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Learn medical secrets
for the Yucatan!
One of the concerns many people have about traveling to the Yucatan and Mexico in general is:
How can I avoid getting sick and wasting valuable time on my vacation as well as feeling miserable in a foreign country?
Montezuma? No Problem! ..... If you know the secrets!
What Bugs?
So ..... When Did You First Want To Be A Nurse?
Those Pesky Inconvenient Emergencies .....
..... Contact us for more information .....
Montezuma? .... No Problem! ...... If you know the secrets!
1. Drink plenty of water.
This is number one. You can prevent a lot of problems by staying properly hydrated.
You are in a jungle environment and especially during the summer months you will perspire even when you are playing on the beach.
As a minimum, you should drink at least double what you would normally drink.
One of the best methods if you are going to be out enjoying a jungle excursion or an archeological site is to invest in a camelback hydration system.
We have one for each person.
I personally use a child’s size because it fits well, is not heavy and I can always refill it.
It also helps me gauge how much I am drinking.
If I am outside for two hours, I challenge myself to drink the complete one liter by the time I return.
2. Use bottled water.
I use bottled water for drinking as well as brushing my teeth.
In many resort areas they use purified water. I think that is great but I still drink bottled water.
I always buy my water from the local grocery store. Often I can buy water for cheaper than 20 cents a liter. That same bottle would cost you $5-6 dollars in the hotel zones.
3. Eat in restaurants which appear clean.
Do not eat from sidewalk vendors no matter how tempting it may be, especially taco stands.
4. Look out for lettuce and vegetables.
Vegetables and especially lettuce seem to harbor water borne bacteria. I do, however, eat them in 1st class restaurants and I have never had a problem.
5. Wash your hands often.
Good hand washing techniques always go a long way in preventing the spread of disease.
One of the secrets that the cruise lines use to prevent illness being passed on is to continually clean with disinfectant, areas which a lot of people touch. All public bathrooms even in remote sites will have soap and water.
However, it is always a good idea to carry a hand sanitizer and wet ones in a small travel package which can easily be thrown in a backpack.
6. Practice Moderation.
Some of the big contributors to people becoming ill when traveling in Mexico are too much alcohol, food, and fun in the sun. A small amount of moderation can go a long way to having a great trip.
7. Take Pepto Bismal as a precaution.
I give each member of my family one chewable tablet each morning before starting out for the day.
My family physician recommended more. He also recommended one before each meal. However, I have found just one a day to be sufficient.
8. One final precaution.
Bring a small bottle of Imodium AD, just in case you do come down with diarrhea.
Even after all of your good planning, “Murphy’s Law” can still strike.
If need be you can purchase Imodium AD either in your hotel or at the local market or pharmacy.
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What Bugs?
1. Always use insect repellant.
There are many different types of bugs in a tropical climate.
We often travel during the summer and the more remote sites can have a lot of mosquitoes.
I make sure that we use a good spray on repellant and then make sure that we have some type that can be easily applied to the face.
I prefer Magic Purple as a rub in repellant.
This year however we did discover Bug & Sun by Coppertone. It worked very well and we did not have to apply so many different products.
2. Be prepared.
You will want to carry a small compact first aid kit with some type of product which takes the sting out of bug bites.
I would also recommend that if you plan to spend a lot of time in the jungle that you bring along some Caladryl lotion and Benadryl capsules in case of allergic reaction.
The Caladryl you can purchase locally, however, I have not found the Benadryl in pill form. I have found it though in a children’s cough syrup.
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So ..... When Did You First Want To Be A Nurse?
1. First Aid Kits.
Plan to bring a small first aid kit if you are going to be spending much time in the jungle.
I include in mine Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, gloves, something to remove a splinter, sting soother, aspirin or Tylenol, small scissors, gauze pads, a small amount of tape and safety pins.
2. Prescription Meds and Vitamins.
Always bring any prescription medications which you take on a regular basis.
If you are accustomed to taking vitamins bring them along and they will also help to keep you healthy while on vacation.
3. Immunizations.
Although there are no immunizations required, I would check with your family physician to be safe,
One year when we were traveling extensively in the state of Chiapas, my physician recommended as a precaution that I have a typhoid, tetanus booster, and a hepatitis series.
Some people have had a gamma globulin injection, which boosts the immune system, but my physician did not feel it was necessary.
Depending on where we plan to travel our physician has occasionally given us malaria medication. This was only a precaution when we were traveling into very remote locations, because generally there are no real problems with malaria in the Yucatan or Mexico.
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Those Pesky Inconvenient Emergencies
1. Medical.
Medical care in the Yucatan is not the same quality as the United States.
In some of the larger cities, hospitals are available. In Cancun they recently built a new modern hospital adjoining the Mall of the Americas on hwy 307, which is called “The American Hospital”. Also, in the hotel zone there are clinics which cater to Americans. Additionally, many of the larger resorts outside of Cancun have a first aid clinic on the property.
If you have a minor problem you might consider consulting with a pharmacist. Unlike the United States, prescriptions are not required for most medications in Mexico and your local pharmacist can be helpful in finding the right one for you.
2. Dental.
Dental treatments for minor emergencies are best left until you return home.
Dental offices in Mexico do not practice the same level of hygiene required in the United States and occasionally a serious infection can be the result.
Pain medications are available through the local pharmacy, which can help you be more comfortable until you get home. If you must seek treatment, the lager cities such as Merida, Chetumal and Cancun have descent facilities.
However, all work done in Mexico should be examined by your own dentist upon your return.
3. Peace of Mind.
We never travel in the Yucatan without
MedjetAssist.
MedjetAssist provides worldwide, “hospital of choice” air medical evacuation and consultation protection via an annual and short-term membership program.
For the price of a nice meal for the family,
MedjetAssist
will fly you home by private jet for any emergency that would require hospitalization.
You will never find a greater deal than that, let alone the piece of mind you will have knowing that you can explore the secrets of the Yucatan without worry.
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