A family doctor shares six medications she considers 'essential' for travel. Photo / 123rf
A family doctor shares six medications she considers 'essential' for travel. Photo / 123rf
Being sick is never fun but it’s often extra challenging during travel when you’re in a foreign environment, far from your regular doctor, home medicine cabinet, or familiar comforts.
While there are several things you can do to avoid the risk of catching common sicknesses abroad, a good traveller is prepared, according to Dr Sasha Haddad.
The Los Angeles-based family doctor shared a video listing ‘essential’ medical supplies every traveller should pack.
In the video, which has been viewed more than 23,000 times on TikTok and Instagram, Haddad films the six items she would recommend travellers take to deal with common ailments such as an upset stomach or scrape.
The first item Haddad packs is Pepto-Bismol, a form of Bismuth subsalicylate used to treat acid reflux, indigestion, heartburn, nausea, and diarrhoea.
“For the upset stomach you might get after trying that new restaurant,” she explains while showing a pack of chewable tablets. While Kiwis may find it tricky to find Pepto-Bismol in New Zealand, Gaviscon is effective for treating reflux and heartburn, while Immodium can treat nausea and diarrhoea.
Few places are worse to experience nausea and vomiting than on a plane or in an airport, so the second medication Haddad films while sitting on a plane is Zofran, a prescription medication for those gnarly symptoms. In New Zealand, the equivalent is Ondansetron.
The third recommended medication is an over-the-counter allergy tablet.
“Yes, Italy is green and beautiful. Tell that to your sinuses!” she writes over a clip showing a packet of Loratadine, which is available in New Zealand and treats symptoms of seasonal allergies such as sneezing and itchy eyes to congestion and fatigue.
Seasonal allergies can come with gnarly symptoms such as itchy eyes and fatigue. Photo / 123rf
It may seem unnecessary to take a first aid kit on a relaxing Greece getaway but Haddad makes the point that one can hurt themselves anywhere, and it’s best to be prepared.
“Wait until you scrape your leg trying to jump into the water in Greece,” she wrote in a caption while showing viewers a small 30-piece aid kit which included antibacterial fabric and waterproof bandages.
The fifth recommendation is Advil, a brand name for ibuprofen. Haddad reasons that, if an Aperol spritz doesn’t give you a headache on holiday, something else could, so it’s worth having them on hand.
Travellers who want to minimise the number of liquids they take on flights could also purchase mosquito repellant wipes instead, one person suggested in the comments section, saying they had bought some on Amazon.
Another person asked why Ciprofloxacin and azithromycin were not on the list; antibiotics that can treat bacterial infections such as UTIs, pneumonia, diarrhoea and other intestinal infections. Haddad replied “part 2″, implying these were medications she would cover in another video.
What about travellers who fall ill overseas but still feel ‘off’ months later? The Herald spoke to a medical expert about why some travellers don’t “feel right” months after experiencing Bali Belly or other gastrointestinal illnesses abroad.
