Three Tips for Traveling With Your CF Treatment Equipment
When you have cystic fibrosis, traveling requires a little advance planning due to the number of daily medications and procedures required for daily treatment. Here are some tips that might help make your packing a little easier, more efficient, and more complete so you don’t forget anything or have run into problems while traveling with CF.
- Don’t pack at the last minute. I can’t reiterate this enough. Give yourself time. Make a spreadsheet of everything you’ll need. Always bring a few extra days of meds due to flight cancellations; in the event you accidentally drop and lose meds somewhere; or just in case you realize you are staying longer than originally planned.
- Always bring a note from your doctor explaining why you need to have these meds with you at all times. Security teams at airports don’t always recognize medical devices. Bringing along the instructional booklets that come with your device is helpful, as well. Also, politely ask security to put on a new pair of clean gloves when going through your stuff, so they don’t inadvertently pass on unwanted bacteria and germs. This is important.
- Make sure your equipment has been tested before you bring it and do not check your medical bags. The last thing you need is for them to get lost or delayed! If asked to gate check, explain the medical importance of having them with you onboard.
I use four different nebulizers each day. Three of them have hypertonic saline and one has Pulmozyme (dornase alfa). Nebulizers convert medication into a mist, enabling it to be inhaled directly into the lungs. This is a lot more common for cystic fibrosis, asthma and COPD patients.
Pulmozyme is a synthetic protein used for breaking down excess DNA in the pulmonary secretions of people with cystic fibrosis. It helps improve lung function in people with cystic fibrosis by thinning pulmonary secretions and reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections. I have been taking it for several decades. Unfortunately there are side effects like eye irritation and laryngitis, but it’s worth the risk in my opinion.
Hypertonic saline helps thin mucus and I’ve been taking it for about a decade. Side effects include sore throat and throat dryness, but I’ve found it to be very helpful. The drug was discovered because surfers with CF in Australia were having less lung exacerbations.
Perhaps I should have been a surfer although I’m stuck in a landlocked city and my balance is pretty pathetic.
So that’s about it. Have fun and safe travels. Read more about travel with CF here.
Andy