What to pack in your travel first-aid kit

My friends and family joke that I’m a traveling pharmacy at all times and this is especially true when I travel. I have always weirdly loved first-aid kits (I think because they’re so organized and made me feel like a mini doctor growing up). This is fun because it’s like a DIY first-aid kit! While traveling, you never know what will happen. You should always, always, always have travel insurance for any major injuries you may get, but this is helpful for any minor instances. When my boyfriend and I went to Poland, he got food poisoning (from chicken meatloaf in Germany… doesn’t that just scream “food poisoning”??). Prior to the trip, he was joking that I didn’t need so many meds and I said “you never know!” I was right. Thankfully, I had zofran and I gave him some to help soothe his stomach. And double thankful that the hotel had Gatorade! You should always have travel insurance just in case anything major happens, but this is a good place to start for some minor bumps and bruises you may encounter on your trip. I use small bags from an Ipsy subscription I had years ago and pack similar items in each bag instead of using one big bag with everything in it.

Here are some things your first-aid kit should always include:

One of my first-aid bags

• A variety of bandages - large, butterfly, water proof, normal

• Drugs

  • Benadryl - always always always good to have on hand

  • Tylenol - I prefer aleve, but whatever floats your boat!

  • Aspirin

  • Dramamine - if you don’t have any kind of anti-anxiety, these will actually help chill you out. Also, if you’re affected by motion sickness, this will definitely help!

  • Pepto Bismol or similar - good to have! Get the pill form though.

  • Ask doctor for Zofran (pro tip: any time you get any medication from a doctor, ask for Zofran. It’s an anti-nausea and it doesn’t get you high so they will almost always prescribe it. It is great to have on hand)

  • Tums - sometimes food doesn’t sit well…

  • Probiotics - traveling really messes up your gut. Stay on track by taking a good probiotic

  • plus any meds you regularly take

• Benadryl anti-itch stick - great for bug bites

• Neosporin - great for any cuts or blisters

• Blister pads - you’ll probably be walking a TON! Get good shoes and have these on hand.

• Stool softeners - to help your belly when you get off schedule

• Alcohol wipes - literally should always have with you to wipe your hands, anything you touch (in airports and your hotel room/airbnb)

  • Most disgusting places:

    • airport trays during security

    • airplane trays

    • airplane seats

    • airplane armrests

    • airplane buckles

    • hotel door knobs

    • hotel remotes

    • hotel light switches

    • hotel counters

• Mini flashlight

• Tweezers

• Mini sewing kit

• Oral electrolytes / rehydration tablets - wish I had had these for Neal when he had food poisoning!

• Sudafed/Mucinex - also helps with ear/sinus/tooth pressure on flights!

• Anything else applicable to the environment you’re visiting e.g. malaria tablets, iodine tablets, etc.

Do you have anything else you pack in your first-aid kit? If so, drop them in the comments!