Travelling to Uganda with no spleen

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zippyjojo

zippyjojo

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Hi everyone. We’ve got a trip booked to Uganda in October that should have happened back in 2020 when I still had a spleen. I’ve filled out my travel form and have now had the fear of God put into me from a phone call from the PN saying I need to think really seriously about my trip because of the risk of mosquito transmitted diseases and saying that if I caught something I would be very ill, very quickly. Have any of you lovely people in my position done anything similar? We are staying in high end lodges but out trekking in the jungle in the day to see the gorillas. Any advice/experience gratefully received
 
I have no experience of spleen-less travel. But I do have experience and wonderful memories of travel in Uganda.
I found the lodges all clean although some were a little basic (e.g. no running water). The gorilla trekking was great but could be long (we did it on two days) as the gorillas don't stay in one place so they had to tracked which could take 4 or 5 hours to find them or it could only take 90 minutes - I experienced both extremes. And they don't keep to paths so it is wild wild jungle. It was worth it both days: watching the youngster "do a Baloo" as they played with the ants crawling up their arms, watching the parents work together to get the fruit down from the tops of trees, looking in awe at the huuuuuge silverback male a couple of meters away. There were mossies but I don't remember them being too bad - this may be because the Impenetrable Forest where we saw the gorillas is quite high.
Apart from the gorillas, the scenery is stunning, the locals are friendly, the roads are terrible, and the city was a little scary (all shops had a guard with a rifle outside).
My only injury was a bruised finger when our driver closed the car door before I had a chance to remove my hand on the last day. He offered to take me to the hospital but it wasn't that bad (although it throbbed) and a Uganda hospital wasn't the part of the holiday I wanted to remember.

I hope you are able to go as it is a wonderful country but I can't comment on the spleenless risk
 
Thanks so much @helli - I really hope this doesn’t scupper our plans as it is such an exciting trip
 
Have you had all the yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus, hep A and B, antimalarials.

The usual long sleeves etc, the insect repellent.

Are you prone to getting bitten normally?
 
I’m not spleenless either but I have been to East Africa. I was scrupulous about malaria protection - medication, using deterrents, and mosquito nets. I was also careful to avoid getting scratched by vegetation or going barefoot, paddling in rivers, etc, eating anything unpeeled. I had a low level illness at one point but was better in a day or so.

There is guidance online, but I think the ultimate decision is yours. Obviously get great travel insurance, and seek expert advice about malaria, as well as making sure your vaccinations are all up to date.
 
The insurance is a very good point.
I usually get insurance that will include a medevac, not just cover local treatment if I have any doubts about the facilities there.
 
My daughter went to Tanzania and thought she had been scrupulous but got bitten all up the underside of her arms. She complained to the manager of the lodge thinking it must have been from the bed but it turned out it was from the cane furniture in the lounge area, something that had never occurred to her. It nearly drove her insane with the itching and of course it was all scabby, which wasn't good as the hospital policy were she was working was nothing below the elbow.
 
I’ve never been to exotic places since being spleenless. I have been to a few Greek islands and I always get bitten by mossies. Although my worst was in Tuscany in October. I was complacent. And the last few years they’ve gotten infected and I’ve needed antibiotics and antihistamines. I’m obsessed with insect repellent etc but they always get me, they do in this country too. I think as I’ve got older I’m much more susceptible. Horse fly bites in this country always get infected.
My advise is to go. Take anti histamines with you, ask doc for an emergency course of antibiotics ( our prophylactic penicillin won’t cut it), ask your pharmacy for vitaminB complex, If I remember rightly you take it for a few weeks before and whilst there. And has been mentioned, good insurance. I’m still alive!
 
This is one of the many I got whilst in Italy. Unfortunately I get many like this now. :(
 

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I won't say too much about travelling spleen-free as thankfully that part of my abdomen remains complete. What I would say though, as well as reiterating the need for vigilance, good repellents, and emergency basic medications would be to consider a medical pack containing IV giving sets, suture kits, syringes and needles - they are commercially available without any need for prescription or such like.

The only concern about taking meds could be to reply upon them at a time medical assistance should be sought. That said, I have ocean sailed with an extensive medical kit, including some scary prescription drugs for emergencies. I knew I wouldn't be gung-ho, but thankfully never had to test it.

Finally, if you have access to your full medical records, I suggest you look to see what, if anything, is recorded, relating to your recent call. Were it to state you were advised not to travel you could find even gold-plated insurance would be invalidated if you had traveled against medical advice.

I'm adventurer. It'd be straining at the bit to go, but I'd still want my safety nets in place.

please do let us know how it goes.
 
travellor said:
Have you had all the yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus, hep A and B, antimalarials.

The usual long sleeves etc, the insect repellent.

