What To Do If You Get Sick On Vacation

This What To Do If You Get Sick On Vacation post is sponsored by Amwell.

Let me tell you a story.

I’m a good blogger, and I’m a good daughter. Let me start with that.

So, over the summer, we (my mom, my aunt, my cousin, and my cousin’s two young kids) went to Florida. One of the things on our agenda was that my mom — also a blogger — needed a photo of her with her RV to post on her blog.

My mom and I drove out to where it’s parked when my parents aren’t driving cross country in it, and I set her up to sit on the stairs. Then, I crouched down to frame the perfect shot of her, the RV, and her personalized shirt in.

And then, suddenly, I felt it. An ant bite.

Now, usually, ants don’t bother me. But for whatever reason, these ones hurt so bad. My feet were instantly attacked and just as quickly started itching in a way I had never felt before.

I got the shot because, as I mentioned I’m a good blogger and good daughter. And then, because I’m a glutton for punishment, my feet got bit up more while I painted the back of my parents’ RV with my mom’s blog address.

The rest of our trip was spent with me trying to find remedies. First I tried a first aid cream, then I was borrowing my cousin’s kids’ liquid allergy medication, and finally my great-aunt heard of my reaction and gave me an anti-itch cream that did the trick.

I wish I had thought of Amwell then.

What To Do If You Get Sick On Vacation

The trouble with getting sick on vacation is that you’re not at home. So you can’t just run into your primary care physician’s office and see your usual doctor. And, unless you’re on really great terms with your doctor’s office, you usually can’t just call and have an appointment over the phone.

So, here’s what you can do instead.

Check Your Travel First Aid Kit
We blogged a while ago about what to put in your travel first aid kit and we mentioned that you should always take it with you on vacation. If you did actually bring one with you, it might solve your problems. You should have remedies for minor things, like aspirin for headaches or Dramamine for motion sickness, with you. So hopefully you can easily solve your sickness that way.

Go To The Store For Fluids And Medicine
If you drove to your destination, or rented a car when you got there, you have access to grocery and drugstores. That’s great. You can drive to the store and pick up fluids, Vitamin C, over-the-counter medicine, anything you think might help.

Take It Easy
While you’re at the grocery store, you might want to swing by the magazine aisle. Grab a couple of those or maybe a new book. When you get back to your hotel room, campsite, wherever you’re staying, take a day off to relax. If you’re staying somewhere with a pool, stay out there. I wouldn’t say go swimming when you’re sick, but sitting out in the warm sun getting some Vitamin D can help.

Sleep
If you’re able to get a good night’s rest, it will do wonders to help you fight off whatever sickness you have. It’ll recharge your battery, so to speak, and you’ll be back to your regular schedule in no time. If you’re able to rearrange your itinerary so you have an early night in instead of staying out all night, you may be able to get better quicker.

Use Amwell
Amwell is a web-based doctor’s office, basically. You sign on (online or via the app) and you can see the providers who are online. You can also see what type of doctor they are and choose one based on your services needed. Choose a provider and you can start your visit, virtually, immediately.

Amwell’s physicians are US educated, board certified, and are certified specifically in telehealth. The site is actually accredited by the American Telemedicine Association. Each urgent care visit is just $69, although right now, you can use the Amwell coupon code AMWELL50 to get 50% off an urgent care visit. They’re available 24/7, from the comfort of your phone, so you can easily access it while you’re traveling. Amwell does accept certain insurance brands, so you can either pay that way or out of pocket.

Bug bites is one of the commonly treated conditions listed on Amwell’s website, so I really wish I would have remembered about the service instead of trying a cocktail of remedies for my ant bites. Plus, if a prescription would have worked best for me, Amwell doctors can electronically send prescriptions to the pharmacy of your choice. So I could have had them send one to Florida for me, and I could have picked it up there.

No one wants to be sick on vacation, but at least there are solutions in case you are.