If you have breathing problems and you:
If you were in the hospital for your breathing problems and had:
Also talk to your doctor if you plan to travel in a place at high altitude (such as Colorado or Utah).
Tell the airline 2 weeks before you travel that you will need oxygen on the plane.
You cannot bring your own oxygen onto the plane.
Airlines and airports will not provide oxygen when you are off the airplane.
On the day of travel:
Get a flu shot every year to help prevent infection. Ask your doctor if you need a pneumonia shot. Get one if you do.
Wash your hands often. Stay away from crowds. Ask visitors who have a cold to wear a mask.
Have a name, phone number, and address of a doctor. Do not go to areas that do not have good medical care.
Bring enough medicine, even some extra. Bring your recent medical records with you.
Contact your oxygen company and find out if they can provide oxygen in the city you are traveling to.
Always ask for non-smoking hotel rooms. Try to stay away from cities with dirty, polluted air. Stay away from places where people are smoking.
Be careful about high-altitude areas. Talk with your doctor before you go.
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
MedlinePlus Topics
Read More
Patient Instructions
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2012, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions.