Ahhh $#*! I'm Sick: What to Do When You Get Sick Before Traveling

24 hours before leaving for my first trip to South America, I legitimately thought I wasn’t going to make the flight.

To be honest, I wasn’t doing much thinking, since I was a miserable blob of sickness. Headache, fever, that nasty cough that tends to make people take a few steps away from you – the works. As I sat in near-tears on my couch, surrounded by soup and tea and in a Nyquil-fueled daze, I was convinced there was no way my sicko ass was making the flight to frickin SOUTH AMERICA the next day.

This almost didn't happen...

Spoiler alert – by some divine miracle (praise the travel gods) I made my flight AND managed to enjoy my trip. While I certainly hope this article never becomes relevant to you, since I wish you nothing but healthy vacations, it might. So today, I’m sharing how I managed to pull myself together and make my trip as pleasant as possible. Last-minute illness doesn’t have to derail your trip!

PS – it probably goes without saying but, well, I’m not a doctor and you should always check with your doctor before following any sort of medical advice. K that’s the extent of my disclaimer…

Before I dive into some remedies, it seems sensible to give some tips on how to prevent sickness from the get-go.

1. Pop Some Pills And by pills, I mean some Vitamin C/probiotics/daily multivitamin or whatever floats your boat. Do your immune system a favor by sending in reinforcements. Upping your Vitamin C intake is one of my must-dos in the week before a trip and can keep sickness at bay. I usually like to start taking daily Emergen-C the week before a flight.

2. Get Plenty of Sleep Sleep is essential to staying healthy. Since our bodies reset and restore while we’re snoozing, lacking on sleep just sets you back and leaves you more vulnerable to falling ill. Make sure you’re getting your solid eight hours of sleep in the days leading up to your trip. If you’re too excited or anxious (it happens), consider occasional melatonin use, sleepy-time teas, or a warm bath before bed to unwind.

3. Avoid Stress Easier said than done but staying calm and stress-free is so important to feeling your best. I’m 100% certain that I ended up sick before my Colombia trip because I was stressing about a 4-hour professional exam that I (stupidly) took two days before my trip. Avoid big meetings or events that might leave you on edge. Pack early, double check your travel details, and confirm your plans well in advance so you don’t have to stress about last-minute surprises.

Alright, so let’s say despite all your best efforts, you still end up sick. It happens – example A: me in the intro of this post. Here’s what I did to feel human again in order to make my trip!

1. Slow Down When you're sick your body needs rest. Take a step back from your normal routine once you start feeling under the weather. Get plenty of rest, skip that gym session, reconsider last-minute errands, and just sit on the couch already! Trying to keep going at 100% when you’re down for the count is the surest way to prolong whatever sickness if taking hold. Take it easy the first few days of your travels, too.

2. Drink Special Teas I love my coffee almost (almost) as much as I love my husband and pets. But tea holds a special place in my heart whenever I need a last-minute remedy. Brew yourself a steamy mug of a tea blend that’s designed to combat whatever symptoms you’re experiencing. Throat Coat is amazing for coughs and sore throats or reach for some peppermint if you’re feeling queasy. Chamomile can also ease headaches and ginger will fight aches and pains.

3. Scheduled Ibuprofen As much as a prefer holistic approaches, sometimes an OTC medication is the way to go. I used to be a Dayquil/Nyquil junkie until my doctor recommended scheduled ibuprofen. I found it had less side effects (Dayquil makes me queasy and Nyquil makes me feel fuzzy) and worked wonderfully. I just supplemented the 3x/daily doses with a cough suppressant to combat all my symptoms.

4. Diffuse, Diffuse, Diffuse I’m a firm believer in essential oils and even if you aren’t, desperate times call for desperate measures. I love to diffuse oils while I sleep or nap (it’ll also keep the room humid, which can help with sore throats). Lemon and tea tree can help with coughs, lavender is perfect for fevers, and frankincense can ease tummy troubles. You can pack a travel diffuser like THIS (not affiliated) or make a rollerball of your fave essential oil to bring with you, too! PS - check out my post on all things travel + essential oils HERE!

