Be Prepared for Travel

When  you are choosing your destination and how you get there, you may want to consider the following: 

• The quality and accessibility of the healthcare system at your destination.
• Emergency services at your destination and access to A&E hospitals along your route.
• Your grasp of the local language, or your ability to get adrenal crisis information in it.
• Your level of exposure to illnesses specific to your destination (and risks of food poisoning)
• Mode of travel: See later section for information on air travel. You may also want to wear a face mask on crowded transport to lower your risk of picking up an infection.
• Climate: It can be harder to manage your condition in hot weather - see our information on Heat & Hydration.
• Whether you'll need a special SIM or extra roaming coverage for your phone.
• Ambulance regulations vary around the world, so it's worth being prepared to self-inject (or have a family member do it for you) before calling for emergency medical assistance.
• Whether there's a Patient Support Group at your destination, whom you can contact for information.

Other top tips:

• Before you leave home, check online to identify the nearest hospital with an emergency department to your holiday destination/s. Make a note of the address and store map details on your mobile or somewhere accessible. You might want to identify a local GP practice, and make a note of the local emergency medical phone number. 
• Wear medical alert jewellery: If your everyday medical alert jewellery doesn’t have a waterproof strap, you might want to order an ADSHG silicone alert band for beach and swimming.

Shop medical alert jewellery

We have done Greek holidays since my daughter was diagnosed. As the mother of a teenager with Addison’s, I did find it fairly worrying to be out of the UK for the first time, but all went well. I had a good supply of medication in hand luggage, not all in our main suitcase, and a medical bracelet with the international number on. We had a letter from her consultant explaining the need for an injection kit in hand luggage when going through the airport – although I tried to show to staff, they just waved us through.

We also took a range of other medication: rehydration salts, anti-sickness medication (we use ondansetron melt tablets) and the usual medication for minor illness, such as antihistamine, paracetamol – we were like a walking pharmacy. The ADSHG website has free downloadable emergency letters translated into other languages on their website – absolutely brilliant idea! On arrival, I then mentally worked out how to call a doctor or hospital if needed and where they were located.

Helen

• Always ensure you have enough medication to follow the Sick Day Rules when you are abroad. Order a repeat prescription early if necessary.
• Check your emergency injection kit is in date, and well packaged to protect the contents, especially the medication vials, during travel. Ensure it is clearly labelled (like the kits available from our online shop).
• Watch our instruction video to remind yourself on how to administer your emergency injection, and if possible, get a travel companion to watch it too.
• Pack your medication in your hand luggage so it cannot be lost. If this isn't possible, split your medication between separate bags, so if luggage is lost, you still have access to spares elsewhere.
• Ensure you have a comprehensive first aid kit including things like rehydration salts, anti-sickness medication and the usual medication for minor illness, such as antihistamine and paracetamol.
• Hydrocortisone sodium succinate (previously known as Solu-Cortef) is more stable than hydrocortisone sodium phosphate (liquid hydrocortisone, discontinued, May 2026) in hot weather (above 25ºC), so this may be a prudent choice. Always check the individual patient information leaflets provided with your medication to check. 

My daughter is going on the film studies trip of a lifetime to Los Angeles.

She has a dosage box with all the various tablets counted out for 4x/day for a week, her own injection kit and a spare emergency injection kit with the teachers, a tub with extra packets and bottles of all her medication (in case the dosage box gets lost/dropped/goes wrong), extra travel insurance, medical bracelet, letter from the hospital and ADSHG emergency card.”

Phoebe

• Line up your paperwork: get a letter from your GP about travel, plus adrenal crisis guidelines and your steroid emergency card
• Carry adrenal crisis guidelines in the language of the country you are visiting. We have free downloadable adrenal crisis guidelines in 18 languages, to help you ask for the same care you'd receive in the UK - download for free and print before you travel. If you're heading to Europe, also get a GHIC card (the post-Brexit replacement for the EHIC).
• Take a copy of your repeat prescription with you, whether travelling in the UK or abroad, as an accurate record of your medications.
• You might also want an emergency card in a European language from AdrenalNET. They've worked with adrenal patient support groups across Europe to align emergency advice (which may differ from ADSHG or NHS guidance) into cards in multiple languages. To confirm accuracy, efficacy or reliability of the cards in the context of the health systems you're visiting, contact AdrenalNET directly or visit the websites of major healthcare providers based in the location.

