Emergency Medical Travel Kit

I have been busy working on our vacation packing lists of what we’ll need to take to Honduras when we go later this year.  I always like to start planning early.  Doesn’t everyone else do that?

The first and most important for us is the emergency medical travel kit.  On previous trips we just threw everything we thought we might need in at the last minute.  This time, there will be an actual travel bag!  In addition to the basic medical travel kit, there will be a lot of other additions.

Let’s face it, stuff happens while on vacation.  You didn’t mean to trip up a step at the city museum or get a splinter in your leg from sitting on the dock at the beach, but it happens.  Instead of worrying how to take care of any minor accidents that happen on your trip, take time before you go to make up a medical travel kit.  You don’t have to be a boy scout to be prepared; it just makes good sense for anyone who travels.

It will depend on where your travels take you as to what to put in your kit, but there are some things that are necessary wherever you go.  And while it’s true your destination may be in the US where you might be able to purchase what you need when you need it, why risk it or interrupt your fun because you need to locate a store?

Here are  some must haves for any trip:

• Bandaids (various sizes)
• Antiseptic towelettes
• Benadryl
• Antacid tablets (can you say TUMS?)
• Sunscreen & Aloe
• Anything else important to your particular health issues

You don’t need a lot of each, just enough to help for the duration of your trip.  Remember to restock after you get home so it’s ready for your next vacation.

If you’re traveling abroad, you medical travel kit will be more extensive as you don’t know the availability of various products, plus you want to be certain of what you’re taking.

Here are the additional items to pack for overseas travel:

1. Your prescription medication, enough to cover the entire trip.  You can ask your doctor about substitutions should you run out or lose your meds.
2. Medication you might possibly need for motion sickness or altitude sickness.  There will be a lot of boat riding in Honduras so this is a necessity for Kev and quite possibly myself if we find ourselves on any small sail boats.
3. Allergy medication if you have allergic reactions.  This can be an antihistamine, a prescription medication, an epi-kit, and a topical such as Calamine lotion.  Keep in mind you may be eating food you’ve never tried, and allergy information is not always readily available.
4. You may encounter digestive issues with all the new foods you try on your trip so medicine to help with stomach issues should be packed in your kit.  Antacids, anti-diarrheals, and laxatives come in convenient tablet form and can help immensely.
5. As mentioned previously, sunblock is important.  Don’t underestimate the strength of the sun and protect your skin from harmful UV rays.  We all know the lobsters we can turn out to be!
6. If insects are an issue, be sure to pack a reliable insect repellent.  This is the biggest one for me personally as I always end up with BAD sand flea/noseeum bites.  They are no fun so I always try to prepare with spray repellent, if not a variety of it.  And I recently found another great tip for combatting sand fleas from Phil at VacayBuddy. You can bet I’ll be buying Cactus Juice.

No matter where your travels take you, bring your well-stocked medical travel kit along.  That way you can fix any minor medical issues and continue on with your fabulous vacation.

What would you add to your medical travel kit?