# Travel Tips



## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

I am going out of town next weekend. I will be in the car for at least 5 hours Friday and then again on Sunday when I come home. I am worried about how to eat the entire weekend. I can't screw this up. My fiance' is really looking forward to this weekend trip and I will feel awful if I have to spend it in a hotel or sick the whole time. Any suggestions on what to eat and how to keep my anxiety about this down will be much appreciated.


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## laurenbetcher (Feb 13, 2013)

Bring some of your own snacks so when you are at a location that makes it difficult for you to find acceptable foods you don't make a bad choice. I carry some bars that at least buy me some time to get to a grocery store. I've also found that most restaurants are accomodating. I've ordered plain grilled fish/chicken, plain baked potato...


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

I don't eat meat, but thanks for all the suggestions. If anyone else has any that would be great to. I have never taken Imodium to prevent an attack. I have always just taken it after having D. Does anyone have any information on taking Imodium to prevent an attack?


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## rmiller1985 (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi psychgirl823,

I took Immodium (one milligram, or one half-tablet) twice a day for over a year. One in the morning when I got up, and one in the evening sometime after dinner and before bedtime. It helped a great deal: I estimate that it cut my symptoms down around 80%. I don't know what your situation is, so can't recommend a dose, you'd have to experiment.

I don't know what your reasons are for not eating meat, but I'd like to recommend that you consider it. I was a vegetarian for over 20 years, and while I don't believe that vegetarianism caused my current condition, I do believe that it wasn't doing me any favors. For my take on the need to start eating meat again after over 20 years, please take a look at the early posts in the blog that I started when I was about to go on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet: http://omnivoreoncemore.blogspot.com (of course, you're welcome to read later posts as well!). If it was just a matter of longevity, I'd stay on a vegetarian diet, as I'm not interested in being responsible or partially responsible for the death of another creature just so I can have a meal; but since this condition is affecting my quality of life so dramatically, I find I need to make a different choice. Although the results are mixed so far (which I understand is normal), I believe that the SCD is helping me, and that my body is responding positively to a meat-based diet; unless you're already certain that this approach would not work for you (tried it before, etc.), I'd urge you to get Elaine Gottschall's book, "Breaking the Vicious Cycle," and seriously consider trying the diet.

While it is certainly possible to eat a nutritionally balanced vegetarian diet, for some of us it's not about nutrition, it's about digestion.

Best of luck,

Rich


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Thank you so much for the suggestion and information. I can guarantee you that I am never going to eat meat again. I find it morally wrong, but I also just find it disgusting. I realize I have some work to do in order to get a healthy balanced diet, but I know it will never include meat. Thanks again.


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## CaitlinD (Apr 8, 2012)

My doctor has had me taking Imodium for a while now and it has really helped me, more than my bentyl ever did! I take one pill right before I eat and will sometimes take another after eating if I think I might need to. Just keep track of your bowel movements, the last thing you want is to then deal with constipation on top of your anxiety over the weekend!


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Since I have only taken Imodium after an attack I am not sure what to do. Usually after an attack of 3 times diarrhea I will take 2 Imodium and be fine for the rest of the day. The only problem is that I usually don't eat very much for the next few days and then I get a little constipated for a few days. I am starting to get very anxious about leaving tomorrow morning. I keep telling myself that I am okay and if something happens I will just have to deal with it, but so far that is not putting me at ease. I seriously will never forgive myself if I ruin this weekend for my fiance.


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## shelivin (Aug 8, 2013)

hi due to my ibs d i couldnt fly on holiday with my husband and son a few weeks bk id got myself in such a state before worrying bout the what if's i actually made myself worse .i know its hard not to worry !i was devestated and begged my husband and son to still go ,thank god they did .2 days later i thought right im booking a flight and im going . i suffer panic attacks also and never been an airport or flew anywhere on my own before . i took 2 imodium 1hr after i got up on the morning i was leaving then 2 more 3hrs after .i managed to do the 1.5 hr journey to airport the 2 hrs in the airport and the 3hr flight plus half hr transfer to the resort all by myself and my stomach was fine was bit iffy the next day but i got there ! sometimes its the worrying about it that actually sets it off .hope you ok and have a good trip i totaly understand !


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Just an update to my original post. I made it through the weekend and I didn't ruin it for my fiance so that makes me very happy. I did it by mostly avoiding food. Honestly over the course of the entire weekend I might have had enough food to make up an entire meal. This has me worried. I am obviously continuing to lose weight because I am not eating enough, but I am afraid that eating will cause diarrhea. So I feel like I am back at square one. I have to try and do better this week. I guess right now my goal is eating no matter what the outcome. Thanks for all the suggestions and support. I really appreciate it!


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## rmiller1985 (Sep 13, 2011)

psychgirl823 said:


> Just an update to my original post. I made it through the weekend and I didn't ruin it for my fiance so that makes me very happy. I did it by mostly avoiding food. Honestly over the course of the entire weekend I might have had enough food to make up an entire meal. This has me worried. I am obviously continuing to lose weight because I am not eating enough, but I am afraid that eating will cause diarrhea. So I feel like I am back at square one. I have to try and do better this week. I guess right now my goal is eating no matter what the outcome. Thanks for all the suggestions and support. I really appreciate it!


Hi psychgirl823,

Congrats on making it through the weekend! I'm glad to hear it went well, albeit with very little food.

