confused.com

[kipper1958]

Hi,i know i have a sensitivity to gluten,nuts and seeds.I left the UK for a month travelling to Singapore,Australia and Hong Kong.I was careful with what i eat and to be honest i had Imodium as a back up,but only used it a couple of times to prevent rather than cure when travelling.I walked around big cities not knowing where the nearest toilet might be and had no issues.Back home and after a month the IBS has kicked in again,does any one have any thoughts on this?

[Barby_1991]

How many times did you use the immodium? I have found that going out of a routine and back into one can have bad effects. Also using immodium as a preventative can have a pause-like affect. Where the stomach still needs to get rid of stuff but the immodium has just paused it until you stop using immodium or start to go back into a normal pattern. Don't know if that makes as much sense as it did in my head lol

[Hidden]

Possibly when you were away you were more relaxed and had new things to occupy your mind so you are now more stressed at home?

[Will1234]

Hi Kipper 1958,

I have experienced something similar on a number of occasions and I think posted about it some time ago. Generally though, my IBS kicked in within a day or so of returning home. I can never understand this fully but I suppose change of food and water is the most likely. When away I am usually very careful with food and try to insure only bottled water passes my lips--even cleaning teeth. I often avoid vegetables and salads as they will probably be washed in the local tap water.

When back home I return to tap water and probably less careful with diet.

It is a bit odd though.

Will1234

[Will1234]

Hi also meant to add. Perhaps the Immodium use gives us more confidence that we will not be caught out , when out and about , therefore less stressed than normal. There is though , as Barby--1991 says the down side that you can pause things and maybe even get constipation . it then all starts a cycle where you need to go and can't. I then require Fybogel to get things moving again and that can involve problems for a day, with the need to be close to a loo.

Will1234

[runswithdogs]

My gastroenterologist had mentioned this to me years ago. In different places, you're normally eating different food. Some places that's a boon to your guts, other places it's a nightmare. Could there be ingredients you ate regularly at home that weren't included in the local cuisine? Or perhaps you're eating at a different time or pace? As mentioned above, stress might play a factor as well.

[kipper1958]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

[Hidden]

I agree with Sashapet. You were probably occupied with discovering new things and enjoying the trip. Now your are back home to "same old". What you need to figure out is what in the "same old" is triggering you and making you tense? Is it people? Frustration? Work?

Then you can work on how to turn it around.

Have a look at my hypothesis on the cause of diarrhea and see what you think: sickofibs.com/ibs-symptoms/...

Alison