RA on the Go

Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) means that I have been forced to make my life adaptable - whether I’m at home or away.

I’ve thought a lot about how my body feels when I sit in the car for too long or when I have to navigate through an airport and a flight. Sleeping in a hotel, at a friend's, or anywhere that isn’t my own bed also opens a potential for discomfort and long-lasting pain.

To be honest, I’ve become very much a homebody over the years since my RA diagnosis.

A pause on traveling

Recently, I took a flight for the first time in a very long time. I’ll be honest here - part of my pause in traveling was the COVID-19 pandemic and the fear of the coronavirus. I take a biologic medication to manage my RA and another autoimmune disease, and this causes me to be immunosuppressed. This combination was not worth the risk of potential travel over the last year and a half.

The other reason is that RA has slowed me down - both in my physical movements and in what is required to make me comfortable in transit and at a destination other than my home.

Thinking about packing to go somewhere, and actually going somewhere, and adjusting to being somewhere, and then having to come home and recover again - it’s a lot. It feels mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting and overwhelming and definitely not always worth it.

But this trip I took - it was important. It was worth the challenges.

Travel prep with RA

So, how do I prepare for traveling? Getting ready to travel is a process for me anyway. It involves making a packing list weeks before the trip.

Pack strategically

Packing must be strategic - I have to have all of the essentials to manage my RA, especially if it flares, until I return home, but my luggage also has to be light enough that I can reasonably lift it or carry it or move it around.

Conserve energy

Next, I have to conserve energy. This means that it’s important to ensure all last-minute errands and needs are done several days before leaving. It also means resting right up until the moment that I have to walk out the door.

What I bring with me when I travel

There are 2 very important things that I can’t leave my house without - a heating pad option and an ice pack option. I say options because you don’t always know if you’ll have access to an outlet, a freezer, or a microwave. Sometimes this means bringing more than 1 choice. Sometimes, this starts to weigh down my bags.

Portable TENS unit and medications

Next, my TENS unit. I've written before about how this is often my first line of therapy when the pain starts to increase. It's small and lightweight enough that I don't ever leave it behind.

I also ensure that I have not only my regular medications but also any as-needed medications to help with inflammation, pain, stiffness, or swelling.

My doctor's contact information

Finally, I ensure that I have contact information for my doctor as well as an idea of how far I'll be from a local hospital just in case things go sideways.

When you prepare to travel, what comes to mind? How do you manage your RA on the go?