What medicines/emergency kit do I need to send with DS when he goes travelling in Vietnam?

[MsFogi]

I am helping ds1 with his packing for his exciting trip travelling around Vietnam but have never been to that region of the world and have no idea what he should ideally put in his backpack for inevitable upset stomachs etc. Can any more seasoned MN travellers give me any suggestions (I don't want to weigh him down with a gazillion things to allay every fear I have but also want him to have whatever a sensible backpacker would take). Thanks!!

Has he had the relevant travel vaccinations?

Has he got an understanding of how to avoid the most common pathogens in a tropical environment?

Has he done his research? What does he think he should take… this is his job to do (and yours to support, but not solve)

Imodium
Dioralyte
Bite and sting relief
After sun lotion
Blister plasters
Travel sickness tablets
Anti-histamine

I've travelled a huge portion of the world and all 7 continents and I've never carried any of that. Everything is readily available in a pharmacy in Vietnam unless he's going off super super rural for a while?

Travel insurance

loperamide (Imodium) for travellers diarrhoea

travel insurance

patacetamol/ibuprofen

travel insurance

(And bath plug - saw Michael Palin recommend a plug on one of his programmes)

I've gone with -
Plasters
Paracetamol
Bug repellent

That's probably it! Assuming he's not spending weeks in the jungle as PP said, he can get everything there. It's not the back of beyond.

The travel vaccinations are the most important thing. He needs to check if he needs antimalarials. The travel clinic nurse will advise about anything else. Definitely take a little first aid kit though. Just buy a travel kit.

The most Important thing is good travel insurance, that will cover for treatment, and if required medical evacuation. Helpful if travel and accommodation for family to fly out as well is also included. Lots of kids get carried away by the thought of moving around independently on motorised bikes/ scooters, check the small print, some insurances ban these and that could invalidate the insurance.

Vaccinations up to date
Any prescription medications
Insect repellant
Sun cream
Immodium
Basic first aid kit
Sachet of Rehydration salts

That's about all I can think of. He will be able to buy anything he needs at a pharmacy (including lots of things that would need a prescription in the UK). However its good to have the basics in your backpack in case you are feeling too sick to want to traipse to a pharmacy.

I did quite a lot of backpacking in my late teens and early 20s, here’s what I remember carrying:

Imodium
Dioralyte
Savlon
Plasters and micropore
ibuprofen/paracetamol
Anti bite cream
I didn’t have Piriton but it would have been useful for bastarding sandfly bites
Anti mozzie spray

However

1. This was before the internet and smartphones. I agree that these days it shouldn’t be too hard to find a pharmacy and use google translate to get what he needs, although still good to have a few basics for if he can’t leave the room/toilet.

2. I packed it all myself. If he’s capable of travelling round Vietnam independently, surely he’s able to research and pack himself… Sure make some suggestions but not too much!!

3. I never used most of it.

I have a pretty cast iron stomach but got very ill in Vietnam (only for 48 hrs but not fun). I’d made the rookie error of eating street food that I hadn’t seen cooked - we were sat away from the cooking station and they brought it over to us, so my guess is they gave us ones that had been hanging around a while. Worth warning him!

It’s not ‘inevitable’ to get stomach upsets, and Vietnam does have pharmacies and doctors. It’s not some underdeveloped backwater. They’re still wearing masks indoors and outdoors here, and there’s an outbreak of dengue in Saigon. The biggest danger is crossing the road or travelling on scooters.

My mum sent me off travelling with a full medical kit including antibiotics. I used barely anything but did end up patching up a local kid who had badly hurt herself (a huge slash all the way down her face from falling onto rusty metal) and sending her off to the very basic local facilities with the steri strips from my kit (and some money.) I've always wondered if she got the treatment she needed (our tour guide reluctantly agreed to give her a lift back to the town but wouldn't take her to the hospital.)

If he’s capable of travelling round Vietnam independently, surely he’s able to research and pack himself

This

First, will be be off the beaten track? Because Vietnam is incredibly handy for everything. You don't need almost anything.

And when you do need something, you go to a lovely pharmacy and the delightful pharmacist gives you Eagle Brand Medicated Oil and you use it for everything from insect bites and headaches to muscle pain and colds.

I don't think I opened my first aid kit once. I did get a few remedies from the traditional shops and pharmacy. I've had tummy issues almost everywhere in the world but didn't in Vietnam. The food is great and very fresh.

If he's old enough to go backpacking in Vietnam he's old enough to figure this out for himself. I would leave him to it, if he forgets anything he can sort it when out there,

All the comments about him being old enough to sort it out are true. But they are missing the point. I travelled for a year and when I saw the things my mum had got me it made me feel happy and loved.

I got really sick once and my mum offered to come and carry my pack so I could carry on. Obviously I didn't take her up on it but your mum doesn't stop being your mum the second you get on a plane.

He probably won't need a first aid kit but when he's packing and unpacking he will think of his mum. Nothing wrong with that.

Travel insurance

Vaccination appt - they'll go through the areas he is travelling to and figure out what boosters, malaria tablets, etc are needed.

I imagine he's going to be travelling light, so id say pack a couple of plasters, one small pack of painkillers, an insect bite pen thing with the pink stuff in it, some rehydration sachets, a teeny tiny sewing kit

Vaccinations.

Anti-malarials.

Travel insurance.

Paracetamol in case of inflight headache.

Everything else he can get there - and likely cheaper too. Can get the anti-malarials there too but sometimes you need to start them before arriving.

But seriously, he's a grown man and unless he knows when and how to use everything you're wanting to get him, it's rather pointless. Has he done a first aid course? A fully stocked first aid kit isn't much use in the hands of someone who has no idea what everything is for.

I suspect you want to buy him something because his leaving is tough and it's a big adventure..which feels scary as a mum. At least I'd feel like that. But you really don't need to stock him up with things. He knows you love him. Maybe put some extra in his account for medical emergencies?

The biggest danger is crossing the road or travelling on scooters

Yes! I got a massive burn on my calf from a scooter taxi exhaust pipe. And crossing the road 🫣

Lots of antiseptic wipes for wounds, bandage, really good back packers health insurance, Milton tablets

I took lots of the things on these lists and I don't think I used much of it.
I probably got the most use out of Lip balm, plasters, and meds for the flights. I found nicer suncream and bite spray while travelling so my originals got left in a hostel donation bin.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I am letting him get on with it but I am 'helping' with suggestions for forgotten stuff/stuff a teenager who still thinks he is immortal might just need (particularly as he is very much planning to go far from the main cities - he has had all the vaccinations, including rabies). I hadn't thought of some of the suggestions (not least because I haven't travelled a huge amount and nor has he) so thank you to those who are much better travelled than me!

@MsFogi is he aware that visa on arrival is only 14 days for U.K. passposrrs at the moment?

Thanks yes he has applied for a visa.

I went recently and the only thing I needed from my first aid stash was cortisone cream for insect bites. Yes you can buy it in Vietnam but that's not helpful if an itch springs up when you're trying to sleep!

The pharmacies there are great - everything's available without a prescription. We stocked up and brought lots home.

Condoms.