# Traveling with ibs /d



## 13752 (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi Everyone,I have had ibs-d for about 8 years now most of the time I have it under control [ alot better then when I first got it ] but it still plays games in my head on a daily basis I have to know where a toilet is I try to avoid doing things where Im not in control I meet people at places rather then travel with them I dont travel on planes, busess, or trains you probaley already understand if you are reading thisMy problem is that I love to snow ski and decided to after many years of thinking about it booked a two week trip to Japan which will intail trips on planes and busess the plane has toilets [which you can't use all the time] and the bus has no toilet, I feel like I will be fine once I am there but am worried about all the traveling, its only 4 weeks till I fly out and my anxitey is starting to go through the roof, I have a real fear of having an attack [crapping my pants in a lot of pain] on the plane or the bus in front of 50 or 300 peopleJust wondering if anyone can give me some tips on traveling and how they deal with this wonderfull syndromeThanks


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## jasonibs9 (Dec 1, 2008)

i can relate to you 100% . I have backed out of quite a few vacations with my wife in the last minute because I feared being stuck on a plane being sick like this. One trip was a 5 hour flight to Hawaii and I remembered being only 2 hours into the flight and I suddenly had an ibs attack. Luckily the longer the flight , the bigger the plane so that also means .... more restrooms available. So if your trip is to Japan , there will be more restrooms on the plane then you think , and if you occupy one for a long time , they won't come banging down the door... I miss not being able to travel because of my anxiety and not being able to "get over there" to the destination.


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## jerry1127 (Jan 6, 2009)

I can relate to your situation 100 %. I am so afraid that I am scare even for a trip to out of city or state, not to mention to other countries. I admire your courage. Last time I went to San Dime California for few days. I ate very light meal ( almost nothing )few days before the trip and took Immodium AD the day before my trip and in the morning the day of my trip. Also, just in case, I packed an extra underpant in my carry on luggage and wore an adult diaper. I understand it may not help alot when it attacks but with this precaution, psychologically my mind felt more relaxing. Hope this helps. Good luck on your trip.


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## baz22p (Dec 1, 2008)

Hi, what a problem this is! All my car journeys are organised around toilet locations, and I dare not risk public transport yet, so I appreciate your problem 100% too. Anyhow, my suggestion is very similar to that given by 'jerry1127' - take an emergency clean up kit with you. This comprises of a clean pair of underwear, a packet of babywipes, and a disposable bag (doggie poo bag is good). You can add other things, like rubber gloves or antiseptic wipes if you like. Obviously, this doesn't stop an IBS d attack, but it gives you the confidence of knowing you can cope and rectify things should the worst happen.Good luck and enjoy your trip.Baz


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## Gboy (Jan 8, 2009)

I take a handful of imoduim before i go, and if i get a attack while traveling i always have imoduims with me. its not the best, but i find it works.


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## Selkie (Jan 9, 2009)

Hi Dood,I completely understand your dilema. I am 25 and have IBS-D, and on a stressful day (for example, when I need to travel) I need to rush to the toilet up to 6 times a day. I, however, managed to go travelling around Europe backpacking for 6 months. The two things that allowed me to do this with no embarrasing accidents were Imodium and a very understanding boyfriend.If I take 2 imodium just before I go to bed then I have no D the next day (i actually don't go to the toilet the next day at all, it blocks me up). It has to be the night before though, if I take Imodium when I get up in the morning it doesn't seem to start working until the afternoon and by then its too late. If I take 2 imodium before I go to bed every night then my body gets into a pattern of doing a really healthy-looking poo everynight and nothing at all through the day. Perfect!Imodium just doesn't really work for me if I take it during the day for some reason.The other thing I had trouble with when travelling was panic attacks. I get these if I think I am going to be somewhere at any point without a toilet eg. on a bus, these panic attacks cause me to get D and I have to get to a toilet within a couple of minutes, but if I have taken Imodium the night before I can have a panic attack without getting D. My boyfriend is also a godsend in these situations, he gives me a big cuddle which calms me down and stops the attack before it gets a hold of me.Try taking a couple of imodium one night a couple of weeks before you go and see how you are the next day. If it works as well for you as it does for me then you'll be able to travel with no problems.Good luck and have a wonderful time.