5. Try the Walk-In Sometimes you just need to a see a doctor. Whether it’s for peace of mind, to get some prescription-strength relief, or just to be sure it’s nothing serious, talking to a doctor can be the best route. The walk-in or urgent care is a great way to get seen quickly and some clinics offer online or phone “visits” so you don’t even need to leave home. Mention you're traveling so they can provide relief geared towards those who will be on the move. For example, my doctor prescribed a special cough suppressant that wasn’t sleep-inducing so I wouldn’t feel drowsy while exploring Colombia.

6. Sweat it Out Never underestimate the power of a hot, steamy shower. Crank up the heat and let the steam unstuff your sinuses or loosen your headache. If you’re lucky enough to have a sauna at your gym (or your destination hotel), try making a visit once or twice a day. At the very least, you can fill a sink with the hottest water out of your tap, lean in close to the water, and throw a towel over your head to breathe in the steam – just be careful not to burn your face.

7. Stay Hydrated Vacays usually mean drinking a bit more than usual. Skip the booze, at least until you're feeling back to normal. By drinking plenty of water and tea, you can recover quicker. When you’re dehydrated, your body’s sickness fighters can’t travel as well since they rely on body fluids to move around. Do yourself a favor and drink up…on H2O that is.

8. Prepare for the Flight Airplane rides are dry and uncomfortable even when you aren’t sick. If you’re struggling with nausea, it also means going without an easily accessible bathroom. If you’re going through with your trip while still feeling down, prepare accordingly. Bring tea, medication for symptom relief, and a water bottle (fill up after clearing TSA) to have handy onboard. Tell the flight attendants you’re not doing well to see if they can move your seat closer to a bathroom or provide you with some extra bags if you toss your cookies.

9. Be Considerate Imagine if you sat down for a flight and discovered you were sitting next to someone hacking up a lung. You’d probably roll your eyes and curse them silently. Bring hand sanitizer and use it whenever you cough or sneeze. Power through the looks you’ll get and sport one of those face masks to keep your germs to yourself. Cough into your elbow or ask if you can get the aisle seat for any mandatory mad dashes to the bathroom. If you want to be the best flight neighbor ever, buy them a drink or snack.

Debating if you’re just too sick? I honestly thought I was going to have to cancel my trip to Colombia - that’s how sick I was. While I’m lucky and grateful I bounced back enough to travel, not everyone is. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re thinking of calling it off.

1. Check your Travel Insurance I never travel without my travel insurance. It provides coverage – I get my money back – if I need to change up travel plans or cancel a trip due to illness. It also provides assistance if I get sick abroad since my normal health insurance doesn’t cover international medical treatment. Read up on your travel insurance policy to get a better idea of what sort of coverage you have that you can take advantage of.

2. Try Re-Scheduling Maybe full out cancelling a trip doesn’t need to happen. If you think you’ll be better in a day or two, consider rescheduling your flight. It’s not ideal but at least you’ll still get a chance to enjoy part of your travels. Your travel insurance might even cover the cost of the airfare change fee and any non-refundable hotel nights.

3. Think of your Destination & Itinerary If I was feeling slightly sniffly and was heading off to some beachy resort or cruise, I would power through. If I had a fever and a cough that burned my chest and was about to backpack through the Andes, I might reconsider my trip. If you’re thinking of cancelling a trip, consider the availability of medical care and how action-packed your itinerary is. Low-key trips that are close to a doctor are obviously safer bets than going off the grid in some remote wilderness.

4. Don’t Sweat It If you have to cancel, so be it. Don’t get hung up on it. Yes, it’s sad and defeating but it’s not the end of the world. Your health is infinitely more important than any vacation you could ever take. Plus, with travel insurance, you might not even be out the money (meaning you can just go later on when you feel better). Dwelling on changed travel plans will just bum you out – life happens!

Have you ever gotten sick right before traveling? I wish I could say this trip to South America was the only time it happened to me, but it’s not. I also managed to come down with a nasty cold right before my honeymoon (definitely blaming it on all the wedding planning stress).

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