It is wonderful to plan a trip away, especially when you're on dialysis.  A break from the routine can be a fantastic tonic, invigorating you when you need a boost.

Travelling around the world on dialysis is relatively simple, so long as you invest some time to do some careful preparation and planning in advance.  Here are some pointers:

Start early - the more time you can allow for planning your journey the smoother and easier things are likely to be. Early planning is more likely to enable you to reserve dialysis near to your destination,

Involve your renal team in your preparation - ask your social workers, administration team and nurses for their input and advice. They can guide you on how to maintain your treatments while travelling, what to take and how to schedule in-center appointments. 

Call your insurance company to find out what expenses are covered. Some private insurance groups don't cover you for travel outside their coverage area. Ensure you do this before you leave on your trip.

Plan your meals before you leave. Which foods should you take, how should you pack them?  It is essential that you maintain your kidney  diet, you don't want being ill to cut your holiday short.

Remember to think about booking special aircraft meals too - many have low sodium, vegetarian, low salt and other options. Take special diet options with you too - just in case you get delayed.

Have a list of other centres offering dialysis at your destination as a back up should you experience problems.

Take the www.globaldialysis.com website details with you.  The site is available on the internet all around the world and can be accessed at any time, 24 hours a day.  This is a vital source of information.

In centre haemo - book as well inadvance as you can - this will give you as much choice over shift times. Dialysis centres have to cater for their own users, so transient patients often have to fit around them unless this is a special transient clinic you are visiting.

Home dialysis - your choices are getting better and better as the equipment and supplies become more portable and more readily available. We can help you schedule support from centres whilst travelling.

Peritoneal dialysis - pd users have more flexibility than in centre haemo as you are not tied to their schedule - however you will need supplies and a port of call in case you need support or run into difficulties. We can help you in ensuring your equipment is delivered to your destination and arrange support to be their at centres in case you need it.

Have you lots of equipment - e.g.  wheelchair, scooter or home haemo machine?  Make sure that you get maximum assistance at the airport and plan ahead with your ailine - and indeed your destination.

Do you have useful planning tips to add to this list? If so please do send us an email and let us know so that we can pass it on.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it