Hi everyone I am taking a trip to PA this coming week and we are leaving from MA and it will be an 8hr drive with only one stop for lunch. so that is a long time in car. I was wondering if anyone has some tips on how make it through a long car ride without being too stiff or in pain, thanks.
Okay cookedtoes, don't take this wrong but if stop only once, you have severe problems first of all you are not drinking enough water for any of the meds we commonly take. If one of them happens to be MTX you will spend most of your time PA thinking you have a massive hangover, not to mention kidney problems. I could be wrong but to get the required 94 oz of water for an average sized person on DMARD, I couldn't make that trip with only one bathroom stop and SEVERAL depends.
As far as stiff and sore you need to stop once an hour and go through a pretty complete stretch move and wiggle routine. If you let anything stiffen up you face a pretty good bout of enthesitis. (this isn't like anything else we do
Also unless you a pretty active normally, you might consider anti-embolism stockings (the ones from the drug store are fine and knee highs prolly sufficient. Drink EXTRA water. people who aren't very active to begin with and then become LESS active have a higher risk of blood clots and trust me they HURT (if the don't kill you)
If you stretch, exercise, and drink lots of water along the way you will have a wonderful trip and it should be a beautiful drive this time of year. Watch the snack food sodas etc. and if you are not taking a regular NSAID take therm anyway. You might want to take a few predi along if you have them just in case.
I don't take MTX I take plaquenil, Nabumetone and Tramadol. I will try and get some more stops in. I am not the one driving and I am with a group so it will be hard. I drink lots of water everyday so I will just bring some with me. I will try the knee high things too. I was thinking of a pillow to nap but I am not sure if I want to do that. thanks for the advice.
If you're not the one driving, you may be able to get away with stopping less frequently if you can stretch out your legs, arms, etc and change position a bit as you go. I drive from CT to PA once or twice a year. I stop every two hours to stretch and use the restroom, as I drink LOTS of water while I drive! LOL I've found that using Hoteeze (http://www.hotteeze.com/) or similar pads helps a bunch. If I was a passenger, I'd bring a neck pillow so in case I fell asleep I wouldn't kill my neck.
ok thanks for the tips. I will bring up the topic of stopping more frequently.
I find stopping frequently is very important. I need to walk around, stretch, visit the bathroom, etc.
Take NSAID's and maybe a prednisone the day before / day of to help any incipient inflammation. I find Thermacare heat pads to be nice... no one knows I'm using one, and it really keeps me from stiffening up (in the car my SI joints tend to get stiff / sore on long drives).
If you use a topical cream (like icy hot etc) have some in your purse to put on if you need it at a bathroom stop. Also carry extra meds in your purse. I always carry water and a protein bar, so if I need to take pain meds or other meds, I don't have to wait to stop for food.
I go barefoot most of the time, and find that I need to wear shoes I can kick off in the car on long drives, or my feet start to cramp. If I can slip my shoes off I can do ankle circles, toe stretches, etc and that helps with leg fatigue.
You might want to take a pillow, not necessarily for napping, but for wedging against your body to support any part that start to get fatigued by long term sitting. You can tuck a pillow under your arms to relax the shoulders, behind your back or neck to relax that (some car headrests are uncomfortable), under the knees to stretch your hamstrings, etc.
After writing this out it seems ridiculous all the tips I have for SITTING IN A CAR! lol
I understand that you aren’t the one driving, but stopping is really important. If you plan to enjoy yourself once you arrive, your body will need to get out of the car and move. I can’t imagine an eight hour ride with one stop and then functioning once I get where I’m going. It’s too much to put your body through. Not only is it in advisable for PsA-ers, but also for healthy folk. Blood clots are a very real risk for every adult population. There’s my lecture. The end.
Now, make sure you bring plenty to drink and your favorite snacks. I find that my tender tummy can’t tolerate too much junk food, and it tends to make me feel run down as well. Fruit, cheeses, crackers, veggies keep me feeling right. I always take a few instant heat and instant ice packs, my pillow, a travel blanket, and a day’s worth of meds in my backpack to have handy just in case. I bring a few extra pain pills, and some prednisone.
Take it easy and don’t push yourself! Take it slow and travel can be a blast.
OK, I travel all the time for work, planes, trains and automobiles. First you need to take plenty of water. You have to stay hydrated - but if flying you have to purchase once you clear security. I carry an empty water bottle thru and then fill it once I have cleared. Then you must to take some healthy snacks, you need to keep your energy up. I make it a rule that we have to stop every 2 hours so I can get out and walk around, obviously if traveling by car. Or just get up and walk around and the attendants are OK with it as long as I tell them before. Travel is a bitch but not really if you just do what is right for you. Do what is best for you, don't let someone else tell you what to do. I travel about 20 days a month so if you want extra tips I can help you.
I just drove four hours by myself. I stopped once an hour amd walked around the car. Had water and some caffeine on board. Dark chocolate, teds socks(compression socks), good music and it was a great drive. The stretch felt so good! Stop and stretch and drink, drink drink ( water that is).
Thanks for all the advice this really helps. one of meds helps with pain really well but i get sleepy so I will bring my pillow. and I will drink lots of water and I bought some lara bars for the trip so I would have something healthy to snack on.
Yes bring a pillow for sure :). I keep some tiger balm cream with me and keep applying it so I’m pretty slathered up the entire way. I find the cream works really well compared to the ointment. The only thing is the pump lid could leak.
It’s funny I never had a problem staying about on road trips until last year, about when my symptoms kicked it into high gear. Sometimes it’s good but I went on a few bus tours this summer and pretty much missed the whole thing, on top of being in more than a bit of pain.
I hope your trip goes well 