Travelling with POTS

Just returned from our first big vacation since my diagnosis. I was really concerned as far as how I would handle 12+ hr plane travel one way, fatigue, temp changes, etc. I did surprisingly well, and I think info I got here helped a lot!

Plane travel - I made sure to hydrate well before, during, and after with electrolytes and water. I also wore compression socks. I didn't get up and walk a lot because most of the flights were pretty packed.

Hydration - I made a point to hydrate extra and drink at least 2 electrolye packs a day along with Klaralyte tabs. Our last day, I did not do this as I should have and it was quite obvious. I ended up getting too hot and not being hydrated enough, and got a terrible headache with coathanger pain. I had to take an added half dose of my atenolol too. With hydration - one thing that is difficult is while you're drinking a lot, you're also having to pee a lot. That can be a pain depending on where you're travelling and the activity you're doing.

Nutrition - I made sure to eat healthy meals regularly, and added salt when I could. Not a fan of salt but I'm trying.

Activity - We did some hiking, including some with stairs. I was really worried about that, but taking all of the above steps really helped a lot! I did have some air hunger (stairs do that to me), but I just took it slower. I felt pretty accomplished hiking to the top of Diamond Head on the morning of my 50th birthday! I didn't want this condition to hinder me. It felt really good to be able to do that.

We walked A LOT. At least 15k steps per day. I just hydrated constantly and rested as much as I could. It helped that the weather was absolutely perfect, with mild temps and low humidity.

What are your tips for travel with POTS? We love experiencing new and favorite places as much as we can, and I want to be comfortable and stay as healthy as possible while we do!