Travelling, constipation & diarrhoea straight after....

[DeeDee412]

I have IBS, and I think I know WHY my body has done this but I worry about being ill whilst abroad like mad.

I flew yesterday of which I was extremely nervous for as I hate flying. I managed to pass something on the plane itself but it was difficult to. I then haven’t passed anything for about 2 days until now where I THOUGHT I just had wind but the pain got excruciating and I decided to try on the loo. Managed to pass a normal stool and then straight after comes the dreaded intensified diarrhoea and cramping. When it’s bad it’s honestly just like doing a wee out your bum (sorry that is SO tmi 😭😂) but now I’m so worried thinking what if it’s a bug but I’m trying to rationalise myself with the fact it’s been high level stress, change of scenery and constipation before?

My IBS is usually extreme diarrhoea side of things rather than being constipated. I get these random attacks and it causes so much anxiety.

[juniepoonie]

Hi Dee this sounds exactly same as me l get ultra anxious on hols an before with travelling. I have allblike you have said If l get constipated for few days l will get pain cramps keep passing hard poo then explosions of loose bm. Tonight l have bin like this. I’m on hols next week an lm thinking how to get through it!! I always take loperamide for travel hope yr ok tomorrow lm sure you will be xx

[dinghy]

I am an anxious and nervous traveller DeeDee412 and can relate to your experience. I have found the only way i can cope is to take between 1 and 2 tablespoons of silicolgel each day before during and for couple of days after travelling. It helps provide the physical and emotional support i need to manage. I am also in peri-menopause and since adding in the symptoms that start coming with these years, i've found it a little easier to manage because i think the peri-menopause hormonal changes are making me a little constipated and so that, combined with taking silicolgel makes the travel part easier to bear but, on occasion, i then get the bowel emptying you describe. It's usually manageable though but nothing alarming, just a period of discomfort and then back to normal. I hope you find some measures to help you but i feel with IBS it's a 'horses for courses' and you have to find the route that works for you. Good luck. If you want to try silicolgel you can buy it airside in Boots - i've found it there before but i also decant some into a travel-sized container before i travel. It doesn't need refrigerating so it's quite good at travelling!