For individuals suffering from kidney issues, travel is still very possible, and it can be a huge morale booster.  In fact, many doctors encourage travel for dialysis patients, as long as their health is stable.

For many people with kidney issues, traveling can appear to be an insurmountable task and more of a pipe dream than a reality.  But, it is possible to travel and have fun while getting dialysis treatments.  Most patients who receive the treatments can travel safely and continue their treatments while away from home, but it is first necessary that each patient consult with his or her physician before taking a trip.

It is important to begin to make preparations well in advance of your departure date if you are on dialysis.  In fact, you should start planning at least six to eight weeks in advance, according to the National Kidney Foundation.  This planning includes finding a dialysis center in the location you are be traveling to as well as making arrangements for appointments while you are there.  This can be difficult during high traffic periods in certain areas or if you require a specific day or time for your treatments.  Work with your primary doctor to help you navigate these hurdles.

Your temporary dialysis location will need some information from you, and this information likely includes:

• the dates you need dialysis treatment
• medical history
• recent lab results
• recent EKG
• recent x-ray
• dialysis prescription with 3-5 recent treatment records
• dialysis access type
• insurance information
• a list of medications you take during treatment and at home

This information should be sent to the center for review before you arrive.  It is important for the center to know as much about you and your situation as possible before your arrival to ensure the highest quality of care.

If you have kidney issues, be careful while you are traveling, and don’t go overboard!  Enjoy your trip, but try not to overexert yourself.  Be sure to watch what you eat and drink, and make sure that you have received any recommended vaccinations for your destination.  Vacations are a time to relax, so try to do so!

Finally, just in case, make plans for backup medical care.  If you are working with a dialysis center, a doctor may be assigned to you with whom you should stay in contact overseas.

For more information on dialysis and travel, see the National Kidney Foundation’s page on the subject.

For more information on which vaccinations or other travel health needs you may have, visit Passport Health’s Travel Medicine portal.

Have you traveled with dialysis?  Where have you gone and what has your experience been?  Comment below, on our Facebook page or via Twitter with your thoughts.

Since childhood, we have been immunized against a range of diseases to keep our bodies healthy and well.  However, it can be challenging to keep record of all of these vaccines throughout the years, especially as we move and change healthcare providers. No one wants to get an extra shot or pay for an immunization that is not necessary, and this is precisely where antibody titer testing comes in. A titer test is a measure of antibodies in the blood, providing a check of disease immunity. The results of a titer test then allow a clinician to determine whether a vaccination is required.

A titer test involves a simple blood draw. The sample is analyzed, and results are returned within 24 to 72 hours. All Passport Health clinics offer a full range of laboratory test services, including all antibody titer testing.

Perhaps you can’t remember for certain whether you had a case of a given disease in the past, have misplaced your immunization records over the years, or can’t get in touch with your Primary Care Provider to get your medical records.  A titer test, however, will give your clinician a measure of your immunity and solve these memory and record keeping problems. Therefore, titer testing and vaccinations go hand in hand.

Titer Testing: Cost Savings
Passport Health makes every effort to not re-vaccinate if vaccination is not, in fact, necessary by offering titer testing at all locations and to all patients. As a result, our experienced clinicians are able to save individual patients a significant amount of money by first checking immunity to Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Varicella, Rabies, and MMR, for example.

Moreover, a titer test is virtually no risk – it merely involves a simple blood draw with results available almost immediately.

Titer testing is similarly beneficial for Passport Health’s corporate clients. Cost savings are evident when comparing the cost of a titer test to the cost of vaccination. Titer testing is a crucial component of any vaccine credentialing program; call Passport Health today to learn how to integrate this service into your company’s wellness program!

Source:
https://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/antibody-titer/overview.html

Jet lag is one of the most frequent complaints of travelers.

People anxiously await the holiday in another country, and upon their arrival, feel exhausted. The plans that they made previously made sometimes have to change, at least temporarily.

Jet lag happens when people travel east to west, or vice versa, and span a few time zones. This shift in time throws their system off and out of sync. Some symptoms of jet lag are headaches, insomnia, irritability and imbalance problems because of the changes in the inner ear. So, how does a person beat these symptoms so they can enjoy their vacation?

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Scientists in British Columbia, Canada, have found the path of a 2010 measles outbreak linked to the Vancouver Olympics, but their research has also given us a look into the importance of vaccination.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, followed the spread of the measles virus almost immediately after the 2010 Olympics. Through genome sequencing, the researchers were able to track the virus’s spread and identify where it likely originated from.

Of the two strains, one spread throughout a general area while the other took a slightly different route and could be seen following a single highway, slowly spreading north.

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Heroes are cool, but it’s really easy to rally around a good villain.

The Lex Luthors. The Hans Grubers. The Lord Voldemorts.

It’s much harder to pinpoint the bad guy when it comes to disease.

While germs and bacteria make up the illness, they don’t provide a visible target to resent.

No, the blame and contempt for an epidemic often falls on “patient zero”.

This is how we get legends like Typhoid Mary. Vilified for carrying the deadly disease throughout New York, even though she had no idea what her actions could create.

[Read more…]