Travel recommendations for patients under peritoneal dialysis
Dialysis therapy does not have to be an obstacle to enjoying a normal life.
Learn more about the recommendations you should keep in mind when traveling inside and outside of Colombia.
One of the advantages of Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) is the patient's flexibility to travel and accompany his/her family on vacation or visit people in other cities and countries.
Nevertheless, guidelines from specialists must be followed so that you can receive your treatment without complications at your destination.
START BY GIVING NOTICE
The first thing that you should do is to notify the dialysis center where you are being treated about the destination and planned number of travel days. This way, the dialysis center at the place of destination is contacted so that the treatment supplies can be delivered to the site you are visiting.
For national trips, notice must be given one month in advance, whereas for
international trips, notice must be given two months in advance since patients can receive supplies at the site where they are staying, but they must remain there for a minimum of 15 days, since this is the minimum amount of supplies that are sent for therapy.
Now, if the request is made early enough and the dialysis centers come to an agreement, the request can be made for a shorter period, but if so, the center will request the supplies from the warehouse and the patient will pick them up directly.
IF YOUR TRIP IS LONGER…
For longer trips (more than three months) within the country, the patient is permanently transferred to the other dialysis center, and he/she will continue receiving the same comprehensive care.
Additionally, the conditions of the room where the dialysis is conducted must be the same as in the place of origin, the room and bathroom must be clean and in good conditions, there should be access to basic services, electricity and drinkable water and it is ideal if the windows and doors are closed to avoid air currents.
And lastly but still important, do not forget to follow the medical and nutritional indications from your treatment plan.