%> Granville Family Pharmacy
Your Local Pharmacist is

Morris Morcos

1 60 South St
Granville NSW 2142
ph: (02) 9637 5765
fax: (02) 9682 6368

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:: In Brief

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:: Travel
Healthy Lifestyle - Travel
  Healthy Lifestyle
  Travel 
 

Before you Travel:

Health Insurance - Take out travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, including adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

Vaccinations - Make an appointment with your doctor or travel clinic for a basic check-up at least 6-8 weeks before you depart to find out if any vaccinations or health checks are required.

  • All travellers should be up-to-date with tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccinations
  • Young adult travellers should be up-to-date with hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations
  • Travellers 65 years and older should be up-to-date with influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations
  • Other vaccines as advised by your doctor based on your travel details. Vaccines can help prevent diseases, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, meningococcal meningitis, Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever
  • Medications and measures that should be taken to help prevent disease transmitted by contaminated food and water (e.g. traveller's diarrhoea, typhoid) or by insects (e.g. malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis) 

Medical Kit - prepare a kit including:

  • Regular medication*, even those you only use occasionally (carry medication in your hand luggage)
  • First Aid Items - adhesive tape, antiseptic wound cleanser (e.g. iodine solution), bandages, sterile dressings, blister dressings, eye drops, tweezers, safety pins, scissors (not in carry-on flight luggage), simple painkiller (e.g. paracetamol or aspirin or stronger if going to remote areas)
  • Ask your Pharmacist about other first aid requirements, depending on where you are travelling
  • Carry sunscreen, motion sickness tablets & cough mixture 

* If you are planning to carry medicines oversaes you should contact the embassy of the country you are visiting, to ensure any medicines are legal there; carry a letter from your doctor outlining the details of the medicines; leave the medicines in their original packaging so they are clearly labelled with your name and dosage instructions

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, take spares or a copy of your prescription.

Get plenty of sleep and reduce alcohol intake before travelling.

Common Medical Problems when Travelling:

Travel Diarrhoea (or 'Turista' or 'Bali Belly') An infection caused by unclean food or drink that typically causes frequent and watery bowel movements. It is common among travelers and usually begins abruptly while traveling or shortly afterwards.  For tips on treating diarrhoea click here ... 

Malaria - a serious disease caused by a parasite that infects red blood cells.  Anyone can get Malaria if they are bitten by an infected mosquito in a region where Malaria occurs.  Symptoms include fever, chills, sweating and headache.  Even if you are taking Malaria medication you still need to take extra precautions against Malaria, including:

  • Use insect repellent at regular intervals
  • Use mosquio nets (you can buy trave nets impregnated with repellent)
  • Cover arms, legs and ankles with clothing when outdoors, especially after sunset

Jet Lag - the degree of jet lag depends upon the number of time zones crossed and in which direction, east or west.  The body clock can take days or even weeks to get used to the local time of a new destination.  Symptoms include anxiety, feeling disoriented, forgetfullness, poor concentration,poor appette, upset stomach,weakness, irritability, tiredness, disturbed sleep,headache, being alert, sleepy and hungry at the wrong times.  To help:

  • If possible break the trip up
  • Try to plan to arrive around bedtime
  • Set your watch to the local time and eat and sleep at this time
  • Eat light healthy meals and wear loose, comfortable clothing during the flight
  • Try to sleep on longer legs of the flight.  A mild sleeping tablet may help (ask Your Pharmacist) 

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - is the formation of a clot in the deep veins of the leg.  Sitting for long periods of time while travelling my be associated with this condition.  There may be no symptoms, however, leg swelling and redness may occur, or a mild ache in one or both legs, particularly in the calves.  To help avoid this:

  • Exercise calf muscles half hourly
  • Drink plenty of water and juice but avoid alohol and caffeine-containing drinks
  • If you are in a high risk group for DVT, see a doctor before you travel

More information:

Travel Health Information - www.smarttraveller.gov.au

Ask Your Pharmacist about:

  • Vaccination advice
  • Preparing a travel medical kit
  • Mild sleeping tablets for travelling
  • Prescriptions whilst travelling 

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