The group chat is active. Everyone is sending hotel links, restaurant recommendations, matching outfit ideas, and activity suggestions. You’re excited—but you’re also thinking about something your friends may not have to consider. Will I have enough energy? What if the heat makes my symptoms worse? What if I can’t keep up? What happens if I have a bad MS day while we’re away?
Having multiple sclerosis (MS) doesn’t automatically mean girls’ trips are off the table. You may simply need to plan your trip differently. MS affects everyone differently. Fatigue, weakness, balance problems, numbness, vision changes, bladder issues, and difficulty walking are just some of the symptoms that may affect travel. For many people with MS, heat can temporarily make existing symptoms worse. The VA Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence reports that about 75 percent of people with MS experience heat sensitivity.
That doesn’t mean you have to stay home while everybody else heads to Miami, New Orleans, Jamaica, or Las Vegas. A successful trip may just require a little more planning.
The cheapest flight isn’t always the best flight. That 5:30 a.m. departure may save $60, but think about what it requires. You may need to wake up at 2 a.m., travel to the airport, get through security, walk to your gate, fly for several hours, collect your luggage, and then travel to your hotel. You could arrive at your destination exhausted before the trip really begins.
When possible, choose a flight time that works with your normal energy level. If you’re more fatigued in the evening, an earlier flight may work better. If mornings are difficult, don’t choose the first flight of the day just because everyone else wants to.
Also consider connections. A nonstop flight may cost more, but avoiding a long layover, terminal change, or rushed connection could make the trip easier. Your energy is part of your travel budget too.
You don’t have to prove that you “really need” assistance by struggling through the airport first. If walking long distances increases your fatigue, pain, weakness, or balance problems, request help. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends contacting your airline ahead of time if you need wheelchair or guided assistance, help boarding or getting off the plane, help making a connection, or disability-related seating accommodations.
Under federal disability rules, eligible travelers also have the right to airport assistance. This can include wheelchairs, accessible carts, help getting between gates, and assistance boarding and leaving the aircraft. Using wheelchair assistance doesn’t mean you can’t walk. You may be able to walk around your hotel and enjoy dinner later, but crossing a huge airport could use up most of your energy for the day. Save that energy for the trip.
Heat sensitivity is common with MS. Even a small increase in body temperature can temporarily worsen symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, blurry vision, stiffness, and difficulty thinking.
If you’re heading somewhere hot, plan for it. Pack a portable fan, cooling towel, cooling vest, or other cooling products that work for you. Carry water. Wear lightweight, breathable clothing and look for shade or air conditioning when you need it. You can also plan outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day. Instead of walking around an outdoor market at 2 p.m., go in the morning. Spend the hottest part of the afternoon having lunch, relaxing at the hotel, shopping indoors, or taking that nap you promised yourself you wouldn’t feel guilty about.
Most importantly, don’t panic if heat temporarily makes familiar MS symptoms feel stronger. Heat-related worsening usually improves after your body cools down. But discuss new, severe, or lasting symptoms with your healthcare team.
RELATED: 8 tips for Surviving the Summer Heat with MS
If you can avoid it, don’t pack your medicine in checked luggage. The CDC recommends keeping medications in your carry-on luggage so you won’t be separated from them if your checked luggage is lost or delayed. The CDC also recommends bringing enough medication for your entire trip plus extra in case you’re unexpectedly delayed. Bring copies of all written prescriptions, including the generic names for medicines. Leave a copy of your prescriptions at home with a friend or relative in case you lose your copy or need an emergency refill. Keep prescription medicines in their original labeled containers, especially for international travel.
If your medication is restricted or prohibited at your destination, talk with your healthcare provider well before your trip. Ask whether there are approved alternatives available, whether a temporary adjustment to your treatment plan is medically appropriate, or whether additional documentation could help you travel with your medication legally. Never stop taking or switch medications without medical guidance, as changes to MS treatment may affect your symptoms or disease management.
The CDC also recommends carrying a letter from your healthcare provider describing your medical condition, prescribed medications, and treatment needs. This documentation may help explain why you need certain medications while traveling, although it does not guarantee permission to bring restricted medications into another country. And pack a little extra, within the destination’s legal limits. A canceled flight shouldn’t leave you without your medication.
