Experiences while being sick on the camino?

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Ivar Rekve — 4 Comments ↓

The question was:

Over the last few days I have been down with some kind of cold/flu bug (bad cough, achy muscles, no energy). I was lying in bed yesterday, trying to force myself to get up and make some breakfast (said endeavour not being helped by the fact I had no appetite), when the thought crossed my mind, “Seriously, you are going to walk nearly 800km? You can’t even walk 10 metres to the kitchen.”

Now, obviously that was the flu talking. But, it did make me wonder about how people coped with illness while on the Camino. My understanding is albuerges are only for one night, and while if I had had to, I probably could have dragged myself a km or 2, that would have been about my limit. If you are in a city when it happens, you could find a hotel I guess, but otherwise I am not sure what I would do.

Read this interesting conversation on being sick on the Camino here in the Camino forum.

Tagged with: Fever, Not feeling well, Sick
Posted in From the Camino de Santiago forum

Ray Aller

Dont word you will always be well looked after and I am talking from experience.Buen camino,ultreya.
Sara Kennedy

During the last 100 km of my camino, I got sick with some terrible sinusy thing. It was a few miserable days, and it slowed my pace down. Luckily, the majority of the Camino is just walking – on various degrees of incline – so I just walked slowly for a few days, and stopped earlier than I would have anyway. (And in the last 100 km beds are scarce, anyway, so you’re forced to stop earlier than you might otherwise.)
littleanne

yes I was wondering about this. Prob doing trip Spet /oct this year. Have organized 8 weeks off- have to travel from Australia in that time. Was thinking – what if I dont finish in 8 weeks?:) – what if I get sick- but then well that is why i am doing it- so as not to live a scared life
Laura Basanta

I got off the plane in Madrid without enough of amed thatbI needed for the trip. the great thing about pharmacies inEurope ..they have much more powerthanthose in the US. I was able to get my meds in 5 minutes, no dr. RX! also broke my glass frames. Couldn’t” t be fixed but the optometrist measured my lens and selected ably a dozen frames inthe shop that would fit my frames and I walked out with new glasses in 15 minutes (I’m still getting complements in mynSpanish glasses). we have found if you don’t speak the Language tryntomgetnto a computer and google ” your brand of med. say Tums for indigestion” and askmformantranslation in the language you need, write it down and take to pharmacy..obviously for no emergencies but this will help.

Experiences while being sick on the camino?

Camino Frances

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