When you live with irritable bowel syndrome, you might feel like your illness limits your potential.
No one wants to worry about IBS symptoms like bloating, constipation and diarrhea at home, let alone another city or country.
But with planning, resolve, and a dose of courage, it’s possible for you to explore unfamiliar places despite your illness. Here a few tips for traveling with IBS.
1. Avoid surprises by doing research
If you’re taking a vacation, pick a spot that you think you’ll enjoy. For someone with IBS – an illness that can be triggered by stress – a week in one relaxing locale might be better than a whirlwind tour.
And if your trip is more business than pleasure, spend some time looking at travel advisories. The Centers for Disease Control website has a travelers’ health section that contains a wealth of information for travelers of all sorts.
People who are traveling with IBS should try to give themselves enough time to arrive at their destinations, which will keep stress to a minimum.
A few questions to get answered before your trip:
- Does the place you’re staying have a refrigerator where you can store your own snacks?
- Will you be able to request special meals in hotels, restaurants or on your plane? What’s on the menu at the hotel?
- Will they let you check in early and check out late?
- Are there grocery stores nearby?
When you’re traveling with IBS, the only surprises you want are pleasant ones.
2. Determine the bathroom situation
Are you traveling by bus? If so, will the bus have a toilet? Will your flight have restrictions on when passengers can leave their seats?
You may feel more comfortable driving to your destination to ensure you can stop as often as you need. If flying is your only option, you may want to try for a seat close to a bathroom.
3. Know the language
It’s always good to know a few key phrases when traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language. But when you’re traveling with IBS, there are some other things you should learn how to say, such as “Where is the bathroom?” or “Can you make this without [insert the food you can’t eat]?”
4. Remember your essentials
When you pack for your trip, be sure to include your medication, fiber supplement, bottled water and snacks. Keep these things in a carry-on bag, in case the rest of your luggage is lost. Have you doctor’s contact information handy, along with a list of places you can get medical treatment during your trip.
5. Medicate early
When traveling with IBS, it may be wise to take medications such as Imodium to prevent diarrhea, provided that you know you can handle it (anti-diarrheal drugs can make some people constipated). Keep your medications close, seeing as how you won’t be able to purchase any on a plane or train.
6. Stay hydrated
It’s easy to become dehydrated when you travel, especially on airplanes. When you don’t get enough hydration, you risk becoming constipated. And if you suffer from regular diarrhea, you’ll need water to replenish fluids.
7. Try to stay on a meal schedule
If you can, eat the same number of meals each day, and the same serving amounts. Bring healthy snacks with you if you can, and resign yourself to the fact that you may not be able to experiment with new foods. If you decide to try a new cuisine, do so in small doses.
8. Confide in your fellow travelers
Dealing with IBS is stressful enough. Don’t compound your anxiety by keeping it a secret. All you need to do is say something like “I have a digestive disorder, and sometimes I get sick when I travel. I may need to spend more time in the bathroom, and watch what I eat.”
People are generally helpful and understanding. You might even find that someone traveling with you is also traveling with IBS.
If you’re concerned about an IBS flare up on your next trip, make sure you’ve packed products from Proper Nutrition. Our natural supplements use bioactive peptides to help combat the effects of digestive issues such as IBS.
