How come?

[TNGW1500SE]

How come I always come down with some nasty bug at the beginning of every trip and spend at least two days in the bed watchin' Gunsmoke reruns? I hate being sick but it's just stinkin' worse at the RV park. You know if your coughing, everyone can hear you and wonders when you're goina' die and shut up. I feel like I almost need to plan in those first 2 days as sick days, park at the far corner of a Walmart, do my time and "let her rip".

Do you think the altitude change and traveling just flips the switch on or is it a Poltergeist? Sick in the RV just plain sucks and my Doc can't call in anything when I'm out of state. That made me have to ride a 250 mile round trip on the motorcycle back to my Doc for a "Z" pack, with a fever, stopped up nose along for the trip. Is was either that or pack up everything and drive the class A.

The "out of network" local walk in joint wanted 500 bucks and that would be a coin toss on my results. The last time I went to one of those places, I had a sore throat. All the Doc kept talking about was at my age, I should get a colonoscopy. Seemed like the long way to go for a sore throat to me but I haven't been to medical school!

We're bringing water from home so that ain't it. Anyway,,, Do you find that you get sick more when on a trip or is this just my curse alone?

[Naio]

TNGW1500SE wrote:


Seems to come on a little before we get started so I'd cross off the RV as the cause. maybe all the packing and work related to blast off time.

I second the allergies theory. Packing stirs up a lot of dust and other allergens. Allergies can give you a fever, cough, etc.

An easy way to test this is to try something like Claritin that is specific to allergies and doesn't affect cold symptoms.

[Tvov]

"vacation stomach"... which happens when I switch from my normal diet to all the sugary, carb heavy foods at tourist destinations. Took me decades, but I've learned to try my best to restrict the tourist foods. Still get vacation stomach many times, but usually not nearly as bad.

Allergies... the change in environment many times will kick off an allergy attack. Which, of course, lasts about 4-6 days - just the length of most vacations / camping trips. Sometimes I'll start taking Zrytec / Claritin type meds before a vacation to help with allergies.

Wife and I just got back from an Alaska cruise - we both were stuffed up the entire trip, but were able to control it and have fun anyways.

So, YES, "vacation sickness", however you want to classify it, is a real thing for me!

[Crowe]

YOU are making yorself sick.

X2. I have friends who travel extensively. Right now they are in Australia. The wife gets sick every vacation. EVERY vacation. She has talked to her doctor and he said it's not uncommon for this to happen. Part of it is stress, which lowers your immune system. Part of it is psychological-the constant thought of "I hope I don't get sick". Easier to say than do but just go with the flow and relax.

[EgorKC]

Johno02 wrote:
Daily vitamins, and Honey on you oatmeal. I keep a Flonase spray in the MH for allergies because the pollens are always different from where we were before.

Agree with this with 2 changes. Add a Zinc supplement daily at least 1 week before travel and continue while traveling. Make sure the Honey is Raw honey. It has natural antibiotic properties.
Greg

[steelhunter]

Maybe it's as simple as you're not drinking a premium beer.

Stop buying from the sale rack and step up to the the better brands.

[RobWNY]

TNGW1500SE wrote:

RobWNY wrote:
Are you a smoker? ...

Been off them for about 6 months now. The last chest cold made me ditch them. I was really tired of the 50 bucks a week habit too.

I hear you! It's been 2.5 years for me. Keep it going! You'll notice your health returning more and more.

[Cloud_Dancer]

I make myself healthy, except for my old injuries. I have shrunk to 5 ft plus 8 inches, and never been overweight, and I avoid people. I'm 4 months from 80,....and not as good once as when I was younger. It's not easy being healthy and old, and not be able to do all the fun stuff you did before. My wife helps me stay younger than I am. I'm grateful.

[Old-Biscuit]

Mental.........

You said it yourself
"..... more like dreading the drive?? I'm never really get all excited about the trip. We generally go to the same place. Same route. I don't enjoy the drive."


YOU are making yorself sick.

[Johno02]

Daily vitamins, and Honey on you oatmeal. I keep a Flonase spray in the MH for allergies because the pollens are always different from where we were before.

[Trekkar]

Perhaps the concentrated stress of the preparation and travel are lowering your resistance. You might try preparing the coach a day early, relaxing for a day, and then doing the travel. Hope you find an answer soon; it's not pleasant to be sick on the road.

[TNGW1500SE]

RobWNY wrote:
Are you a smoker? ...

Been off them for about 6 months now. The last chest cold made me ditch them. I was really tired of the 50 bucks a week habit too.

[RobWNY]

Are you a smoker? When I smoked, I would catch every cold, upper respiratory virus and sinus infection that was out there. I swear if I saw someone on television that was sick, I would catch it! I was sick during every camping trip, every holiday and whenever I had something planned that was important to me. Now as a former smoker, I'm amazed at how I rarely get sick anymore and when I do, it's much milder and I get better so much faster. I'm not one of those former smokers that preach about quitting but your post reminded me that I used to be just like you.

[Optimistic_Para]

TNGW1500SE wrote:
... and my Doc can't call in anything when I'm out of state.

???

If you use a chain drugstore like CVS, Rite Aid, or Walmart, your Doc can call the prescription in to your local pharmacy and you can pick it up at the nearest branch when you are traveling.

(Unfortunately, I don't think this works if you are in Canada)

[Scottiemom]

Since this has happened multiple times, I'm guessing your doctor knows about it. First, he CAN prescribe and call something in for you even if you are out of state. Just no controlled substances. Our doctor in Indiana called in acyclivir for my husband's shingles on Christmas Day one year. That was a lifesaver. He asked me how I knew it was shingles I told him because my mom said it was and she had doctored my dad through his. I offered to send him a pix via email, but he decided mom's diagnosis was good enough.

Also, ask if you can have a prescription to take with you.

Some insurance company have a "call a doc" system where you can facetime a doctor and he will call something in. My son's insurance company will do this. He travels a lot and that would be useful.

When we winter in the Rio Grande Valley, we pop over to Mexico and buy z-pacs to keep on hand.

Hope your next trip is better. I would check with your doctor.

Dale