IBS on the plane?
I went on a vacation, just got back yesterday. Only a 3-hour plane journey. But I had terrible IBS both times, even though I only ate very little before we boarded, nothing spicy or anything like that. And I had a bottle of water with me so that's all I had to drink, no carbonated drinks or anything.
But on the journey there I was so constipated and had to visit the toilet a few times. I didn't want to take anything for it like laxatives or anything as I don't like to take things like that when travelling in case it causes me to need the toilet more or something.
Then on the journey back I wasn't constipated but developed terrible wind that I had to hold in because it would have been not only embarrassing but also unpleasant to let out. But it was uncomfortable, painful even, to sit with wind in my tummy bubbling around.
That was more awkward than the constipation I'd had. It seems when you have wind and go to the bathroom to relieve yourself it doesn't always come out - until you come back out then you suddenly want to fart and makes you wish you had stayed in the bathroom just a few seconds more.
It can be very socially awkward.
What do you do when travelling with IBS? Especially if you suffer with wind a lot like I do? I get windy no matter what I eat or don't eat.
Just want to share a few of the articles by our community members who have also written about traveling with IBS. https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/how-to-travel-with-ibs
https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/travel-with-ibs
Plus we have a forum with a few posts here: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/forums/traveling-scary-situations
It may provide some extra insight or comfort while we are waiting for some of our community members to chime in with their own thoughts! Traveling with any chronic illness but especially IBS can be stressful and anxiety-ridden, hopefully this helps some! Keep on keepin' on, DPMI have IBS-D and I overmedicate before leaving the house with about 4 RXs plus Imodium so I don't have a flare. Then I'm religious about taking Imodium several times a day to prevent the flare ups while not at home. This is what works best for me.
I try to hydrate as much as possible too due to the side effects of the RXs and Imodium.
I have a mega colon and a slow stomach so those don't help the situation at all.
I also avoid as much as I can on any known food, drink, additive triggers.
Keep a "go" bag with Depends, wipes, extra plastic bags for disposal of wipes and any soiled clothing, extra pants, panties, etc. in case you don't make it to the toilet in time and need to change.This is exactly how I travel! I take Imodium or lomotil, carry extra pads and underwear, extra clothing, wipes, ziplock bags, all of it. I travel with just carry-on luggage so a change of clothes is always handy, thankfully. And I've been known to toss my underwear in the nearest garbage - small price to not carry that around. Because this has happened to me in the past, I am even more nervous before I fly than I might otherwise be, and that complicates things even further. It's tough to travel with IBS-D!
I was so fortunate on a 6 hour flight to Hawaii where I had done all the right things that I usually do to make sure I don’t have problems and it just didn’t go well this one time. I was so lucky that the flight wasn’t full and I was able to sit in a seat near the bathroom while I made it thru a couple rounds of bad diahrrea. Nowadays almost all the flights are super full and nothing like this would be possible. It’s one of the few times that I tend to take immodium which I try not to take very often anymore but it’s worth it not to have that ever happen again. The small bathrooms don’t make for easy wiping either so it’s an experience I try my best to avoid. The thing that helps me the most is knowing I can get thru it and that it has happened and to just not get overworried that just makes it more likely I’ll,habe a problem.
