| Up, up and away |
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| Written by Dark Lord |
| Thursday, 13 March 2008 02:30 |
 Travel advice for
HIV-positive tourists. A special MCV
report.The latest edition of the travel guide for HIV-positive tourists, Up Up + Away (published with the support of the Roche pharmecutical group, People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) Victoria, ACON and other groups) was recently launched at A free copy of the publication can be downloaded at www.positivetravel.info – but for an extract of the guide, read on! PREPARING
When you travel overseas, you may be exposed to a range of
illnesses that are uncommon in
HIV TREATMENTS Avoid starting a new treatment combination within a month of your trip, as your doctor may need to monitor and adjust your treatment in case of side-effects or allergic reactions. (And you don’t want these to ruin your trip!) In the past, some positive travellers have chosen to take a treatment break while they travel, but a recent study shows treatment breaks are more harmful than we previously realised. This is an important decision to make in consultation with your doctor. Your doctor, nurse or treatments officer can suggest some tips and tricks to help you stick to your dosage schedule when you’re travelling across time zones and wrestling with your body clock. We know from research that posting meds can result in unexpected treatment breaks, as they do not always arrive as expected. The same risk applies to packing your meds in checked luggage. Discuss this possibility with your doctor, and maybe carry a week of meds in a pill box in case this happens. If you really can’t take them with you, contact a local AIDS agency before you leave and through them, make an appointment with a local physician to score a prescription for 2-3 weeks of the drugs you need. You can expect to pay quite a lot of money, but it may be worth it for peace of mind.
TRAVEL HEALTH Diarrhoea is a common experience for travellers, so you might want to ask your doctor about anti-diarrhoea and anti-nausea medications. Put together a travel health kit. Mosquito repellent is vital as mosquito bites can transmit malaria and other exotic diseases. Electrolyte powder can be a life-saver when you’re dehydrated by a bad case of diarrhoea.
VACCINATIONS Most vaccinations are fine, but it is often recommended that HIV-positive people should avoid ‘live’ vaccines, which contain a live (but weakened) sample of the relevant pathogen. The safety of these vaccines depends on the strength of your immune system, so ask your HIV doctor for advice. Bring all your Vaccination Certificates when you travel, in case you need to show them to customs and immigration officials. The current Cholera, Typhoid and Yellow Fever vaccines are not recommended for people with HIV. Ask your doctor to provide a Vaccine Exemption Certificate for any vaccination you don’t receive.
Yellow Fever is a big deal in central Africa and Whether you are travelling or not, it’s a good idea to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A&B, flu, tetanus and diphtheria. Remember your booster shots! MALARIA It is recommended that you take anti-Malaria tablets when visiting any country where Malaria is prevalent. However, you should check with your HIV doctor or pharmacist whether they will interact with your current treatment regimen. There are drug-resistant strains of Malaria, and co-infection with Malaria can hasten disease progression in people living with HIV. Prevention is best – always wear a tropical-strength mosquito repellent containing DEET and sleep under mosquito netting. Cover up with long-sleeved garments, treated with permethrin. These are all available from any army disposal store.
LIQUIDS New rules have been introduced to protect travellers from the threat of liquid explosives. You may still carry on board any prescription or over-the-counter medicines you require as long as you have proof of need (a letter from your doctor). Each container of liquid, aerosol or gel in your carry-on baggage must be 100ml or less. Any larger containers must be surrendered at the screening point. Remember to pack any duty free items in your checked luggage! All containers must be sealed in a single, transparent, one-litre plastic bag. Any resealable bag of one litre capacity or less will do. For more information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 1300 791 581. The information in Up Up + Away is taken from: http://www.dotars.gov.au/transport/security/aviation/LAG/index.aspx
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 14 March 2008 19:27 ) |
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