Travelling with IBS

[Alice-96]

Hi guys, I was wondering whether anyone who suffers with IBS but has gone travelling? It is my boyfriends dream to go but I’m worried how I’d cope if I had a flare up whilst travelling. If you have, please can you give me advice and let me know what helped whilst you went travelling?

[Whoopdedoo]

Hi there. The thing to try and do is to go for it and do what you can. Don’t let it rule you. Assuming IBS-D, I make sure a take a couple of Imodium before the initial trip and then in the morning each day. Eat and drink sensible. Good luck

[Laurajones]

I’ve done lots of travelling with IBS-D. I always took Imodium on the day I was flying or travelling as this gave me more piece of mind that I didn’t have to rush to find a toilet then depending on how I felt each day tried not to take it the other days. I ate well and usually bland food which is annoying but better than a reaction. Usually when travelling you are having such a good time your mind is elsewhere. If I was going on a day trip anywhere I would research toilets etc more for piece of mind and would book travel like a train where there were toilets or a car so I could drive myself. If you have a bad day don’t beat yourself up and mostly enjoy it. I have loved every travelling experience and wouldn’t change it! Enjoy.

[Eternity78 in reply to Laurajones]

@Laurajones Hello ! may i ask what type of ( Bland food ) is available in restaurants or food markets when travelling abroad ??

I also strictly follow a bland food diet due to my IBS /D ..but always wonder how can i get this type of food when travelling ?? do you pack your own food ?

[Laurajones in reply to Eternity78]

I tried to stay away from street food as I didn’t know if it would agree with me and didn’t want the hassle of looking for a toilet. I would stock up on some supplies in supermarkets or 7/11’s to keep me going on journeys otherwise most restaurants will offer some bland food on the menu and don’t be afraid to ask them to leave out one or two ingredients if it doesn’t agree with you. I was very open with the people I met travelling that some days I may get ill and I found that eased my worries. Some days are going to be tougher than others but done beat yourself up if you have a flare up. It happens to us all. I hope you have a wonderful time.

[Eternity78 in reply to Laurajones]

Thank you so much for your reply ..i'm beginning to feel that food in general is like an enemy to me ..it's the number one trigger to all my ibs symptoms ..yet if i starve my self , i start to feel dizzy , headache with no energy at all ..so it's so frustrating 😥 i heard about tube feeding through a small hole in the side of the belly ..i'm seriously considering this step and will talk to my doctor about it .

Thank you for assuring me that I'm not the only one who suffer from the consequences of this horrible ( yet underrated ) illness .

[Laurajones in reply to Eternity78]

There is not enough awareness of this condition or the debilitating effects it has on your life but I can assure you that you are not alone.

Are there any types of food that your stomach can tolerate? Is meat and veg ok or does this trigger it? Don’t be afraid to ask for bland food and be proud of little steps you make. Some days I manage to go out of the house feeling relatively ok and we should be acknowledging these triumphs. I hope you find something that works.

[Hapoland]

Loads of Imodium and being very careful about what you eat. In my case, it means no alcohol too because that can really spark me off.

[tiredmum]

My son went traveling 3 years ago. He picked up two parasites in India which has left him with post infectious colitis. He has really bad diarrhoea every day now.

He has been travelling around the Balkans and Asia for the last 8 months. He has had a few flares and a few bouts of food poisoning but has coped really well. He has to avoid alcohol and limit the amount of dairy he has but has found the food in Bangkok to be really good for him, he even put some weight on there. Cambodia made him worse however. He took plenty of loperamide with him and it is readily available in the chemists out there. He takes loperamide when he is on a long journey. Be prepared for a few days in doors when you have a flare and remember some of the toilets are not fantastic. However if you are sensible you will have a wonderful time. My son certainly has. He is due home soon and already planning his next trip.

Good luck