Your story concerns me for several reasons:


You're right, you can't keep "not eating." It's just not healthy. Have you been working with a gastroenterologist to try to determine the cause of your IBS-D? You really need to get all of the stool tests for parasites and pathogens, and a colonoscopy to look for evidence of Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and other forms of IBD. If those all come out negative, I highly recommend getting a hydrogen breath test to check for SIBO. My gastroenterologist found the results of my breath test "borderline," but I'm convinced at this point that I had a long-standing case of SIBO.
I know that you're a vegetarian, and I understand your reasons, as they sound like they are very similar to my reasons for being a vegetarian for over 20 years. I'm not going to tell you that "you have to eat meat," or "you have to change your values." But I would like to encourage you to dig deeper into what your food choices might be doing to your gut. Specifically, how either complex carbohydrates, or FODMAPs, may be feeding bad bacteria in your gut, thereby continuing to damage it and preventing it from healing. I highly recommend Elaine Gottschall's book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle"; there are lots of online resources for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, but only by reading the book will all the reasons for the diet make sense. Deciding to try the diet might not mean reverting to eating meat: in the book, Elaine writes, "As is advisable for all people, a daily diet should consist of a variety of foods: vegetables, fruits, cheeses, nuts, and some animal products. However, if one desires a diet without animal products, it is possible to eliminate them. The many essential nutrients which one gives up when on a strict vegetarian diet must be considered. It is beyond the scope of this book to include lists of foods which are rich in iron and B12, two nutrients which are difficult to get in a strict vegetarian diet, and it is the responsibility of those who choose vegetarianism to see that other foods replace the nutrients given up when one eliminates animal products. Since soy products, including tofu, are not permitted on the diet, it will be very difficult, but possible, for a strict vegetarian to obtain sufficient nutrients and calories." Unfortunately, I tried the SCD as a vegetarian, and it didn't work for me; that may be because of the way I went about it, or because my body works better on a meat-based diet, or for some other reason, I don't know. But every body is different, and it may work for you without meat. At the very least, you should read everything you can online about FODMAPs, and perhaps attempt a low-FODMAP diet first.
I'm really glad that this past weekend was a good one. But your fear about "ruining" it for your fiancé is worrisome. Does he know that you have a chronic condition? If not, you really need to tell him! If he loves you, he should be more than understanding, and be willing to help in any way he can: both in terms of finding a solution, and in terms of understanding how to deal with the symptoms on an ongoing basis. Obviously, I don't know either one of you, and maybe there's no problem there at all. I'd just hate for you to end up with a problem later on down the road, after getting married, that you may have been able to deal with now.

Cheers,

Rich


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Thanks for all the information. I do have a GI so no worries there. My not eating is more psychological than the IBS. I just usually let the fear of having a problem over rule my need to eat, but I'm working on that and hopefully with some time will get over it. I understand what your saying about the diet, but I will just be honest and tell you I am not going to eat meat. I will check the other stuff out and see if it is a good fit for me. As for the fiance situation he is very supportive. I just didn't want to ruin the weekend out of my own guilt. We have missed out on a lot of things so I just wanted him to have a weekend he could enjoy himself and not worry about me. Thanks again!


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

When I travel, I eat carefully the day or so prior so as not to cause any trouble. Then, I increase the imodium/how often I take it. I've take 12 a day in the past, so I usually take 1 tablet 3 times per day when traveling (flights, etc). Then, I eat carefully. Ask for my foods unseasoned if possible, eat only cooked vegs, baked potatoes, sourdough breads. Avoid fats. You can usually get a diet vegetable soup and roll when dining out, or grilled chicken and baked sweet potato--actually many choices. foods when in the air is usually pretzels or saltines, only water.


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## chicken-licken (Aug 11, 2011)

I know I'm new to this conversation, but I just wanted to say well done to psychgirl for surviving the weekend!

And for all the tips for travelling with D. I'm going on hol with the boyfriend's family in a few weeks, and I'm stupidly terrified. I need to travel by car (a huge stress trigger!) to the airport the day before (about 2 hours), they stay overnight as we have an early flight the next day (about 3/4 hr flight). Then a 2 hour transfer the other end (why the hell did I sign up to this?!). I like the sound of taking Immodiums before and during the travel, they normally work quite well for calming my stomach (and consequently my head!). My boyfriend is amazing when it comes to be being ill, he is really supportive. But being with his family too is scaring me as I don't want to look stupid and keep having to stop or have an accident. And food, I'm cutting out gluten and dairy, which makes eating out pretty restricting. Fortunately (not for them, obviously) another person going is coeliac so I won't be the only one!

Sorry for the long rant, It's just I'm getting more scared the closer it gets! I really want to go (we have our own jacuzzi!), but I can't survive the whole week on little food. If anyone has any other tips they would be gratefully received


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## radonskies (Aug 8, 2013)

I sometimes will take IMmodium before a long car or plane trip, but also have had some luck taking ginger capsules or motion sickness meds in addition to eating very carefully. Usually the combination of both immodium and ginger or motion sickness helps me with travel stress.


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## psychgirl823 (Jun 3, 2013)

Hey Chicken-licken I would try small amounts of the Imodium and try and eat small amounts of things you know you can tolerate. Just be aware of your body and try to relax as much as you can. Thanks for the support you gave me. I appreciate and I will be here for you.


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## chicken-licken (Aug 11, 2011)

Thanks psychgirl, much appreciated!









Plans have been changed, we're now leaving at 2am instead of staying overnight, which I can't decide if its better or worse! At least its less time to freak out, and maybe I can grab some sleep in the car or something. I guess snacks like dry biscuits would be ok. As much as I complain I am looking forward to the hol, we aren't planning on doing much apart from chilling out, so maybe its what I need! Fingers crossed I don't freak out before hand and not go haha!


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## Ans Rocky (Aug 18, 2013)

Dear

taking medicines like escitaloplasm also went to any psychologist for your anxiety if you left untreated this then you will have many problems

and about food don't take chicken eat fresh vegetables remember this you can also tell me about your problems by sending messages in my profile

OK take care


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