I've loved being able to travel more, but it still takes a severe toll on my body. Traveling often incapacitates me for days. It was a six hour drive to our hotel when I traveled to have\ surgery and by hour four I was so drained and affected that I couldn't even use a knife. My mom had to cut my food when we stopped for dinner.
My "CRPS" affected area is the entirety of my left upper body, split into five sections.
They each feel pain differently and often independently of each other. My upper back can feel like a blowtorch is scorching from the inside out without my chest having to hurt. My arm can be extremely sensitive to touch, air, and temperature without my upper or lower back hurting at all. The crook of my elbow can hurt on its own, or in conjunction with the rest of my arm. It all seems patternless. Anything and everything can be a trigger if the perfect storm occurs.
My "CRPS" affected area is the entirety of my left upper body, split into five sections.
They each feel pain differently and often independently of each other. My upper back can feel like a blowtorch is scorching from the inside out without my chest having to hurt. My arm can be extremely sensitive to touch, air, and temperature without my upper or lower back hurting at all. The crook of my elbow can hurt on its own, or in conjunction with the rest of my arm. It all seems patternless. Anything and everything can be a trigger if the perfect storm occurs.
After surgery I've found that the pain is more tied to inflammation than anything else. It's no wonder that when I fly I find myself in so much pain still. When you fly, the saturation of oxygen in your blood decreases as you gain altitude. This leads to swelling in your body. Most people notice it in their feet first, but it occurs in all of your tissue! That means that my immunocompromised body finds its limits being tested. Even for those that are perfectly healthy, you may notice you get frequent headaches or dehydration when you fly.
If you have CRPS or some variation of nerve sensitivity, these are my golden flight tips.
1. ALWAYS drink water
You need to keep your body as hydrated as possible on travel days. Personally I hate having to frequently use the bathroom during a long flight, but trust me, it's worth it. I always regret the days I don't drink enough because my body will be extra run down the following day. Liquid IV has been a new addition to my travel and it helps so much!
2. Use layers and a pillow
Make sure your affected limbs are properly supported. Wear multiple layers so that you can protect your skin from unnecessary sensation. This is a pretty basic thing that we have to do daily with CRPS. Bring a pillow if possible to help protect your affected areas and stay comfortable.
3. Doterra Deep Blue
I don't believe that oils can cure everything. I have worked in a pharmacy for 25% of my life and I fully subscribe to science. Doterra Deep Blue is similar to a muscle rub and significantly helps my pain when traveling. Simply inhaling the smell can help you calm the over activated sensors in your brain that cause sensation to hurt. It can be a more natural way to relax your peripheral nerves and muscles prone to spasms.
4. Utilize medication
Generally I don't like to use medication preemptively. It is just asking your body to become addicted when you take something unnecessarily. Travel is a major CRPS exception though. When sitting on the plane before taking off, I take ketamine (amazing for numbing the sensation felt by your body), ibuprofen (to reduce inflammation), and either an opiate or a muscle relaxant depending on the length of the flight. Muscle relaxants help keep my muscles from seizing and spasming on long flights. Opiates DO NOT have much of an effect on nerve pain; however, they help calm your mind so that pain sensations phase you less. This can help train your brain to stay out a pain cycle by mitigating the "fight or flight" response of your body when inflammation or a harmful sensation occurs.
5. Take a day off after travel
Sometimes it isn't practical to account for a free day immediately after travel, but you should always be prepared to listen to your body, ESPECIALLY after traveling. Take some extra rest. Go slow. And don't be sorry. You go through a lot managing this disease and so do your loved ones. It is much better for everyone if you take a day to go slow rather than crashing hard in a day or two and not being able to move for days. At the time it can feel like you are an additional burden for taking a slow day when you feel okay. I promise you, your loved ones would rather see you okay and taking it slowly than see you going 100% and burning out quickly. This is a lesson I'm still learning and can't remind myself of enough.
If you have CRPS or some variation of nerve sensitivity, these are my golden flight tips.
1. ALWAYS drink water
You need to keep your body as hydrated as possible on travel days. Personally I hate having to frequently use the bathroom during a long flight, but trust me, it's worth it. I always regret the days I don't drink enough because my body will be extra run down the following day. Liquid IV has been a new addition to my travel and it helps so much!
2. Use layers and a pillow
Make sure your affected limbs are properly supported. Wear multiple layers so that you can protect your skin from unnecessary sensation. This is a pretty basic thing that we have to do daily with CRPS. Bring a pillow if possible to help protect your affected areas and stay comfortable.
3. Doterra Deep Blue
I don't believe that oils can cure everything. I have worked in a pharmacy for 25% of my life and I fully subscribe to science. Doterra Deep Blue is similar to a muscle rub and significantly helps my pain when traveling. Simply inhaling the smell can help you calm the over activated sensors in your brain that cause sensation to hurt. It can be a more natural way to relax your peripheral nerves and muscles prone to spasms.
4. Utilize medication
Generally I don't like to use medication preemptively. It is just asking your body to become addicted when you take something unnecessarily. Travel is a major CRPS exception though. When sitting on the plane before taking off, I take ketamine (amazing for numbing the sensation felt by your body), ibuprofen (to reduce inflammation), and either an opiate or a muscle relaxant depending on the length of the flight. Muscle relaxants help keep my muscles from seizing and spasming on long flights. Opiates DO NOT have much of an effect on nerve pain; however, they help calm your mind so that pain sensations phase you less. This can help train your brain to stay out a pain cycle by mitigating the "fight or flight" response of your body when inflammation or a harmful sensation occurs.
5. Take a day off after travel
Sometimes it isn't practical to account for a free day immediately after travel, but you should always be prepared to listen to your body, ESPECIALLY after traveling. Take some extra rest. Go slow. And don't be sorry. You go through a lot managing this disease and so do your loved ones. It is much better for everyone if you take a day to go slow rather than crashing hard in a day or two and not being able to move for days. At the time it can feel like you are an additional burden for taking a slow day when you feel okay. I promise you, your loved ones would rather see you okay and taking it slowly than see you going 100% and burning out quickly. This is a lesson I'm still learning and can't remind myself of enough.