IBS and Camping Don't Always Mix

By Person

1 min read

I went camping back in the summer, with my sister and a couple of friends. We had quite a large tent that we shared. I didn't think much about IBS or anything, but after eating quite a lot of spicy meat and drinking one can of beer, I began feeling very bloated and bubbly when we got into our sleeping bags in the tent.

Silent (rotten) farts

When I'm gassy I get pains and indigestion across my tummy, and I think pockets of air in my intestines, causing a lot of pain and discomfort, so I had to let my gas out. It was silent, but filled the tent with a rotten eggy smell that wasn't pleasant for any of us. I didn't like to say it was me, so I just kept letting off silent farts every few minutes and watching my sister and friends blame each other for the bad smell.

Usually rubbing my belly helps soothe the pain, which I did as we chatted, but it did make the others suspect it was me who kept doing the rotten farts. I just said I had a tummy ache but denied the farting. But I had to fart, even though it was in a tent. But I felt too ashamed to take the blame. But I couldn't help the gas, I had an upset tummy.

Lesson learned: be prepared

I hadn't brought anything with me to ease indigestion, so I had trouble trying to burp and felt a big painful bubble in my upper stomach that I couldn't shift. So it wasn't the most comfortable night for me.

So next time I go camping I'm going to come more prepared to avoid this happening again, although whatever I eat I still get gassy at night. Maybe I should have my own tent but then that takes the fun out of it.

If you've ever been camping, how do you deal with it with IBS?

This is my story.

Help others feel a little less alone.

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Karina Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Person" user-id="8651357"/> Thank you so much for sharing your story. You're not alone. I feel your struggle with the gas and pain, and not wanting to take the blame. For me personally, activated charcoal helps with bloating and gas, but it doesn't resolve it completely. Do you have any medication that you usually take when you're flaring like that? Personally, I just admire you for going camping in the first place. I don't think I'd dare sleeping somewhere without a built-in bathroom! We do have a couple of advocates who shared camping tips tough, so I'm going to link some below: General tips for camping with IBS: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/camping' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/camping</a> as well as meal planning for camping trips: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/food/low-fodmap-camping' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/food/low-fodmap-camping</a>. I hope these help! Were you still able to enjoy the camping trip despite the symptoms? Karina (team member)
Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Person" user-id="8651357"/> Thank you for sharing your story. I can so relate. There are sometimes where you have an upset stomach, and that gas putrid. It is so embarrassing and of course naturally you don't want to take the blame for it. You are so not alone in going through this. For me personally, I don't go camping as it is too complicated for my stomach issues at least at the moment. So firstly, I applaud you for going for it. Bravo to you. Secondly, when I do have any stomach issues, I always reach for peppermint essential oil. This stuff is my go-to. I apply it on my stomach and within minutes I feel relief. However it is gas that needs to be let out, it will be let out. So maybe if you are in a tent just say you have to pee? Go outside and let the gas out and come back in? Just thinking out loud here. -Elizabeth (team member)
Person Member
Well it's awkward to have to keep climbing out of the tent each time I want to fart, because the farts kept coming every 10 minutes or so. It was that unpleasant, foul sort of wind that bubbles around your belly and only comes out as very small, hot farts, but the smell such small farts can produce is just baffling sometimes. It was better when the others went to sleep. I just rubbed my tummy comfortably and let out my farts without a fuss. I farted myself to sleep lol, but in the morning nobody mentioned it. My tummy felt better by then. 
1. Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Person" user-id="8651357"/> Yes, I hear you. Are you close with your friends that you camp with? I know for me personally, if I am with my close group they would just giggle playfully if I was like I need to fart and hopped out. It wouldn't be a big deal. Maybe just go that route? -Elizabeth (team member)
Person Member
I should have just owned up to having an upset tummy and saying "pardon me" after each fart. Maybe I'll do that next time. But I didn't really want to have to keep getting out of the tent each time I felt a fart coming. It's not unusual for me to get wind at night and let off silent eggy ones. I did hold a few farts in when in the tent but that just caused severe pains right across my tummy and I thought I was going to explode. So I had no other choice but to just break wind. I tried keeping still so that the eggy smell would stay inside the sleeping bag, but it still made its way out and stunk the tent out. I had been to the toilet (number 2) already, so my belly was just full of bubbly gas. 
1. Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Person" user-id="8651357"/> I totally get it. It is definitely always a little embarrassing regardless. Holding it in is never any good and always makes it worse. I think your best best is to be open about it and try to make it a funny moment. Keep it light. Hop out when you have to fart. Giggle about it. Have a good time. And as far as the sleeping part goes, I think you just have to let it rip because hopping out of the tent in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping can be scary. I feel you in this situation. Also, travel size air freshener can be helpful. Let out a spray inside your sleeping bag to help? -Elizabeth (team member)
Person Member
I went camping again this weekend with the same people. When we got into our sleeping bags in the tent I had bad wind again and felt all the food and beer I had bubbling around in my intestines and I just knew I was going to have the farts again. But this time I admitted to it, I told the others I had a tummy upset, and each time I let off a fart I said pardon me. The farts were hot and silent and kept filling the tent with a foul eggy stench but I did apologise and said I get IBS at night and joked that was why I was single lol. I held a few farts in just to save the tent from smelling too often but it did cause bad pains across my belly. Rubbing my belly gently with my hand helped soothe the pains. One of the others had the farts as well so I wasn't the only one, although mine was the smelliest. I can't help it though, I just get windy and it has to come out somewhere. It is easier to sleep alone though because then I can just fart and not feel guilty about stinking the place out. 
1. Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Person" user-id="8651357"/> I hear you. I think you did the best thing in your situation though. You just have to keep things light and have a laugh sometimes. But definitely holding it in would make you sick. So glad you were able to just be yourself. -Elizabeth (team member)