Are you prone to getting bitten normally?
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I will be
 
Inka said:
Yes, it should have medivac and repatriation to the U.K. Not worth the risk not to.
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Yes we have very good insurance
 
eggyg said:
I’ve never been to exotic places since being spleenless. I have been to a few Greek islands and I always get bitten by mossies. Although my worst was in Tuscany in October. I was complacent. And the last few years they’ve gotten infected and I’ve needed antibiotics and antihistamines. I’m obsessed with insect repellent etc but they always get me, they do in this country too. I think as I’ve got older I’m much more susceptible. Horse fly bites in this country always get infected.
My advise is to go. Take anti histamines with you, ask doc for an emergency course of antibiotics ( our prophylactic penicillin won’t cut it), ask your pharmacy for vitaminB complex, If I remember rightly you take it for a few weeks before and whilst there. And has been mentioned, good insurance. I’m still alive!
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Thanks twinnie
 
AndBreathe said:
I won't say too much about travelling spleen-free as thankfully that part of my abdomen remains complete. What I would say though, as well as reiterating the need for vigilance, good repellents, and emergency basic medications would be to consider a medical pack containing IV giving sets, suture kits, syringes and needles - they are commercially available without any need for prescription or such like.

The only concern about taking meds could be to reply upon them at a time medical assistance should be sought. That said, I have ocean sailed with an extensive medical kit, including some scary prescription drugs for emergencies. I knew I wouldn't be gung-ho, but thankfully never had to test it.

Finally, if you have access to your full medical records, I suggest you look to see what, if anything, is recorded, relating to your recent call. Were it to state you were advised not to travel you could find even gold-plated insurance would be invalidated if you had traveled against medical advice.

I'm adventurer. It'd be straining at the bit to go, but I'd still want my safety nets in place.

please do let us know how it goes.
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Thanks so much - no they didn’t say not to but said I needed to read various bits of info. I’ve found out today that both lodges we’re staying at are 15 minutes from a nearby hospital. I’m always meticulous too with mosquito precautions because I do get bitten although in recent years )Tanzania & Zambia) didn’t get one bite. Great suggestion @eggyg anout taking course of antibx with me.

Thanks so much everyone
 
zippyjojo said:
Thanks so much - no they didn’t say not to but said I needed to read various bits of info. I’ve found out today that both lodges we’re staying at are 15 minutes from a nearby hospital. I’m always meticulous too with mosquito precautions because I do get bitten although in recent years )Tanzania & Zambia) didn’t get one bite. Great suggestion @eggyg anout taking course of antibx with me.

Thanks so much everyone
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Whilst it's great that you will be close to medical facilities, I would still take a travel kit with me, for the sake of the cost of a couple of bottles of wine. Overseas hospitals and UK hospitals aren't always kitted out the same.

I'd be looking at something akin to this (the first that came up on a Google search, though Boots and other places do them too.

I'm so glad the written record states you should read the various guidances, rather then shouldn't go.
 
Update - I didn’t go. My hubby and our two friends are on their way in the air as we speak. On advice I decided it wasn’t worth the risk as even though I would have taken malarials, catching malaria with no spleen can be very dangerous as your body can’t break down the damaged blood cells. Also no sure that I would have been able to have the yellow fever jab and whilst I may have been able to get an exempt form I don’t think it would be worth the risk of contracting it. So I am going to be living the experience vicariously through photos and videos and feeling somewhat sorry for myself
 
zippyjojo said:
Update - I didn’t go. My hubby and our two friends are on their way in the air as we speak. On advice I decided it wasn’t worth the risk as even though I would have taken malarials, catching malaria with no spleen can be very dangerous as your body can’t break down the damaged blood cells. Also no sure that I would have been able to have the yellow fever jab and whilst I may have been able to get an exempt form I don’t think it would be worth the risk of contracting it. So I am going to be living the experience vicariously through photos and videos and feeling somewhat sorry for myself
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It must have been very disappointing not to be able to go but wise not to take the risk. My daughter got some horrendous bites on her arms in Uganda for resting her arms on the cane furniture in a hostel she stayed in.
 
zippyjojo said:
Update - I didn’t go. My hubby and our two friends are on their way in the air as we speak. On advice I decided it wasn’t worth the risk as even though I would have taken malarials, catching malaria with no spleen can be very dangerous as your body can’t break down the damaged blood cells. Also no sure that I would have been able to have the yellow fever jab and whilst I may have been able to get an exempt form I don’t think it would be worth the risk of contracting it. So I am going to be living the experience vicariously through photos and videos and feeling somewhat sorry for myself
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Oh no so sorry to hear that. What a bummer. But in hindsight it’s maybe for the best. Hugs. Xx
 
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