MS and Road trips

[4boysmom]

My DH and I just spent the last week travelling from Idaho Falls, through Yellowstone, and over to Rapid City, SD. We took 2 days over in the car, and two back, stopping on the way home to walk around Devil's Tower

My body hurts all over! We did about 1850 miles since last Sunday in the car. It wasn't like we walked a ton! But just sitting in the car, and getting in and out has taken a toll on me.

Has anyone else ever noticed that doing a lot of riding in the car is hard on your MS body?

[Creede]

Yup road trips are really hard on me! Just from the sitting.

And this is weird, but it's not only my body; my brain is also really tired and wore out, if that makes any sence at all. It's like my brain has to work extra hard to take in all the motion, noise, sites, etc.

But even though the road trips are hard on me, I wouldn't miss one for anything. They are the little bit of adventure I still have in my life.

So for me it's worth it.

Good Luck!!

[JoanFrances]

Happy I went

Last year I was lucky enough to go on a road trip vacation/buying trip with a friend I made on a stained glass forum.

She is from Maine. She drove to RI to pick me up. We went to Pa and West Virginia.

We went on several side trips along the way. We only had 4 days to do our trip and the day we were coming home it was a 900 miles ride. That put me on the couch for a week when we came home and then to boot I came down with the flu LOL

She was a doll and stopped anytime I had the need.

I did find one thing that may help you all who travel by car.
I have a pair of open backed stacked heel "airesol" shoes that I wore while in the car. I found that they took the pressure off the backs of my legs, and changed my posture too. If I had my sneaks on in the car I would hurt all over in less than an hour, in the heels we could go almost 3 hours without stopping and I could walk pretty well when we stopped. (not in the heels of course)

So I would recommend if you have a fav pair of heels from you pre MS days, give it a try

[rdmc]

I'm only good for about an hour and a half before my spasticity really gets bad and we need to stop so I can walk around, and stretch out. (reminds me of when we used to travel w/kids and they had to stop to "go" all the time, LOL.) It takes a long time to get somewhere when you have to stop every couple of hours.

Fortunately, we use a river vacation home that's about an hour and a half from here, and I know I can make it that far w/out feeling bad, so that's been our place of choice for getaways.

[DianeD]

Same here

We travel by car often. We have a special family reunion yearly when my son and family come to the USA on leave from his job.

We don't want to miss this, but the trip which is over a thousand miles is hard. I've noticedi get painfully stiff when i sit for a long time. Even flights which are in the three to six hour timeframe are hard; maybe worse due to being in a small space for flight time.

I also seem to be inclined to get uti's when i sit a long time.

When we travel we stop frequently and even stop for the night early when we head off to the family get together.

Diane

[objan]

We are taking about a 9 hour road trip in a couple of weeks to Wisconsin.

When our boys were little we spent a week or two every summer in Chetek WI in a little fishing cabin resort. We had so much fun. Well this year they want to go back!!

They are now 24 and 28 and we are taking a wife, a 3 year old, a fiancee and my 80 y/o inlaws. I am so excited, but really not looking forward to the drive. I can only say that with a 3 y/o and a couple of 80 y/o's we will be stopping frequently anyway!! LOL So I will take advantage of it and get out and stretch and walk around a bit.

The years have gone by, but I am thrilled that they both want to vacation with the "old codgers" lol

[onlyairfare]

I love road trips!!

I have found that yes, I get achey, but you know what? I got achey with long drives before I had MS, so I just ignore it and take my meds (zanaflex, xanax, AED) at the end of the day and I'm out like a light, ready to start again the next morning. All the fun of a road trip is really worth it.

My husband does not particularly like to travel, so I often travel with friends. Occasionally I have to remind them: Look I have MS and it does funky things with my bowels and bladder so don't argue with me if I say I have to stop! So we just stop frequently at rest stops, and if I'm tired we stop for the day or share the driving more so I can nap in the back seat.

I am working in Maine for the summer, so two weeks ago a friend flew up from Florida and we drove over to Tanglewood in western Massachusetts for a concert (Garrison Keillor and the Prairie Home Companion show). Because it was a work-related rental car, I had to do all the driving, five hours each way.

But we took our time, and drove all over New England, which neither of us was very familiar with. Spent the first night in Portsmouth, NH (beautiful old seaport with a nice restored historic area), the next night in Lenox, MA, near Tanglewood itself, then drove back through Vermont and New Hampshire to spend the last night in Ogunquit, Maine to enjoy the beach. It was so much fun!! Worth all the aches and pains, and it really wasn't that far, just 5 - 6 hours each way and we divided it up with the overnights and sightseeing stops.

I would hate it if I had to give up travel because of MS. Better living through chemistry I say.

[rdmc]

I love road trips!!

I would hate it if I had to give up travel because of MS. Better living through chemistry I say.

I do make sure I take my Zanaflex to help w/spasticity when we drive for any distance, but I don't drive, my hubby usually does. If I took Zanaflex and Xanax and then attempted to drive...it wouldn't be pretty, LOL.