Dialysis on Holiday

There are lots of reasons you might need dialysis. It is usually advised if your kidneys are working at less than 15% full capacity. Without your kidneys filtering waste products and excess fluids from your body, they could build up to dangerous levels.

Being on dialysis certainly isn’t a bar to having a holiday. But it does mean you’ll need to plan well in advance with your kidney team. This applies whether you have:

• Haemodialysis - cleaning of your blood 3-5 times a week through a dialysis filter machine, often in a dialysis centre; or
  
  
• Peritoneal Dialysis – the barrier between your blood and the cleaning fluid is the layer of cells lining the inside of the abdomen, which can be done almost anywhere.

Getting your dialysis anywhere other than your usual setting is called Dialysis Away From Base (DAFB).

Here are my top tips should you need dialysis when heading away on holiday.

Top Tips

• If you’re holidaying in the UK, you can access Kidney Care UK’s free Dialysis Freedom service. They’ll help you arrange DAFB and you can search for dialysis clinics in the area you’re visiting on their site. They also have a website booking request form or you can call them on 01509 808668 Monday-Friday 9:30 am-4:30 pm.
  
  
• You can use a UK GHIC if you’re visiting any country in the European Economic Area – that’s any country in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. You can also use a UK GHIC card in Switzerland if you’re a UK or EU national, or if you have a family member who is.
  
  
• If you’re going to another country, check the UK list to find out if the UK has a reciprocal healthcare arrangement with that country. This means you’ll often be treated in the same way as local residents where healthcare is concerned. If your country isn’t on the list, you will be fully responsible for your healthcare costs.
  
  
• Do remember that, unlike the UK, for local residents, all healthcare isn’t necessarily free when it’s needed, even in countries covered by the GHIC or a reciprocal arrangement. You may need to pay part of the cost of your dialysis yourself – your specialist team should be able to advise about the arrangements in any country you’re planning to visit.
  
  
• It’s important to give your hospital team plenty of notice if you’re planning to travel. This is usually a month if you’re going on holiday in the UK and 3 months if you’re going abroad.
  
  
• Before you book a holiday, do check with your team whether they feel you’re well enough to travel and whether it’s suitable for you to have dialysis at another unit.
  
  
• If you’re planning a longer trip abroad, do remember that you may be suspended from the transplant list while you’re away from base. This will depend on how quickly you can get back to your Transplant Centre if a kidney does become available.
  
  
• If you’re on haemodialysis, check out holiday destinations which have dialysis facilities before you do anything else.

• If you’re on haemodialysis, your hospital team should be able to make arrangements for you to have dialysis at a centre within travelling distance of where you are staying. Do remember that this will depend on whether the centre has space to accommodate you, so get this confirmed before you book your holiday.
  
  
• Think about transport to and from the dialysis unit you’ll be staying near – your specialist team should be able to advise. You may need to pay for transport unless you’re holidaying in the UK and meet the criteria for transport costs. And don’t forget to cancel your regular transport for the duration of your holiday.
  
  
• If you’re having peritoneal dialysis, your team can arrange for your peritoneal dialysis fluid to be delivered to wherever you’re staying.
  
  
• Make sure you know which medication you can take abroad with you and how to avoid problems at security or while you’re away. There’s lots more information in our blog on travelling with medication.
  
  
• Different airlines have different policies about what equipment you can take on their aeroplanes. With enough notice, your DAFB coordinator will be able to check an airline’s policy concerning dialysis machines and any other dialysis equipment or products. They can also provide a letter with details of all the items you need, which you’ll need to provide to the airline in advance. You may need to fill out specific forms about your equipment and why you need it. If you are travelling with a dialysis machine, it should not be charged as excess luggage.
  
  
• You’ll also need a recent letter from your dialysis team confirming that you’re medically fit to travel.
  
  
• Do be aware that in some parts of the world (particularly developing countries), there’s a higher chance than in the UK of contracting blood infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. You’ll usually need blood tests for infectious diseases before you go and when you return. In addition, until these results are back you’ll need to be dialysed in a separate room in your unit.
  
  
• It’s crucial to have full travel insurance even if you’re travelling in a country covered by the GHIC. Remember, the GHIC doesn’t cover all costs, and some costs such as medical repatriation aren’t covered at all by it. Choose a specialist travel adviser and declare all your health conditions.