestyle changes, you can improve the quality of your life and continue to live, one day at a time, to the fullest extent possible. With proper management, you can slow the progression of the disease and enjoy living with COPD and the life that you have been blessed with.
Sources:
Barnett, Margaret MSc, "Using a Model in the Assessment and Management of COPD" JCN Online Nov 2007 (21)11.
Living With COPD. The Canadian Lung Association. 2008. http://www.lung.ca/diseases-maladies/copd-mpoc/living-vivre/index_e.php.
