Work and travel with ibs

[Terriblytired]

How do people cope having to travel to and from work with ibs. I am going to have to change location of work which will mean instead of being 10 minutes from home I will be over an hour away. At the moment I can manage and don't need to get up too early but with a 6 am start travelling an hour away I will need to get up at 3 am at the latest to sort myself out and calm down enough to get out. And then won't get home until gone 7pm. I honestly don't think. I can cope with the stress.

[huggit]

Hi there I find that I am in the same situation I travel an hour to work, and sometimes there is no nearby toilet on the way! I stock up on imodium which helps, but I still have the stress all the way there, not so much on the way back I have to say. I am so tired normally when I get home! Would welcome any more suggestions (other than low fodmap) which doesn't seem to work for me Sorry I have not been much help, just wanted to say you are not alone

[Terriblytired in reply to huggit]

Thanks for the support. I'm absolutely scared out of my skin about this, I'm contemplating all sorts at the moment 😢

[huggit in reply to Terriblytired]

Its no fun is it? Me too looking at different ways of coping daily

[Terriblytired in reply to huggit]

I actually hate life, its hard to cope

[huggit in reply to Terriblytired]

Me too! It's like everyone else seems calm and getting on with the day, and I am here panicking myself through the day just to do basic things!

[Terriblytired in reply to huggit]

That's exactly right, I can't even walk to the shops without worrying. It affects every single bit of my life. And people always say well it could be worse, ie there are people worse off than you etc. I don't feel like anyone ever understands what I have to go through every single day. My mind is completely frazzled now

[huggit in reply to Terriblytired]

Yes mine too! I have woken up this morning as probably every morning wondering what food it is that makes me so ill, and then my mind goes round in circles as to whether to rule out this that and the other. Then I start to panic thinking about my week ahead, not even weekends are fun when you are planning around toilets ;(

[sweetsusie in reply to huggit]

Tell your doctor to let you try either Welchol or Colestipol. I take Colestipol (5 tabs a day) and both of these drugs will stop diarrhea in it's dirty, rotten tracks! Hope you can get your doctor to prescribe either one of these for you...here in the US, Colestipol is much less expensive than Welchol...good luck....

[Linley]

So sorry for your predicament know how you are feeling. On saying that when my IBS was very bad I only had a 10 min travelling time to work so all was well . The problem was if I had to go out on business for the day. I only ate lightly toast & tea and got up in plenty of time before start off. Kept myself hydrated but found it better not to eat until I was safely back and near a loo. I used to take an emergency kit with me(see IBS network) and Imodium just in case! The only positive advise I can suggest is never let in get the better of you and never give up. Good Luck

[Terriblytired in reply to Linley]

It is absolutely scaring the life out of me, don't know what to do. Thanks though, it's had the better of me for years 😔

[sweetsusie in reply to Linley]

Tell your doctor to let you try either Welchol or Colestipol. I take Colestipol (5 tabs a day) and both of these drugs will stop diarrhea in it's dirty, rotten tracks! Hope you can get your doctor to prescribe either one of these for you...here in the US, Colestipol is much less expensive than Welchol...good luck....

[Maxsmudge]

Hi, I had same problem. I never ate in the morning, got up super early to go to the loo a few times before leaving. I always took a change of underwear, baby wipes and hand sanitizer in my bag and got an app on my phone showing where all the toilets were, I am female so wore a sanitary towel too! And lots of immodium

I also used breathing app and in my mind broke the journey down, it really is an awful way to live. I did find though that after I knew the route and loos, even telling myself I could get off the bus, things did get better, just getting out the house was terrible but eventually managing the actual journey.

Chin up, your not along. Hope things work out for you xx

[Terriblytired in reply to Maxsmudge]

Thanks for the advice and reply. Hope things are OK for you x

[sweetsusie in reply to Maxsmudge]

Tell your doctor to let you try either Welchol or Colestipol. I take Colestipol (5 tabs a day) and both of these drugs will stop diarrhea in it's dirty, rotten tracks! Hope you can get your doctor to prescribe either one of these for you...here in the US, Colestipol is much less expensive than Welchol...good luck....

[Liz1234ty]

Hi - just a thought, but while others have raised suggestions about what you can do to help yourself I wondered whether you have raised your medical condition with your employer as there may be something they can do to help too? Could you perhaps work one-two days a week at home or have flexible hours so that if you are unwell in the morning you can arrive later and work later? I know this all depends upon what you do for a living, but there is a legal obligation on employers to consider the medical needs of staff. If you are a member of a trade union they may be able to provide further advice and support. I work from home most days and find it very helpful to keep stress levels down, although i do miss the office banter.

