taking meds/travelling

[cynthiaG]

When traveling, for instance to Hawaii, to a different time zone, should I take my meds according to my time zone? I take 2 meds every a.m. and one early evening [/i]

[jmurray]

Hi Cynthia,

Having just got back from Myectomy and talking to lots of docs, I think you would be okay to stick to your "personal" schedule i.e. pills with breakfast, dinner etc. I wasn't use to taking anything after the AM so I asked about this and the docs said the whole idea was to spread certain meds out through the day for continuous release. Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

John

[Pam Alexson]

Hi Cynthia, I think you may notice as many of us do that our hearts are used to the timetable we live with . Sometimes I am late taking my evening meds( yes I forget sometimes) Well the reason I remember is because I do not feel well as the hours pass and my heart is popping , skipping and fluttering all over the place. I think it has it's own mind and starts knocking on the wall and trying to get my attention [ Hello out there is anybody paying attention to my needs in here???]

So I say, probably stay around your regular schedule back here in the east ( within an hour or so anyway).

Have a wonderfull trip!!! How big did you say that suitcase was that you are taking?? I am only a little south from you , ya know.

Pam

[NoCrash]

I don't think I'd get myself up out of bed in Hawaii in the middle of the night to take my AM Eastern meds. I'd probably wait until I get up!

Have fun!

Rob

[cynthiaG]

thanks for your responses, guys! you're funny Pam! hey, it's a pretty big suitcase...sure!

[Sarah]

unless there is more than a 4 hour difference in the time zone or you are taking something that is insanely sensitive like dofetilide, you are safe sticking to breakfast/bedtime, etc.

when I went to South Africa, I was on dofetilide and took my meds on US time.

[NoCrash]

U.S. Eastern to Hawaii is a 6 hour difference, at least during Daylight Savings Time. Hawaii doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time and the difference changes during the winter months when it gets smaller(??).

Current time: http://www.timetemperature.com/tzus/...ime_zone.shtml

Hawaii "gets up early and goes to bed early" so the difference isn't *that bad*, but then again I go there from the Left Coast.

Managing meds during travel is always an interesting issue. West Coast to Europe was always such *fun* (NOT).

Have fun!

Rob

[Laoshur]

Good question. Four times a year I have to figure this out. Two times going to China and two to the US. We are 12 hours different in summer and 13 hours in winter. So I try to use the time on the plane to work my pill schedule over to the other side of the world. Usually what I do is this:
I take my morning beta blocker and calcium channel blocker in the morning before I leave. When I get in the US it will be that same evening but 18+ hours later. So, halfway through the trip I take evening meds (same BB but lower dose Ca channel blocker). When I get to the US I take evening meds again before I go to bed. I also take several other meds, but those I do not worry as much because their absence does not make my heart go knocking as Pam has so well described. I do the same thing on the way back, but it is a little more difficult because the trip is a little longer and I arrive later at night. But overall it works. I would be interested in whether this plan sounds like a good idea to anyone in medicine, but it seems to work for me.

So, for going to Hawaii I would probably try to work in two consecutive doses of whatever is the lower concentration of meds and the go on the Hawaii schedule. I am also not of a mind to get up in the middle of the night to take meds.

Rhoda

[Pam Alexson]

My other suggestion is to try and work your way closer to the Hawaii time zones for a week before you leave , then about 4 -5 days before returning, start working your way back to eastern time.

OR If your heart does not balk with this week before you leave trial then you are probably fine to just switch up to the time change and leave it at that. First, I would ask your doctor if he thinks the change could trigger your a-fib, if he says yes , then set your alarm in Hawaii or ask him what he feels is safe for you .

Pam