# IBS in the Car



## Guest (Nov 6, 2001)

Hello, I'm new here and 20 years old. I have just recently been diagnosed with IBS, but have been dealing with it for about a year. My question is about how you have dealt with having IBS while driving. I have to drive at least 1 and a half hours a day. To work and school and daycare. Long portions of the routes I take have no restrooms ( I have found a porta potty on the way to work ). It takes me twice as long to get places than it did before I was sick. I make at least one stop everywhere I go. The only things I do now that kinda help is chain smoke and listen to the radio.Does anyone else have this problem... or hopefully a more reasonable solution?ThanksKelli


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## Tamgirl21 (Sep 2, 2001)

Oh geez, I used to have the same problem before I went to work. I worked the 9-5, had to deal with traffic and I worked an hour away from home. There were many times I had to pull over at like McDonalds or a diner and call in to work either sick or late. I finally realized that if I got up an hour or 45 minutes earlier and managed to eat breakfast and go to the bathroom before I went to work/school, I would make the drive and have a decent day. Mornings are the worst for my IBS. I always try to drink peppermint tea with my breakfast and that helps for me. Good luck!!!


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2001)

Eating breakfast actually helped you survive the morning?!?I've been skipping breakfast for so long now that I can't really remember why. I know that it probably had something to do with IBS though.What kind of things do you eat for breakfast?


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## atp (Jan 18, 2001)

I eat some good cereal for breakfast (something with fiber and other good stuff in it, not junky cereal) and it seems like that gets things moving sometimes. I also eat oatmeal some mornings. Whether it's all-out D in the morning or just a soft BM, having that out of the gut makes a further attack less lengthy. I don't specifically eat the cereal for this effect, but it is something I've noticed. Of course, this is something that is good for mornings when I'm not rushing out out the door.I did notice during a period when my IBS-D was really bad that not eating for too long didn't help things. I'm better off eating some safe food like applesauce or yogurt.Some C-types report that a cigarette helps them go because of the stimulant effect. I'm not a smoker, so I don't know how hard reducing your cigarettes would be, but finding another way of relieving stress could help you avoid attacks on the way to work as well.


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## kinetic (Oct 19, 2001)

yikes... chain smoking??? eeks... smoking was one of the major triggers for me with IBS attacks... it got so bad that avter 2 drags I'd already have the urge to run for the bathroom, and finally got to the point where I couldn't even smoke a full cigarette without having to put it out... it may not be bothering you much now... it didn't have much effect for me at first, but gradually caused more and more problems... so I would highly encourage you to cut back or quit if you can... as for food... I've noticed for me the more I skip eating, the more I get sick... but also if I eat a lot at one time... i get sick too... the best solution i've found is to basically snack all day... eat lots of small meals and snacks periodically throughout the day so you don't ever shock your system with a lot of food to digest at once, but keep a steady supply so you have enough energy... I don't eat much in the mornings... mostly because I'm just not as hungry then, but bagels are usually what I opt for when I do... or else oatmeal is something I've been trying lately... I used to hate it, but now i kinda like it







i personally don't eat cereal much at all anymore, because milk has become something my body doesn't like anymore... one of the few things that I can't get away with often... basically find some simple food that agrees with you well for breakfast, and eat several small meals throughout the day...good luck! =)


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## atp (Jan 18, 2001)

I guess I should mention that I eat my cereal dry... no milk. I occassionally put some vanilla rice milk on it if I'm eating it as a snack at night. I forget that eating cereal means eating cereal with milk for most people







I've always preferred mine dry. I have problems with milk too.


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## Tamgirl21 (Sep 2, 2001)

Hi there! I normally eat breakfast or else I will feel bloated all day. I usually eat something bland like an English muffin with a little butter and I have to have my Peppermint tea. It really helps me and to get things moving! My IBS mainly consists of abdominal cramping and G, so if I don't start my morning right, the rest of the day sux. Thats just me though.


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## kinetic (Oct 19, 2001)

ah ok... cereal without milk is fine, and yeah i guess I automatically assumed you used milk... my bad =P I should actually try the peppermint tea again... they have it at work (and it's free) so that might be a good thing for me to drink when i get there... since I've started to have a few very minor problems again in the last couple days since starting the new job... I used to eat a lot of altoids (the cinnamon ones... they're still made with peppermint oil though) and they seemed to help some too so I'll prolly go back to that... but they're soooo addicting.... like candy


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## NZChick (Nov 19, 2001)

Hi. My friend is an occupational therapist and they can teach you how to train your muscles to hold on (if you don't have any available toilets). A combination of this and rationalising (hypnosis or councilling) has really helpedme. I get up early enough to have the last minute dash for the loo after breakie. Never skip breakie or meals (snacking can be good) as the acid in your empty tummy takes over to combat the lack of food which in turn makes you sick. Hope this helps..at one stage in life I could'nt make it the 1/2 hour trip to work in my car and now I feel completely safe taking the bus!


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