Thorn Tree travel forum

Health info to get you started

A huge thanks goes to nutraxfornerves for compiling and updating this list of medical info and links

Round the World Trip Vaccinations etc

Hello All,

Me and my boyfriend are going travelling from Feb 7th. We have a round the world ticket and will be covering india, nepal, thailand, laos, cambodia, singapore, australia, NZ, chile, argentina, bolivia, peru, ecuador and brazil.

We have had our boosters for thyphoid, polio, tetnus, diphteria & hep A. We are getting our yellow fever and we will be getting anti-malarials, although we are struggling on which ones to take. The travel clinic recommended doxycilin but my doctors said not to take that one as it is the weakest. I have had a read up on them and I was thinking proguanil sounded ok but I am hoping someone who has taken antimalarials can offer some advice. Why are there so many?

We have also been recommended to get rabies, jap b, hep b, cholera and meningitis acwy (specifically for doing the everest base camp trip. Do you think these are all needed? I would... more »

Psoriasis

Hello...can anybody help me? i have a psoriasis and it's all over my back...i'm looking for some cure for this cause it's making me uncomfortable and it's so itchy. thanks for the help.

travelling with bipolar disorder

Hi,

My husband was diagnosed with bipolar disorder earlier this year. We've been together for about 8 years and have always enjoyed travelling together, and have travelled and worked in several countries over the years, including the developing world. It's something we'd hoped to do again at some point, but now we're not sure how it would work as travel insurance seems to be a big issue. Is there anyone out there who has been able to get travel insurance with bipolar disorder? We're based in NZ, so if anyone knows any insurance providers in NZ who might provide insurance, that would be even better. Thanks very much.

Warm face but cold nose!

Right now I am sitting in front of a radiator, sitting on a heating pad and bundled up in layers of clothing.
My face is so hot that my cheeks and forehead look like I am sun burned, yet my nose is still super cold.
I guess maybe I have a circulation problem in my face? I know my nose is the farthest thing out from my face,
but the temperature difference seems a little extreme. My ears almost never get cold, even uncovered with my
hair completely pulled back. My nose is the first thing to get cold, then my feet, then my hands. I can't blame this on
a cold or flu, because it has been happening for at least a few years. No one else in my family has this issue, and my
nose isn't any larger than anyone else's!

I looked for answers on Web MD. The closest thing I could find was Reynauds, but my fingers do not appear to change color.

If this is a circulation problem, is... more »

dark circles around the eyes

except for the obviosu, simplistic answer "lack of sleep" is there a more elaborate one to the question "what causes dark rings around the eyes"? i wonder cos i know a girl who has the vilest, red-cloggy rings under her eyes.

Bringing medication into Australia

Hi,
I'm totally confused by the Australian govt website's information on what medication can be brought into the country, and what individual travellers have to do to bring controlled or banned medication in, so if anyone has information, I'd be grateful, as I have to come over from the UK for work for 3 months.

1. My UK doctor prescribes co-proxamol for pain relief for when nothing else works. I believe it's related to codeine, which seems to be banned

2. I take seretide asthma medication - it contains steroids and I'm not sure if they're allowed.

3. The only antibiotic that gets rid of my chest infections is Moxifloxacin but it's banned to bring any antibiotics into Oz. Is it prescribed in Oz?

For the above the Govt website it confusing over whether I need to apply for an import permit or whether just a prescription from my doc is enough

many thanks
cheers
G more »

Dermatologist in Sydney?

Hi guys -
Does anyone have a good dermatologist in Sydney? Strange breakout on my face for the past few weeks.
Thanks!

Operation on Thursday- well maybe

After waiting for a year I am now due for an operation for an open mesh repair of a hernia this Thursday and I now have a stinking cold. Is this likely to prevent the operation? The obvious thing to do would be to phone the hospital and ask. The last time I did so, also with a cold, the operation was cancelled apparently by a non qulaified admissions clerk who recorded that I had phoned to cancel the operation. This time I would prefer that it went ahead if possible. Also out of the blue I have a letter advising that I need a CT abdominal scan afterwards. There is no information as to why and I am getting a little fed up with the lack of communication and information. Again any advice please?

I'm in the UK and under the NHS which I generally approve of. The medicine might be good but the lack of communication and delays are not.

Any advice please?

Regards Rory more »