Some MS medications also have special storage requirements. If your medication needs to stay refrigerated or within a certain temperature range, ask your pharmacist or healthcare team how to travel with it safely. Extreme temperatures can affect some medications. If you’re leaving the country, check medication rules for your destination before you travel. A medication legal in the United States may be restricted elsewhere. And pack a little extra. A canceled flight shouldn’t leave you without your medication.
RELATED: Multiple Sclerosis & Travel: Managing Symptoms Away From Home
“Accessible” can mean different things depending on the hotel. Don’t assume the word on a booking website tells you everything you need to know. Call the hotel. Ask whether there are elevators. Find out how far your room will be from the lobby. Ask whether an accessible room has a roll-in shower, shower seat, grab bars, or other features you need.
Think about the hotel itself too. A beautiful resort may look perfect online, but if your room is a 15-minute walk from the restaurants and pool, that could become frustrating. Location matters outside the hotel, too. Staying closer to the activities you’re planning may reduce unnecessary walking and long transportation times. Accessibility isn’t only for people who use wheelchairs every day. Choose the setup that makes your trip easier.
That itinerary might look amazing in the group chat and feel terrible by day two.
Fatigue is one of the most common MS symptoms, and it can be very different from ordinary tiredness. You may need real recovery time between activities. Build it into the schedule before you leave. Maybe you do brunch and shopping, then return to the hotel for two hours before dinner. Maybe everybody spends one afternoon by the pool instead of booking another excursion. Maybe you skip the morning activity after a late night. Rest doesn’t mean the trip is going badly. Rest can be what allows you to enjoy the rest of it.
You don’t need to give everyone a medical lecture about MS, but your friends can’t support needs they don’t know about. Before traveling, you might say:
“I can definitely do the walking tour, but I’ll probably need a break afterward.” Or: “Heat can make my MS symptoms worse, so if we’re outside for a long time, I may need to cool off somewhere.” You can also explain that your energy may change from day to day.
This isn’t asking everyone to organize the entire vacation around you. It’s giving your friends useful information so they don’t mistake your need to rest for boredom, attitude, or lack of interest. Good friends want you on the trip—not exhausted from trying to prove you can keep up.
You paid for the trip. Everybody is dressed. The reservation is at 9 p.m. But your body is telling you that you’re done for the day. Listen.
It’s easy to push yourself because you don’t want to miss the pictures, the jokes, or the story everyone will talk about later. But doing everything isn’t the only way to have a good trip. Pick the experiences that matter most to you. Maybe you skip the afternoon shopping trip so you have energy for dinner. Maybe you miss the club but make it to brunch the next morning. Maybe the group goes on an excursion while you enjoy a quiet morning at the hotel. Your trip doesn’t have to look exactly like everyone else’s to count.
You don’t need to expect something to go wrong. You just need to know what you’ll do if it does. Before leaving, save your healthcare provider’s contact information. Bring a list of your medications, allergies, and important medical information. The CDC recommends that travelers with chronic health conditions carry information about their condition, medications, and allergies.
Know where you could receive medical care at your destination if needed. Also create a simpler backup plan for days when you don’t need medical attention—you just don’t feel your best. Maybe you order food to the hotel and watch movies. Maybe your friends bring dinner back. Maybe you stay near the resort instead of taking the planned day trip.
If you’re traveling internationally, consider travel health insurance and understand what it does and doesn’t cover, especially for preexisting conditions. Planning for a bad day doesn’t mean you’re expecting one. It means a bad day doesn’t have to become a crisis.
RELATED: Why Do Black Patients Fare Worse When MS Strikes?
Independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. If your friend offers to carry your bag while you handle your mobility device, let her. If somebody volunteers to grab water while you’re cooling down, say thank you. If the group can take a rideshare instead of making you walk another six blocks, take the ride.
Black women are often expected to keep going, handle everything, and avoid becoming a burden to other people. A girls’ trip can be one place where you don’t have to perform that kind of strength. Support doesn’t take away your independence. Sometimes support is what makes independence possible.
Traveling with MS may require more planning, but planning isn’t the same as giving up your freedom. Choose flights that work with your energy. Use airport assistance when it helps. Prepare for the heat. Keep your medications safe and nearby. Ask questions about hotel accessibility. Build breaks into the itinerary and tell your friends what you need.
Most importantly, stop measuring your trip by how much you can push through. You don’t need to attend every dinner, excursion, beach day, shopping trip, and nighttime outing to prove that MS isn’t controlling your life.
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