# Budget travel and IBS-- advice? Is it even possible?



## polly_wanna_cracker (Aug 13, 2005)

Posted this in the other section but have no idea how to move it over here... sorry for the sort of double post!My IBS has improved a lotover the last 2 or 3 years since the first horrendous symptoms showed up at my doorstep, whcih im so grateful for, but they haven't gone away, for sure. It's still a daily battle. I've got a plane ticket that allows me to travel very cheaply, and i've been wanting to go to NYC for the longest time. Most peeps my age are into the whole student backpacking thing, which is of course an almost impossible dream for someone with IBS. But sigh.. i want to make it work.Things that I have to consider the most are 1) the really long flight hours, jetlag which will undoubtedly kill my system 2) with prices in NYC being what they are, no way I can get a room with an attached bathroom. a private room with a shared bathroom might still be to expensive. I find it difficult to go to public/shared toilets-- even if i get over the embarassment, my system doesn't and kind of tends to shuts down. I don't know-- has anyone here been travelling and actually managed to make it work?


----------



## vikitty (Aug 8, 2007)

I went to NYC this year with my IBS and I found that it's initially hard to get out and enjoy the sights if you're always hurrying for a bathroom. But if you know where you're going (and you'll learn fast!) it's worth the adventure.How long will your flight be? Mine was 4 hours, and it was during the day so the man sitting beside me (on the aisle) was more than happy to let me slip out three times during the flight to use the loo -- he asked me if I get motion sickness at one point and I fibbed and said yes, my stomach just gets upset when I fly. Really, you can't be afraid to ask someone to let you pass -- chances are you'll never see them again, so if they think you're weird for constantly having to use the loo, who cares? Four hour jetlag is really not going to do too much damage - if you find you're hungry at a weird time (for example, our flight landed at midnight and I thought it was 8, meaning I had missed dinner), there are great 24hour delis that are open all night and you can find a good (cheap!) snack. I would really try and get a hotel room in NYC, even if it means budgeting or waiting until you have money to comfortably make the trip. All the hotels are located in places where there is ALWAYS something going on, so even if you spend your entire trip only venturing a few blocks in every way, you will still see SO much! There are lots of 24-hour delis, restaurants, and subway stations that have bathrooms, but of course you should take note of where they are when you first go out, just to be safe. And you can always go back to your hotel and use your own washroom.NYC is so much fun; it's the city that never sleeps, so chances are, neither will you.


----------



## polly_wanna_cracker (Aug 13, 2005)

Thanks so much vkitty!I've been looking at hotels and stuff... man NYC is a killer. I will have to wait several years if I want to be able to afford a hotel room with an attached bathroom... but now just happens to be really the right time and everything to go... damn the IBS... its always just the IBS that makes me reconsider everything...I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay and to hear about the range of actitivies that are available just nearby/in just one area alone w/o having to go to far...My problem is mainly C with bloating and a really uncomfortable feeling if I don't go for the day..


----------



## karen3480 (Apr 11, 2002)

I've never done it but some of these places don't look that bad http://www.hostels.com/en/us.ny.ny.htmlI would take some medicine and just try and focus on how much fun you'll have.


----------



## vikitty (Aug 8, 2007)

Oo, some of those look pretty nice.Nothing beats having your own private bathroom, though. I for one have performance anxiety sometimes and cannot "go" on command if there are other people around.


----------



## Cherrie (Sep 1, 2006)

> Posted this in the other section but have no idea how to move it over here... sorry for the sort of double post!


Hiya, not a problem, I deleted the double post for you Traveling long hours is definitely a challenge, but with some good prep, it can still be do-able. Vikitty and Karen have some great ideas there! I've done it a couple times, although my ibs isn't that severe. How long is your flight? How many hrs' time difference? Are you ibs-d? In that case if immodium works for you, do take it with. If you're like me and can't take imodium, one thing you might want to do is to try some deep breathing -- it takes some of the anxiety away. And try to engage yourself with something, like a book or something. Trying to sleep is also a good idea, as when one is sleeping, the colon kinda sleeps too. I also take some nutrition bars with me so i don't have to eat what they provide on the plane, which is most of the time not something I can eat. If you can, getting an isle seat is a good idea, cos then you'll be able to go without having to get pass another person.Sorry, I'm not sure how to deal with sharing a hotel bathroom -- since I have pretty bad insomnia, plus the ibs stuff, if i stay in a hotel i usually have no choice but to get my own room. Who are you going with? are you going with someone you know? friends? In any case, if you're not comfortable telling them about you ibs, it might be an ok idea to improvise something like, "oh, I must have eaten something bad somewhere and I think I get a stomach bug" or something just in case? Hotel lobbies may have extra restrooms...Hope you'll be able to make the trip.Cherrie


----------



## polly_wanna_cracker (Aug 13, 2005)

Thanks karen, vikitty and cherrie!Well I will be mostly travelling on my own. The flight might be 13 hours at a stretch, I'm not sure, depends which route i take (ouch!). im trying to see if i can scrunch up enough money for somewhere with an attached bathroom but it's unlikely. my problems are mostly IBS C + bloating, once i actually go to the loo im fine, but before that is where the trouble lies...


----------



## vikitty (Aug 8, 2007)

13 hours? Yikes. Definitely look into getting some sort of anti-nausea pill like Gravol that will make you fall asleep. My sister takes it because she gets carsick on long roadtrips, and she's out like a light. Or find a sleeping/drowsy pill--anything that will make you conk out for most of the flight. If you're sleeping, you shouldn't have too much discomfort. And of course, try to get an aisle seat!


----------



## Cherrie (Sep 1, 2006)

13 hrs? Oh my. Does that mean you'll be staying in a couple of airports between switching planes? I hate having to wait at an airport. Take your fave magazine with you may be a good idea. Or if you're in another country, sleeping pill is definitely the way to go. And aisle seat, too.


----------

