flying with POTS…

Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel to my hometown for a few days to visit family who I hadn’t seen since Thanksgiving. Because we would rather exchange gifts in person, we celebrate the holidays late every year. One of the gifts from my dad, which he gets for me every year, was a variety box of Keurig cups. It includes cappuccinos, flavored coffees, tea, and cider. It’s one of my faves.

As I prepared for my flight home, I realized airport security probably wouldn’t let me through security with a sealed box, and I didn’t have room in my checked luggage. My sister let me borrow a small reusable bag from some cute trendy place with which I, naturally, am unfamiliar. A word of warning, K-cups apparently look like tiny buckets of pumpkin-flavored plutonium because I was pulled aside, frisked, and made to wait while my friendly TSA agent scrutinized EVERY. SINGLE. CUP. All forty-eight.

So, don’t bring Keurig cups through security. That’s my first piece of chronically ill traveling advice.

Flying with a chronic illness is challenging. The large airports, the lines, changes in cabin pressure, turbulence, extended sitting – it’s all equally awful. But with a few adjustments, flying can be bearable. Here are a few tips for the chronically ill airline traveler:

Use a wheelchair. It’s actually much easier than you might think. While purchasing your airline ticket, if there is an option for a disability ticket, check the box. If not, don’t worry, it’s not necessary. When you arrive at the airport, you typically have two options: checking in outside at the curb, or heading inside to the longer ticketing line. If you use curbside check-in, the line typically isn’t long, but you are expected to tip the ticketing agent. Notify the agent you will need a wheelchair to take you to the gate. The agent won’t ask why. Even if you look young and healthy, they won’t ask. They’re not allowed to. If for some reason the agent does ask, tell them this eccentrically charming lawyer you know said you are not legally obligated to answer that question. You do not have to provide a doctor’s note, or a disability placard, or any other proof of disability. If you say you need a wheelchair, you get one. End of story.

If you will use the ticketing counter inside, instead of checking in at the curb, the procedure is the same, except you are not expected to tip the agent. The issue I often come across inside is that the line to get my boarding pass (where I can ask for a wheelchair) is too long, and I need a wheelchair just to get in the wheelchair line. If this is also true for you, you can have a loved one wait in line for you while you sit somewhere nearby, and you join them at the last minute. If you’re flying alone, like I usually do, just find any airport personnel and tell them you need a wheelchair to take you to the ticketing line, then to the gate. If you will need a wheelchair upon arrival at your destination city, let the ticketing agent know that as well.

I have loved every single wheelchair attendant I have ever had. Each one has engaged in small talk and has been especially accommodating. When your wheelchair attendant takes you through security, they will ask if you can walk through the metal detectors/xray machines. If you are able to, it’s much easier to walk through. You will be allowed to sit in the chair until it’s your turn to walk through, and then you can sit again just a few moments after you pass through.

Once you are through security, let your wheelchair attendant know if you want to stop to use the bathroom or purchase any drinks or magazines. Once you have everything you need, your attendant will take you directly to the gate. If you are able to walk onto the plane on your own, you can find a seat in the waiting area near your gate. If you need a chair to wheel you onto the plane, special accommodations will be made, and you may be asked to change to a smaller chair that can fit down the narrow airplane aisle.

Be sure to tip your wheelchair attendant, as they have provided a personal service. I generally tip $5 (USD) for a standard wheelchair ride, but if the attendant goes out of his/her way (takes me to the store to buy food/drink, gets me a priority boarding pass, makes ‘vroom vroom’ sounds with me, etc), I tip a lot more.

Priority Boarding Pass. Get a priority boarding pass. It gives you extra time to get on the plane, stow your belongings, and get seated. If you’re like me, you might feel overwhelmed when there is a long line of people behind you rushing to get on the plane who are frustrated you aren’t moving faster. And, if you fly Southwest, you’ll probably end up with a better seat, too.

