Include medications in your travel plans

When making plans for your dream vacation to some far-off, exciting place, it’s easy to overlook your medications and immunizations, but it’s important to plan ahead for these, too.

Depending on where you are going, vaccinations may be required. Phil Martin, R.Ph., a pharmacy supervisor at Salem Hospital, recommends a visit to a healthcare professional six to eight weeks before your departure date. This allows time for vaccines that must be given in a series to be administered. For example, “Hepatitis B is given in two doses four weeks apart,” says Martin.

And then there are the bugs that you can’t get immunized for. “One third of travelers get diarrhea, and that can really slow you down,” says Martin. Plan to take an appropriate prescription antibiotic with you as an insurance policy.

Other safety tips: Bring a complete list of your medications and immunizations with you on the trip, keep your prescription drugs in their original containers, and keep them in your carry-on luggage to avoid theft or loss.

Call the Travel and Immunization Center in Salem Hospital’s Center for Outpatient Medicine at 503-561-5544 for more advice on how to stay well on your next vacation.