Example: You are at a restaurant in Paris, and you begin to have an allergic reaction. What will you do?

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Thinking about this scenario isn't meant to frighten you. It's meant to help you plan ahead, so you can travel feeling prepared, not scared. If you are traveling from the U.S. to Paris, do you know how to call emergency services in France? Will your phone work? How will the medical expenses be paid? How close are you to an emergency hospital? If you use your two epinephrine injectors, can you get more there for the flight home? What French phrases should you carry in your wallet in case you need help?

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Typically you can find out the answers to these questions on the internet before you leave home. Having this information in advance will give you confidence that if the worst does occur, you have the resources you need to handle the situation.

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To prepare for this emergency, I would always carry at least two epinephrine injectors with me to the restaurant, and any other medications I might need (antihistamine, inhaler). I would also learn to simply tell a server about my food allergy in French, bringing a phrase written down on a paper in my wallet in case I am not able to speak it well enough to be understood:

 

A simple translation tool can tell you that "Je suis allergique aux arachides" means "I am allergic to peanuts." It is best to try to check with someone at home who is fluent in the language before you go, to make sure your translation is correct. When we went to Norway, I hired someone on Fiverr to translate phrases into Norwegian for $5 USD. It was well worth five bucks to feel prepared. You might also want phrases such as, "I am having an allergic reaction and need epinephrine and an ambulance. Can you help me?"

 

To call emergency services in France, first you need to call your cell phone provider to arrange for service while you are abroad. Then research how to call for help; the internet tells me I would dial 112, an EU-wide emergency number that will contact emergency services in any EU country or language. Upon arrival, I usually verify this type of information I would verify in person with a local, often when I am checking in to the hotel. If you haven't verified your translations, this is also a good opportunity to take care of that.

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I always travel with about six epinephrine injectors, even expired ones are worth bringing if you can't afford more than one prescription at a time. But if you want to find out about getting them abroad, you can research pharmacies near where you are staying, and contact them by email or phone. Often European countries have more relaxed policies about simple prescriptions like epinephrine or insulin. You can often just buy these things from a pharmacist without seeing a doctor. Especially if you save your used injector to bring and show them, or a copy of your paper prescription from home. Here is an interesting website with information about finding your medication abroad: https://pillintrip.com

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Thanks again to the internet, you can easily find emergency services near where you are staying. If you are in a city or populated area, chances are you will be as close if not closer to help than at home. In other first world countries, emergency care should not be a concern. If you are going further away from a populated area, you should research what to do in the case of anaphylaxis. When we traveled to Flam, Norway for the night, I was very nervous, since they appeared very remote. I was able to have an email exchange with their tourism office for the town before we travelled, explaining that I wanted to be prepared in case of an emergency, and how would someone handle an anaphylactic allergic reaction living there. They were very helpful and made me aware of what services were offered that I couldn't find myself online. If you can't find anything and don't feel comfortable, when maybe you want to reconsider the destination. There are plenty of places for you to go that are just as safe as home.

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Medical trip insurance is always an option, but you need to consider your personal finances and the likelihood of a reaction. Also, would paying completely out of pocket deter you from seeking help if you needed it? In that case, waiting to travel until you can afford the insurance might be a safer bet. There are many articles online helping you find the best option for you. Here is one: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-travel-insurance/