Travel Preparations

Summer is fast approaching, and we often get questions about travel abroad.

The idea here is to have a great time, but also be able to avoid or deal with health-related problems that may arise.

First, don't forget the basics.

• Bring things you already use such as spare glasses or contact lenses, sunglasses and prescription medicines you normally take. I suggest you bring controlled substances such as sedatives and pain-killers in the original pharmacy-issued containers. You might also want to make sure that such medicines are legal to possess on entering the countries in which you will be traveling.
• Bring normal first aid supplies such as lip balm, insect repellent, eye drops, band-aids, athlete's foot cream, Neosporin, and Tylenol or Advil.
• Pack for the kind of activities you will be doing. Rick Steves has a lot of great advice on this!

Feel free to see us if you have further questions or concerns. Also, we can help you with specific medical needs such as:

• Hepatitis shots
• prescription medicines to prevent malaria
  
• Tetanus shots
• prescription medicines in case of travelers' diarrhea
• prescription medicines for "jet lag"
• prescription medicines for flying-related panic attacks

Travel Med is a good resource for those unusual immunizations that doctor offices and public health departments do not carry, such as yellow fever vaccine. They have a Sacramento location at:
4250 H Street, Suite 4
Sacramento, CA 95819
916/254-2100

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have a lot of information for travelers, including specific concerns about your destination.

Also, don't forget to check the U.S. Department of State for information on travel such as passport requirements and crisis situations in your destination.

Bon Voyage!