My GP wrote a short note on surgery paper saying that I have medical conditions that require me to carry medication, injection needles and syringes at all times, even when flying. The letter is signed and stamped.

I always carry my clinician information sheets too, along with a repeat prescription, and my latest blood results, in case of an emergency admission. I carry all in my hand luggage, and duplicate everything in my checked luggage.

Jackie

Travel insurance is particularly important because medical events abroad are expensive, and pre‑existing conditions may require specialist cover.

Disclosing pre‑existing medical conditions

UK government travel insurance guidance is clear: it is important to disclose all medical conditions under investigation or already diagnosed, including endocrine conditions.

Unfortunately, this can mean you need to complete a medical screening form as part of the process of getting a quote, and that your quote may be higher, or include exclusions.

Specialist medical travel insurance providers

Patients with endocrine disorders often need specialist underwriters who routinely cover complex or chronic conditions. You may want to explore some of the following: Able2Travel, Free Spirit, Staysure or Direct Travel Insurance.  Please note that we are not able to make any recommendations as to which company would be best for you.

Documentation to support your cover

Many insurers require a doctor’s letter confirming you are fit to travel, especially for endocrine‑related cancers or pituitary tumours. You may need proof of medication needs (e.g., daily steroid replacement or emergency medication) to support both insurance claims and airport security screening.

What travel insurance should cover

Whilst some of the inclusions will be down to personal choice, experts recommend ensuring your policy covers:

• Emergency medical treatment, including adrenal crisis or tumour‑related complications. 
• Repatriation (often extremely costly without insurance).
• Trip cancellation linked to illness.
• Mobility or medical equipment if relevant

Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

Under Britain’s new agreement with the EU, UK residents’ rights to emergency and medically necessary healthcare will continue when travelling in the EU. This includes medically necessary treatment for a pre-existing or chronic condition. 

GHIC replaced the old European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). It allows UK residents to access necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area and some other countries.  It covers essential healthcare costs at the same level as residents, but it is NOT a substitute for insurance and does not cover private care or repatriation 

There are a few additional considerations if you are travelling by air:

• Carrying sharps and medication is subject to authentication, and airport restrictions can change - always check with your specific airline before you travel. 
• You will need a letter from your doctor to explain why you need medication and an emergency injection kit with you.  Check with your specific airline as to what they need included. Show your doctor's letter to airport staff, and if you run into any problems, ask to speak to a manager or senior member of staff. 
• Passengers can carry essential medication and medical equipment through airport security in hand luggage, but you must have documentation from a qualified medical professional. There's no restriction on the number of tablets you can carry through airport security. 
• Be ready to show your adrenal crisis guidelines and your Steroid Emergency Card if needed.

Sunflower scheme: non-visible disabilities

Most airports participate in the Sunflower lanyard scheme, so they can instantly recognise you have a hidden disability and give you the support you need. This means you can travel independently through the airport, knowing staff are on hand if you need extra help along the way. Sunflower lanyards are free from many assistance desks at airports, for example at London Heathrow. 

Sunflower Scheme

Trying different food can be a real highlight of a trip and culturally exciting, but it can present a higher risk of picking up an infection or food poisoning.

• Stick to places with lots of people (especially locals) eating.
• Make sure you know what to do (emergency guidelines) if you vomit or get diarrhoea.
• Wash or peel fruit well and remember that beer doesn’t rehydrate and that overindulgence in alcohol is more likely to get you into all sorts of problems, just as it can do at home!

Remember to keep adequately hydrated when in warmer climes and to carry a bottle of water with you. However, bottled water is often low in sodium, so make sure you have some salty snacks and rehydration fluids/salts with you too. There are lots of diseases in tropical climes which are dangerous in themselves and much more so when you have Addison’s or adrenal insufficiency.

Check out TravelHealthPro and Masta for free professional health advice and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for general travel advice.

Andrew

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