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## jerry1127 (Jan 6, 2009)

Selkie,I agree. Immodium seems to work only if you take it 3 - 4 hours ago...... I always take one the day before the event and one in the morning of the day of the event and it seems working nicely, I guess people like us have to be more careful about the timing,........


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## 13752 (Jan 21, 2006)

Thankyou for your comments and your idears I think I will try a combination of them all !!! I really think the problem is in my head alot more them in my bowl these days, when I first got ibs I had -d realy bad to the point where I had trouble leaving the house and going to work, these days I do feel a bit twingge in the stomach most mornings but by afternoon i'm mostly ok, I maybe hav an attack once a month now, but I know everday that I hav ibs. I lost my girfriend of 1 year about three months ago my ibs and anxeity was so much better when I was with her I would do alot more things go out and do stuff, but now I'm feeling I'm slipping back to my old ways always thinking about my ibs and being negitive and isolating myself.Anyway am going to try and be positive about my trip I have been wanting to go for 4 yearsThanks Selkie for your imodium advice and sharing your traveling experiences


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## Selkie (Jan 9, 2009)

You're right about being positive, its easy to say and hard to do but if I'm worried or anxious then my IBS is 10 times worse, if I manage to have a day when I'm at home and hardly think about it then I don't get an attack whereas if I have to go out and do something where there might not be a toilet around then I may have to rush to the loo 4 or 5 times within a couple of hours and I can't leave the house. Its not fair is it!Something that helps me a lot when I'm on public transport is trying to go to sleep. A fact of IBS is that you don't have attacks when you're asleep (if you do then you have a different problem, not IBS). If I even just lay my head back and close my eyes and think about sleeping then my stomach immediately settles down and I don't have an attack. Weird isn't it! But do try it! When I'm travelling with friends they think I just fall asleep everytime I get in a car or on a bus or plain but I'm mostly just pretending! But it seems to trick my body so give it a go! Also try some meditation techniques while sitting with your eyes closed if you can't sleep and it will relax you, if you're not in a panic you'll probably not get an attack.I'll be thinking of you, good luck!Please let us all know how you got on when you get back and if you discover anything that works for you.


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## 13752 (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks Selkie once again you do have some good ideas, I was thinking about what you said about mayb trying to sleep, while traveling I dont think I will be able to sleep but I do have a meditation cd and some head phones so I will take that with me as well, I will sent you a message when I get back and let you know how the trip went, the place where Im going is called Niseko I reckon I will have a blast even if I do have the odd bad day. Just A quick question do you take calcuim I have for about 3 years now it has helped heaps with my /d


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## Selkie (Jan 9, 2009)

I did try taking calcium for a month or so but as with most things it worked for the first three days and then seemed to have no effect at all. But I might try again because it seems to have helped a lot of people.


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## baz22p (Dec 1, 2008)

Hi, I, too, would like to second what Selkie says about IBS activity when asleep - being asleep is the only time I am free of IBS. I realse it is not always possible to sleep on public transport, but the idea of relaxing/meditating is an excellent one. Any steps you can take that helps alleviate stress can only be good.Baz


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## Lady M Holder (Jul 7, 2004)

I travel once a month for a 7 hour round trip by airplane. I, too, am afraid to having an accident. I usually don't eat 18 hours before the flight and the day of the flight. Also, I start taking Immodium two days before and the morning of the flight. I also take a calming medication since I tend to panic on airplanes. My doctor has prescribed Lorazepam. It is a God-send! Unfortunately, I have found stress and anxiety make things worse for me. I always keep a travel size baby wipes, extra underwear, and pants with me on the plane. Best of luck!


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## 13752 (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks mgritter, bazz22p,Thanks for your helpful advise and yes I will be taking a spare pair of undies !!!!!!! I went and saw my doctor a couple of days ago and asked him about my anxiety [about craping my pants on a bus or plane you get the idea ) and he gave me some xanax to calm me down for when i'm traveling, I gave them a trial run and they helped heaps with my anxiety and my ibs its a shame they are such a addictive drug but it does prove to me that ibs is brain related as well as gut I will let you know how the holiday goes, not sure if I can post Photo's


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