[Terriblytired]

I work in a stores type environment so need to physically be there to do the job. I have raised an initial worry with them, but they have no idea how terrified I actually am really. Maybe I need to see the gp and get some help on how to go about things, at the moment my mind is all over the place with worry. Thanks for the reply

[Linley in reply to Terriblytired]

Call the IBS network and ask about employee rights. I too have worked in a store part time and I said from the start that as I am not entitled to a tea break I will need to take more comfort breaks if the need be -I didn't have a problem except once when no one came to take over from me so I informed a passing manager that I needed an urgent comfort break and she assisted me.

[torcol]

I literally have a bucket with a supply of trash bags in my trunk! Just in case and piece of mind! Knowing it’s there really eliminates about three quarters of my anxiety. I keep a couple rolls of t. paper, a small can of deodorizer and wet wipes in a cute little bag in the back seat. I also wear a depends when leaving. No one knows but me anyway and if it makes me feel more secure I’m all in. Have lost all concern for what other people may think. That alone has been a big step forward in having less anxiety and IBS symptoms. I believe it is a 90 percent self inflicted disease that the mind controls. No worries, no bathroom hurries!

[Terriblytired in reply to torcol]

I think you may have missed a bit of text, where you talk about, I always wear a depends when leaving? I'm not sure it's 90 % self inflicted. I believe the mind makes things a lot worse, and also depends on your symptoms, each person is different

[sweetsusie in reply to torcol]

Tell your doctor to let you try either Welchol or Colestipol. I take Colestipol (5 tabs a day) and both of these drugs will stop diarrhea in it's dirty, rotten tracks! Hope you can get your doctor to prescribe either one of these for you...here in the US, Colestipol is much less expensive than Welchol...good luck....

[Terriblytired in reply to sweetsusie]

Thanks for the advice, I will speak to my doctors

[sweetsusie in reply to Terriblytired]

There's also Questran! They're all good.

[sreed49]

I have suffered myself with IBS for over 20 years. Nothing seemed to help. I got a Radar Key so I can access disabled toilets in pubs and at the station. I have to travel for an hour in the mornings to work in London. I would go at least 6 times in a hour before leaving home and then either stop off at the doctors or just make it to the station where I could use their toilet. I was a miserable existence I have to say. Couldn't enjoy parties or bbq's as I couldn't eat the food and the alcohol would cause issues. Sometimes I'd have to run to the nearest toilet and wouldn't always make it. I had a change of clothes in my desk draw, just in case. No one seemed to understand how much anxiety and stress it all caused me. Finally I decided to see a specialist. He did scans and colonoscopy and gastroscopy and found nothing. He then suggested I try a medical powder called Questran Light. I was to take it 3 times a day but ended up taking it (in water) 2 times a day and after a day or two I found I could go to the toilet properly. I have been on this for about 3 months and in that time I have only had 3 accidents and this is due to not eating properly, so my fault. The Questran Light is linked to Gastric Acid Malabsorption or another name for it is Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM). This I am very happy to say, has worked for me. I now don't have the worry and looking for toilets or worrying about what I'm eating. I still take Imodium but it is becoming less often. My anxiety and stressing about it has also subsided so everything is happier for me. I hope, maybe, this may help and give you the push to maybe go and see a professional and ask about it. You may not have BAM but if you do it may just help you. Here is a link that can tell you more about BAM. Good luck. healthline.com/health/bile-...

[sweetsusie in reply to sreed49]

Yes!! Questran is another bile acid sequestrant that stops diarrhea!! I don't understand why more doctors do not prescribe these meds (Welchol and Colestipol) for diarrhea! Just blows my mind!

[Terriblytired in reply to sreed49]

I have had ibs for over 20 years as well and have seen all the specialist and has all the tests, nothing has ever helped me. I will look into what you have suggested, thanks for your help

[sweetsusie]

Tell your doctor to let you try either Welchol or Colestipol. I take Colestipol (5 tabs a day) and both of these drugs will stop diarrhea in it's dirty, rotten tracks! Hope you can get your doctor to prescribe either one of these for you...here in the US, Colestipol is much less expensive than Welchol...good luck....

[Merth83]

My commute is about 45 minutes each way and my IBS-D usually revs up around the time I'm getting ready to leave my house. I'll usually take at least one Imodium before I leave (after I've had some kind of BM), and then take another if I still have to go when I get to work. I never leave home without my Imodium. Maybe you could figure out a few bathroom options on your route just in case you have to get to one quickly. You'll know in advance where they are so you won't have to worry about it.

[Terriblytired in reply to Merth83]

Thanks for the advice, I'm going to have to do a trip before I start there and scope out all my options on the way

[Merth83 in reply to Terriblytired]

That's a great idea! Practice the drive, figure out the best way to get there with the easiest access to bathrooms if needed. And try not to freak yourself out too much about it, because we all know that anxiety just exacerbates our IBS flare ups. It's a vicious cycle!