Healthcare near Punta Cana

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Beth

Guest
We are going to Punta Cana in the spring and my husband has a deathly allergy to peanuts or any peanut product (peanut oil, peanut flour, etc.) Can anyone tell me of any healthcare facilites in/near Punta Cana? Also any information on typical D.R. food that may contain peanut products that we should avoid would be very helpful. Thanks!
 
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Beth

Guest
Also, can anyone tell me how to say "I am deathly allergic to peanuts/peanut products. Does this contain peanuts/peanut products?" in Spanish? Thanks!
 
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ECH

Guest
Soy alergico a los manis. (I am allergic to peanuts) contiene eso mani? (Does this contain peanuts?)And you say it with the voice inflection you would for any question as opposed to making a simple statement. Unlike Asians, don't think Dominicans use much in the way of peanuts or peanut products in their foods.
 
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ECH

Guest
Think that is the first thing you need to check with at your hotel. Do they have a house physician and if so how do you contact him if needed. And if no house physician, where is the nearest medical facility that has 24 HOUR EMERGENCY CARE? That should cover it. And you can also ask if they speak English or if someone there would be able to speak English. Don't assume a lot of people here speak English, they don't! They will try to be helpful I am sure but there is nothing more frustrating than to have an emergency and be further frustrated by inability to communicate what is wrong!
 
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DR1

Guest
Unless you can visit with the antidote to his allergy, I would be wary about staying at a large resort, where many of the meals are buffets. I think you would be better off at a small hotel, where you can easier customize your meals.

If a meal is individually cooked for your husband in a restaurant, it is possible for you to actually go into the restaurant and actually check what goes into what he will be eating.

While peanut oil is not standard, it is used. I would stick to small hotels and restaurants where you can see for yourself the ingredients used to prepare the meal.

If you decide to stay at a resort hotel, choose one that has restaurants where individual meals are prepared and stick to these.

Regarding medical care, towards the end of the DR1 health page, we list the medical center most hotels in the Punta Cana area refer their patients to. Note that most Punta Cana hotels have physicians on their staff.
 
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Beth

Guest
Thank you all so much for your help! It is difficult to travel with such an allergy - or even to eat out at any restaurants, so your help is much appreciated.
 
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ECH,M.D.

Guest
I know your problem. I have a grandchild with the same affliction. He is a teen ager now and acutely aware of his malady and always carries adrenalin (epinephrine) injection with him if the allergy precipitates respiratory distress otherwise some antihistamine, like Benadryl will suffice. I can only surmise your husband does the same and if not, he should! I must relate a story. WE were invited to a sit down dinner years ago and I told the host and hostess that Michael simply could not have peanut products due to allergy. Well, 20 minutes into the dinner his lips were so swollen he was almost unrecognizable and rushed to the hospital. He recovered. The hostess said she just used "a little bit" of peanut oil on something and "no one" was ever "bothered" before the way she prepared the food. To say I was angry was an understatement. Some people just simply don't understand that there are those with allergies that can actually KILL them. People must learn to empathize and take it seriously. But, there are those, that even with an explanation, simply fail to understand. I sincerely hope your vacation goes as you plan it!!!
 
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Lyse

Guest
A friend of mine has the same allergy. Last winter she went to an all inclusive resort in Punta Cana and did not have any problem. She travels with her medicine just in case.