If you travel a lot or simply want to take a vacation, dialysis can make time away from home more difficult.
After all, accommodating three treatments a week, at about four hours each, can be challenging to your daily life.
But with careful planning and coordination, you can have the vacation of a lifetime while maintaining your health.
Planning a Trip when You’re on Dialysis
Dialysis is an ongoing, time-consuming treatment for people with end-stage kidney disease. It filters the blood when the kidneys can’t, preventing a buildup of waste in the body.
In other words, you can’t take a break from dialysis, even on vacation. You should begin preparing about six to eight weeks before your trip, beginning with talking to your doctor.
Step 1: Make sure you’re healthy enough to travel
Before you book a flight or put down a deposit on a dream vacation, check with your doctor. They’ll work with you to determine if you’re healthy and stable enough to travel.
Once your doctor clears you, you can move on to choosing your destination.
Step 2: Find a dialysis center away from home
Once you decide where you’re traveling to, you’ll need to find a dialysis center there that accepts transient patients. This is someone who receives dialysis treatment away from home for a temporary period of time.
Your center’s social worker or a patient travel coordinator can help you find a center to treat you. Then contact that center to make sure they can see you on the dates you’ll need treatment.
If you’re taking a cruise, some ships have kidney doctors on staff who can provide dialysis treatments.
Step 3: Compile necessary information
Most dialysis centers need certain information before treating new people. Besides the basics, like your name and insurance information, make sure you have the following:
- Dates you need treatment.
- Dialysis access type.
- Dialysis prescription and three to five treatment records.
- General health information.
- List of medications.
- Medical history, including most recent physical exam report.
- Recent lab results, EKG, and chest x-ray.
- Special needs or dialysis requirements.
- Where you’re staying in the area.
Traveling Abroad on Dialysis
If you’re planning to take a trip outside of the United States, you also need to:
- Confirm insurance coverage — Make sure your health insurance will cover your care in the country you’re traveling to. If not, purchase travel insurance and check the benefits closely.
- Take extra medications — Pack paper prescriptions, too, in case you need a refill while you’re away.
Can You Travel While on Peritoneal Dialysis?
As long as you have a clean, dry space, peritoneal dialysis when you’re traveling isn’t an issue. But reach out to the company that provides your supplies. They may be able to ship supplies to your destination so you’re ready to continue dialysis when you arrive.
Also, just in case you need help while you’re away, research dialysis centers near where you’re staying.
Staying Healthy on Vacation
After all of your planning, you may want to squeeze in every opportunity. But don’t overdo it and strain your body. Still, maintain your exercise routine away from home, if you can, such as at a hotel pool or a gym.
Sticking to kidney-healthy eating while you’re traveling is tough, especially if you go somewhere with unique food and dining experiences. But these foods could potentially be dangerous for someone on dialysis. If you’re eating out:
- Before you order, make sure you’re aware of the potassium and salt content.
- Review menus online beforehand so you know where the best places are for you to eat.
Keeping an eye on your activity level and diet will help you stay healthy while away from home.
Can You Travel if You’re on the Active Kidney Transplant Waiting List?
You can travel as an active candidate on a kidney transplant waiting list. But how far away you go will determine if you can remain active on the waiting list while you’re on vacation.
To ensure you can stay active on the list, find out the maximum distance you can travel. Make sure your transplant coordinator knows you’re on vacation and can contact you if a kidney becomes available for you.