A travel influencer, who was left in excruciating pain in hospital for days, has revealed the top medical hack for when you fall ill abroad.
Alyssa Ramos is well-known on Instagram for her travel content.
The 36-year-old has had a passion for travelling since she was a child and dreamed of making a living globetrotting.
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To date, she has seen elephants in the wild, zip-lined across canyons, and been swimming with dolphins.
But on a recent trip to Madagascar, things started to go wrong.
“I decided to visit the hospital because I had excruciating stabbing pains in my stomach,” Alyssa, from the US, told Need To Know.
“I was worried I was going to be found dead on the toilet.
“I assumed I had food poisoning, but after four days, I knew I had to see someone.
“It was so bad I had to cancel all tours and plans and was starting to think it might be appendicitis or a gallstone.
“I was sleeping on and off when the pain would stop, until finally I went to the hospital.”
After being dropped off in a taxi, she signed into reception and waited to be seen.
She said: “I felt uncomfortable because most people seemed to be looking at me, but it’s likely because I was sweaty and looked disoriented!
“It was so outdated, which made me even more worried.
“But once my name was called I couldn’t have got up any quicker.
“The doctor told me it was a stomach bacterial infection, probably from something I ate.
“I was extremely relieved because when I posted on IG Stories that I had stomach pain, people were warning me it could be more serious and to get it checked out.”
Alyssa was put on a drip with fluids.
She said: “I was texting to keep me calm because I hate the idea of needles in my veins, and the nurse missed getting it into one in my hand.
“I asked her to please try my forearm, which she did and it was fine.
“I also had to call for nurses when I noticed the IV bag was empty both times.”
After two days of rest and recovery, Alyssa was told she could go home with antibiotics.
She said: “I wondered if I needed more extensive testing, but so far I have been getting better!
“It wasn’t ideal being alone in a hospital in a foreign country and I would have loved someone there for moral support.
“My mom offered to fly over! But I was fine being able to talk to her on the phone.”
This experience has taught Alyssa the biggest solo travelling tip everyone must know:
GET TRAVEL INSURANCE
She said: “Whether it’s through a credit card or a separate company, get it, especially if you’re planning to do something adventurous.
“I have something called ‘nomad insurance’ that covers medical costs so it’s only useful if something serious happens.
“It’s possible that my travel insurance through my credit card would cover it too.”
Plus, always travel with a credit card.
She added: “Even if it’s just for emergency purposes. You don’t know how much something will cost and you don’t want to be denied treatment – plus credit card charges are easier to refund if you use insurance!
“This is probably a no-brainer, but take photos of every receipt and document and keep the originals until your insurance clears.”
And to any travellers needing to seek medical care abroad, she said: “Remember doctors and nurses exist to help you, and again your health is more valuable than your wealth.”
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