Your wheelchair attendant can get it for you, or if for whatever reason that isn’t an option, you can always ask the airline agent at the gate. Tell him/her that you have a disability and need more time to board. Again, they shouldn’t ask about the disability, and they will say yes. Depending which airline you are flying, you may get a separate “Preboarding” ticket, or you may be told to keep your ticket and come up when they call for preboarding.

Medication. This is a three parter. 1) I’m sure you have heard this a million times before, but pack at least a few days’ worth of medication in your carryon, because we all know airlines care about as much as getting your luggage to the right place on time as they do about making sure you get a delicious meal.

2) Overpack the amount of medication you will need for the entire trip. If your trip is scheduled to last 5 days, bring 10 days’ worth of medication. I have dropped enough pills down the drain or in the toilet or in that mysterious cavern between car seats to know that at some point, you’ll wish you had an extra pill.

3) Pack any possible medication you might need, even if it’s just an occasional or rescue med. You don’t want to find yourself far away from home without your migraine medication, or your pain pills (or some other wonderfully alliterative description for meds).

3.1) I should qualify #3 by saying to pack any possible federally legal medication you might need. Meaning, if the possible medication you might need is cannabis, or peyote, or – I don’t know – meth, leave it at home. Even if you’re flying from Colorado (where marijuana is legal) to California (where marijuana is legal). We will discuss marijuana in more detail at a later date, but as you likely know, it’s still illegal federally. TSA’s job is to ensure your safety, not to enforce U.S. drug laws, so they may overlook your stash. Or they may never find it (don’t hide it in little Keurig cups – they check the shit out of those). It’s probably best to leave it at home and not risk a very unfortunate and expensive legal detour.

Compression socks. My 98 year old grandmother and I occasionally trade tips about compression socks. So, yeah, I get it: they’re not getting you any smokin’ hot dates (unless that’s all you’re wearing). But compression socks can help reduce the likelihood of blood clots, which can result from extended periods of sitting, such as when flying cross country. For those of us with circulation issues, blood clots can be a real concern. If you’re not into “gramma socks”, or if you’re like me and you waste more energy getting them on than they save, my cardiologist recommends compression yoga pants. So, you can avoid blood clots while doing downward dog in your airline seat.

Don’t worry about the embarrassing socks. Just remember, superheroes wear compression socks. So, find a pair of graduated compression hose, put your Wonder Woman undies on over them, and go fly that invisible jet.

Water. The cabin pressure, high altitude and recycled air while flying can lead to dehydration. For those of us with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) that already have low blood volume, dehydration is a bad idea. Once I’m through security, I immediately stop and buy a drink, sometimes two. In fact, I start trying to hydrate a day or two before my flight by drinking more than usual. If you’re concerned about needing to use the bathroom, get an aisle seat, take slow but regular sips of your drink, or ask the flight attendant for a cup of ice so you can suck on some cubes.

And, as you keep your fluids up, don’t forget to keep your electrolytes up, too, with some airline peanuts (AMERICAN AIRLINES SERVES COOKIES!!).

Map it out. I’m a planner, and hence probably the most boring travel partner in the world (in case that wasn’t painfully obvious by my use of the word “hence”). I am always more comfortable traveling if I know exactly where everything is. How far is the hotel from the airport? How far is the nearest pharmacy (that has my prescriptions on record) from the hotel? Where is the nearest Urgent Care/Emergency Room? It’s amazing how Yelp suddenly stops working when you’re in Hawaii on your honeymoon and start experiencing severe arm and leg pain. True story.

Breathe. If you’re anything like me, you have unfortunate hair and hate airplane takeoff. Although you can’t do much about the hair, other than invest in anti-frizz products, fortunately, there are plenty of good short meditations for flying, like this one. When we’re stressed, we tend to hold our breath, or shorten our exhale, which can make us feel panicked. Try to take deep, long breaths.

Traveling with a chronic illness can be tough. Try to remember that, sometimes, the destination is worth the journey.

And don’t forget the most important tip of all:

Have Fun.

I’m totally kidding. It’s underwear. Pack underwear.

“…she became the journey,
and like all journeys,
she did not end, she just
simply changed directions
and kept going.”

– R.M. Drake

Smell ya later.
– Linds