[JCPA]

Hi to all! I searched the threads here for travel and MG and I know that it does affect alot of you. The thing I don't understand is, even when I travel just a short distance, say 2 hours, it zaps me for hours. My husband and I discussed it tonight and he said he thinks that even if I'm not driving, you tend to stay a little tensed up while traveling. I guess with watching the traffic and such. Anyway my question to this wonderful room of knowledge here is....Do any of you take anything to help relax you with travel? Has your doctor given you anything to help? I'm going to talk to my neuro about it but I was just wondering.

You guys are fab-u-lous!

[AnnieB3]

I don't do well with travel at all. Going to the grocery store is about all I'm up for.

Traveling is a sustained activity. You have to hold up your head, your arms, tense your legs, etc. It asks a lot of the body. And I'm afraid there's not much you can do but have someone else drive! Blasting the air helps for awhile but people with MG just can't deal with long-term anything.

There's no pill that will help. Provigil might keep you more awake but coffee h as been shown to do the same thing. Any drug that would help you relax would be a muscle relaxant! That would make MG worse!!!

Maybe your husband's driving makes you tense.

Meditation would help you to relax. Maybe music.

Travel and I just don't mix anymore. Sorry.

Annie

[Pat 110]

Hi,

My husband and I go on short road trips about every two months to visit reletives and friends. They take between 2 to 6 hours. We have to stop every hour for about 5 or 10 minutes so I can stretch and walk a little bit. It makes a big difference in how I feel when we get to where we're going. My husband does all the driving. I live 2 miles from the grocery stores and mall, and that's pretty much all the driving I can comfortably do. Good luck and sorry I couldn't be of more help. Take care.

Hugs,
Pat

[Maxwell'sMom]

Hi, I travel terribly. Sometimes, I think the jiggling of the muscles all the while we're sitting there on the road is what does us in too.
I take Provigil, and it works way better than coffee!!!! I use to be able to drink an entire pot of coffee during a time I'm tired, and it wouldn't do anything to keep me awake. Provigil is a tremdous help! Can't stress that enough.

The last thing you'll want to take is something to relax you, if you think you're wiped out now, if you take something to relax you, it will take days to feel better again.

Traveling is awful for me. I drive an hour to see my doctors, and it take about two days of real resting to recoup the loss of energy. Yesterday, I had an hours drive for my infusion, and although, it's my husband who is driving, it wipes me out.
You're not alone.
Take a pillow, and blanket, and see if you can snooze a little while on the road, maybe it will help in not tensing the muscles.
best of wishes
love Lizzie

[erinhermes]

Hey hon! I've noticed that traveling really kicks my butt, but I NEED to get behind the wheel some days and just DRIVE! It helps me feel much more "normal" - even for a short period of time!

I am a TERRIBLE flyer, so I do take a xanax before the flight.
Mike does all of the long distance driving now and we just listen to soothing music and I TRY to sleep so I'm nut such a bear when we arrive! LOL!

This last trip to NY really did a number on me, but I truly needed to see Lilli. It was soooo worth it!

I think that anxiety and travel go hand in hand with MG. Since we never know how we are going to feel the next minute, never mind the next day, we (or at least I) tend to panic and that always makes us feel worse!

The one thing I DO know is to NEVER, ever take muscle relaxers! THey can really do a number on your breathing!

Hope this helps a bit!
Love,
Erin

[Brennan068]

I'm the odd man out here. I LOVE to travel and find I do better when I am. I don't get crushed by driving unless I do it for a very extended period of time. 8 hours driving doesn't bother me and is actually a good time for me and my wife.

That said, I did get beat down on one day of our New York trip this summer, we kind of pushed it by spending the day in NYC and not leaving until the 5pm train. We took the train to Connecticut where we had parked our car and then drove to Portland Me getting in after midnight.

[Joanmarie63]

Originally Posted by Brennan068

I'm the odd man out here. I LOVE to travel and find I do better when I am. I don't get crushed by driving unless I do it for a very extended period of time. 8 hours driving doesn't bother me and is actually a good time for me and my wife.

That said, I did get beat down on one day of our New York trip this summer, we kind of pushed it by spending the day in NYC and not leaving until the 5pm train. We took the train to Connecticut where we had parked our car and then drove to Portland Me getting in after midnight.

You ^ are my HERO

[allen L]

I will be driving up to the wineries along the finger lake region of NYS in two weeks, plan on spending 6-7 days away looking at leaves changing colors, and just relaxing. Ill know by the end of this trip if I can travel comfortably or not.

[JCPA]

Wow, thanks so much to all of you for you wonderful advice. I really didn't think about the effects of anything to help me sleep. I new at this MG stuff and I just don't know all there is to know. I will just rest as much as I can while my husband drives...you know how the sound of the car does have a relaxing sound to it.

I will just adjust just like all of you and plan accordingly.

You are a great group of people!