# IBS-C and worried about Travelling on a Gap Year



## Nat_evian123 (Jan 5, 2013)

Hello, I am 22 years old and have been suffering with IBS-C since I was about 16. My main problems are stomach pains, extreme bloating and cramps every morning, followed by a long routine of trying to pass stools so that I can start the day. I always thought that no one else had this problem until I found this group (for which I am extremely grateful). It normally takes about half an hour/40 minutes to have a satisfactory bowel movement, but more often than not I still have the feeling of an incomplete bowel movement. I normally have to eat something and drink a coffee to begin the process. Also, whenever I eat anything throughout the day, I often feel that I need to go again and will either have to repeat the routine of waiting on a toilet for about a half hour or if I cannot do this (due to being at work) I just have to force out what I can and spend the rest of the day in discomfort/being extremely bloated until I get home...but I find it very difficult to pass a stool at night. Also if I awake before 9 o'clock, I am normally more constipated than usual and cannot pass anything at all. If I do not have my morning bowel movement, I find it is almost impossible for me to be able to do anything that day due to the pain/bloating/gas.

Until now I have avoided travelling places/restricted holidays and trips because of my problem. But it has always been an ambition of mine to travel and I have gone ahead and booked a ticket to Australia next month to back pack around the east-coast before heading to New Zealand, Fiji and SE Asia. I am excited but mainly worried - I'm starting to wonder how on earth I thought I could do all this travelling when I have such troubles with my bowels... I think it is going to very hard for me to have a bowel movement in public hostel bathrooms as I get very anxious if I think anyone can hear me/know what I am doing! I like to plan my day around when my housemates are already at work/are still asleep so that I can have a bowel movement in peace. This will definitely not be possible when I am living in hostels!

Does anyone have any advice on how to cope with IBS-C when travelling or just generally for when you are in a situation that is different from your normal routine? I have tried changing my diet and different probiotics, pysillium husks, linseed oil, pepper mint capsules, mebeverine, a laxative called 'laxido' and a FODMAP diet....but nothing changed the aforementioned morning routine at all. I gave up on most of these things about a year ago as it was frustrating to not see any results, but I am willing to try any of the above again or anything new to ease my symptons for whilst I am away. It will be harder to control my diet when I am away but I am going to do my best, and if I find any supplements in the next month that ease the process slightly then they are definitely going in my back-pack! I'm aware that most things take a few months to see if they are effective...and that I should have persisted with finding what works for me. But until a few weeks ago when I had booked this ticket, I had almost entirely given my life to my IBS, convincing myself that nothing would work and I would just have to give up on my dream of travelling. I don't want to lose out on wonderful experiences because of my bowels! Thank you for reading, any advice at all will be greatly appreciated.


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## Pepper H (Jan 3, 2013)

Backpacking. That's brave.

I've been travelling a bit even since I've got IBS (A) and if you are correctly cautious, it can go very well. However, the very idea of backpacking just made my gut shiver - but that's because I'm one of those who often have to make a run for the bathroom.

Are you travelling alone? If you are, then you don't have to arrange your schedule to suit your companions. So if you have to take some extra time in the morning, you can take it.

If you're not on your own, then maybe you could consider telling the others about your problem. You don't have to go to far into details. You can just say that you've got a condition that causes terrible pain, with no cure yet, and would they please be kind enough to wait if you're late in the morning, because you're not doing it on purpose, you're in pain.

Concerning the bathroom, nothing beats an ensuite room, obviously. I usually travel with my sister and we get that kind of room, so I can just tell her that if she's gonna need the bathroom now's the time, before I lock myself up.

But when there's none, it can't be helped of course. But anxiety while in the bathroom would only make it worse, so all I can suggest would be to train when you still don't have much pressure on you: go to the closest public toilets as often as you can and exercise not feeling scared there. It can be embarrassing but it's not the end of the world, and try telling yourself you'll survive some strangers hearing you're in the bathroom.

Be very careful about what you eat, but I'm just stating the obvious. I've never been to Australia and S-E Asia before, but I've been N-E Asia, South Korea more specifically, and that's where I had the less severe IBS pain while travelling EVER. I think it was because of the food. They eat rice, fresh vegetables, and if you avoid the very greasy (but delicious) meat, then you feel GREAT. Also, I stayed in a hotel for at least 3 nights in a row each time, so my habits didn't get all messed up.

The key to travelling well with IBS is to take it easy - just as everyday life, really. If you need an extra hour in the morning, take it. Take some extra money with you just in case you would be too sick for hostels and needed a real hotel room for a change - you never know. You can travel, you can discover awesome things! you just have to be careful and not think of your body as a machine. If you take enough care of yourself, then it will be alright.

Since I've had IBS, I've spent a year living in the UK (I'm French), I've been to Ireland, to Scotland, Wales, southern and northern Italy, travelling all over France, and I've even been to South Korea - and my IBS is just as severe as everyone's here. So don't panic. You can do it.

Enjoy your trip


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## Nat_evian123 (Jan 5, 2013)

Thanks for your reply Pepper! Yeah I am going on my own, I have a friend coming to meet up with me 3 months in but she is very understanding of my condition. You're right the anxiety makes the constipation so much worse! I'm gonna try the going in public bathroom idea... but even the thought makes me nervous, better get used to it!

Money is a bit of a problem as I am on quite a tight budget, but I will definitely check into a proper hotel for night here and there if I'm really struggling. I really appreciate your reply, it has given me some confidence and hope. I don't usually have to run to the toilet, for me it is more of a slow and painful trip haha. Do you also have a long morning routine? If so, have you found a way to ease this slightly?


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## Pepper H (Jan 3, 2013)

I don't have any specific morning routine, except maybe never go too far from the bathroom after breakfast for at least one hour. My problem is that I never know if I'm going to have IBS D or C, so I tend to change my schedule every now and then so I don't end up trapped in a routine and start panicking and being sick if I can't do it for some reason.

On a trip, my main concern is that I might - at ANY time - need to make a run for the toilet, but I can also keep fearing it for days before it actually happens. Since C is less of a bother than D, I usually don't worry too much if nothing happens if I try to go. However, and I hope this can help you, when I don't have a choice I sometimes have to use glycerin suppositories (I'm using the general plural here, one is enough!) which are a lot less irritating than the laxatives you have to digest, and work faster too.(You can probably find some at Boots, where I live they're quite cheap.) I really don't like it when I have to do that but I don't always have a choice, for instance when I take the train or a plane, I just know I will have D minutes before boarding, but I'm actually boarding the plane/taking the train so I can't go, and the pain is a lot more bearable if I've been to the toilet before. That could be a solution for you if your morning routine gets messed up on the trip - but you need to be careful not to overuse it, because we are always at risk of losing our natural habits, especially with IBS.

On your trip, be careful to get enough sleep. Sleep helps digestion, but if you travel when tired you will probably be more sensitive to pain and your stomach will make you wish you had slept... Also, walk a lot. When I went to South Korea I used to walk about 2 to 4 miles a day! (...until I dropped dead and taxi-ed back to the hotel)


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## Nat_evian123 (Jan 5, 2013)

I have never tried glycerin suppositories, I think it might be a good idea for me to take a few with me for days when it is really bad - thanks for your advice. It's nice to speak to someone who understands how difficult planning a trip can be when you have far from regular bowels!


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