The right medical insurance for those suffering from Epilepsy

If you have epilepsy and are planning your holiday, getting travel insurance for epilepsy is going to be an important part of your preparations. At AllClear we make it simple to find the right epilepsy travel insurance for you!

We’re specialists in providing travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions. This means we can offer you specialist medical travel insurance for epilepsy. It can be helpful to have specialist cover for your condition to ensure you have cover for any possibility.

Our epilepsy travel insurance provides cover for*:

• Use of a 24 hour medical emergency helpline. This allows you to access assistance in the event of a medical emergency.
• Any unplanned medical treatment.
• Medication if yours need replacing.

*Different provider’s policies vary so check your policy wording.

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If you are travelling with epilepsy, you’ll probably know the appropriate precautions to take in your everyday life. However, you may also find your condition tricky to manage when you just want to focus on enjoying yourself on holiday.

That’s why Big Tick has put together these handy tips on travelling with epilepsy.

Make a plan

• Make sure that you plan your trip well in advance. This will help ensure that you can do everything you want to, and will help you avoid any potential triggers.

Epilepsy travel insurance

• If you need medical treatment for your epilepsy while you’re away, it can be very expensive. Specialist epilepsy travel insurance should cover you for these eventualities. Just make sure you declare your epilepsy as a pre-existing medical condition when getting your travel insurance.

Don’t travel alone

• If you have frequent seizures or experience loss of consciousness, confusion, or changes in behaviour during or after a seizure, you should probably have a companion with you. Your companion should know what to do in case of a seizure and should be able to explain to others around you what is happening, especially if you are flying.

Be prepared when flying

• Some people with epilepsy have concerns about flying. It might be helpful to carry a doctor’s letter, giving the flight crew a few guidelines in case of a seizure during the trip. Leave yourself plenty of time for all your travelling to minimise stress on the journey. Some airlines also have additional guidelines concerning people with epilepsy. An example might be for you to sit in an aisle seat in case you have a seizure. Further details may be available from your travel agent, or directly from the airline concerned.

• Travelling long haul can be exhausting even for those without medical conditions. With this in mind, consider how much you want to take on and avoid overexerting yourself.

Keep up with medications

• You could discuss your epilepsy medication routine with your doctor before you depart. This can help you plan out a medication schedule and decide how much to pack. Try to carry at least a day’s supply with you at all times. Make sure you have additional supplies of your epilepsy medication in case any is lost, damaged or you are delayed. Store and carry medications in properly labelled bottles to avoid any unnecessary issues with airport security.

• Pay attention to time zone changes, and carefully plan so that you don’t miss a dose. Your doctor will be able to tell you the new times to take your medication if you’re changing times zones. Be sure to bring not only your daily epilepsy medication, but also any that your doctor has prescribed to be used in the event of “breakthrough” seizures.

Take precautions if you have a VNS

• A vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) device is a small battery or generator that is implanted in the chest wall and sends pulses of electrical energy to the brain to prevent seizures. As airport security has recently become stricter, they are likely to question this piece of equipment. To avoid any unnecessary delays, carry your VNS registration card with you and have your doctor include an explanation of the device in their letter.

Wear a medical alert bracelet

• If you have epilepsy, wearing a medical ID bracelet could be important, especially when you are travelling. If medical personnel are alerted to your condition by a medical ID they may be able to treat you more quickly in the event of an emergency. When you are away from your doctor, family, and friends who understand your condition, a medical ID could be essential. Also, write out a list of your epilepsy medication. In addition to the names of your medicines, be sure to include the dosages and how often you take them. Put this list in an obvious place for emergency workers to find.

Do your best to maintain your routine as you do at home

• Changing your sleep/wake cycle or taking your epilepsy medication at a different time can increase your risk of having a seizure, even if you’ve been seizure-free for quite some time. Try to maintain your regular sleep patterns as sleep disruption can prompt epilepsy seizures for some people. It could be that you have no choice but to change your routine while on holiday. If this is the case ask your doctor about ways to lessen the chances of a seizure.

• Also, when you are out and about, take extra medication in your day bag. This may also allow you to be more flexible with your plans as the day unfolds. Listen to your body! If you need to rest don’t be afraid of telling your travel companions that you need to head back to the room. If they understand your epilepsy this won’t be an issue.

Drink plenty of fluids

• The effects of dehydration can trigger a seizure so be sure to drink water before, during and after your flight. If you’re travelling to somewhere hot, keep bottled water on you at all times and sip throughout the day.

Use the same precautions that you would at home

• If you don’t swim alone at home, then don’t do it on holiday. If you don’t drink alcohol at home, don’t do it on holiday. In general, be on the lookout for potential hazards (moving vehicles, sharp corners, unprotected drop-offs) and take precautions just as you would at home.

• Enjoy your holiday and take it as an opportunity to relax and unwind away from daily life.

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