This is very important info for anyone traveling with dysautonomia. Airlines are no longer supplying free water to passengers. This means that you have to remember to bring cash with you to pay for water or bring an empty water bottle or two with you and fill it up after you pass though security.

http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2008/08/01/starting-tod...ree-water-on-us-air/

Oh my god I just lost an hour of my life reading through all those reader comments on that story!!

I think I'm basically through flying. Husband and I chose a 2-day road trip from Texas to Minnesota when I had to go the Mayo, and it was the best decision. We listened to music, chit-chatted, and I knit my heart out. About 1/3 of the cost, too, even in our giant gas-guzzling Expedition.

Easier because we don't have little ones anymore; I know it's not an option for everyone.

But flying is brutal on the dys -- not just dehydration but motion sickness, all that walking and dragging luggage, the heat, the cold, the 20- to 30- minutes during takeoff and landing where you can't go pee if you need. It's like a recipe for making me sicker and sicker.

I'm lucky my boss has given me a pass from the last few fly-there-now business meetings.

I highly recommend organizing your life so you never have to get on a plane again. As far as I'm concerned it's just a way to take days or weeks off your life.

Yes, so I found out when I flew to our holiday destination last year. If I try to make it to Italy this year it's going to cost me a fortune in water. It's a long way from Aus to Italy.

Maybe you should flash your Medic Alert ID and threaten to pass out.

At any rate, they should still give you water and food on international flights.

oh, don't even get me STARTED on flying. in case you all missed my "travel from hell" post, i hated every second of it.
anyways, yes, it's true. 2$ for some water!!!! seriously?!
mynagirl - i laughed when you mentioned having to pee. i pee about every 30 minutes, and during take off, i had to go so bad, i begged the flight attendant to let me go. he kept saying no, finally i had to be like, sorry, it's an emergency!!!! got up, and all the people around me were all like "hey, why does she get to get up?!"

Totally, GracieTiger! I've definitely done the "go ahead and arrest me I have to pee" walk before when it's just more than I can take. I did read your travel from hell, I'm so sorry!!

Oh man, Sunflower, and as for flashing the MedicAlert badge, I'm glad I have mine now. Last trip I took most of the time the gate attendant graciously let me pre-board (my barely-above-a-whisper-asthma-wheeze helped) but in Minnepolis of all places I got "And for what reason?!" I wish I'd had a snappy comeback, like "Autonomic Dysfunction, want me to wait while you consult your medical textbook?" But I just sort of pleaded and said in this tiny voice, "I can't stand for a long time..." I'm glad I have the big shiny med alert badge now; I'll flash it for sure... assuming I ever have to put up with the hell of flying again in my life. Hate flying!!

In some ways that was rude of the flight attendent. On the other hand, pefectly healthy people DO try to cheat and get on the plane ahead of everyone else so I think that the flight attenedent was in her right to ask. Next time bring a cane and no one will question you. Ha.

Yes, canes can be very handy.

I take mine with me sometimes. It doesn't help when I'm dizzy and feeling like I'm going to fall over but it indicates to people that I'm not easily mobile a lot of the time even though I look fine. And it always gets me a seat on the bus. It will not get you to the head of a cab rank though. So I sit in the gutter and wait until it's my turn.