Living with IBS
Okay, this might be a little uncomfortable of a topic…but it’s an important one especially with those of you out there who suffer from bowel problems like I do. For those of you who don’t know, I.B.S. stands for Irritable bowel syndrome and is extremely common. There are two types, IBS-D (diarrhea) and IBS-C (constipation). Symptoms usually include abdominal cramping and pain, bloating, gas and of course, diarrhea, and in most instances symptoms occur almost daily. As of yet, there is no cure as doctors still don’t 100% understand what’s going on. They believe it has to do with a complex brain-gut interexchange that cannot be exactly pinned down. Sometimes the gut triggers the anxiety that then triggers the physiological response, and sometimes vise vera. It is also important to note that 90% of the serotonin within the body is created within the digestive tract! I’ve been living with this since I was around 16 years of age…and it hasn’t gotten any better. The trick is being able to manage symptoms in a way that you are able to give yourself time and not stress over being able to find a bathroom.
The worst part of any adventure is having to go bathroom in a place where it is least convenient for example, in the middle of the jungle or the middle of a city. When you gotta go, you gotta go. It’s definitely not a fun feeling when you stomach starts cramping uncontrollably giving you a mere few minutes to find the quickest place to relieve yourself. I’ve heard stories over the years of people living with IBS being unable to leave their own homes for months at a time for fear of being too far away from their toilet. It’s definitely a crippling feeling, and it’s taking me YEARS to be able to get over the fears and push myself to live a somewhat normal life. I’ve always had a desire to travel, and to explore, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to give in to my stomach problems.
The best advice is to take baby steps, for those of you will travel fears regarding stomach-related issues, just remember to start out small. Visit the downtown area, visit crowded areas, and push yourself a little at a time. For me, my IBS led to intense anxiety ultimately leading to panic attacks. Being stuck in the freeway traffic would send me into a panic mode thus creating more unnecessary stress and stomach issues. Plan out your day ahead of time, if that means getting somewhere earlier to avoid certain stress situations, then do it! If you want to avoid the panic and rushing of crowds, show up early and take yourself…it’s all part of the adventure!
For me, I tried just about everything to fix my stomach. I went through so many medical examinations to determine what exactly it could be. I went through some time seeing a hypnotherapist but to no avail. There is no magic pill.
Manage your time properly!
The best advice I can give is to give yourself time in the early morning to relieve yourself. Usually, my stomach issues are most intense during the morning hours. I usually give myself a ridiculous amount of time prior to heading out to a place where I know bathrooms might be limited. First thing I do is jump-start my intestinal tract by eating. Especially in countries where you need to be cautious what you eat, you do NOT want to find yourself catching a stomach bug in addition to your IBS…it will lead to pure misery. Eat bland food, bananas, soups, crackers, plain bread, and do it with a simple tea. Usually within 2-3 hours my stomach kicks into gear and I know if I am ready to head out for the day. Once you start going, you know your system is ready…
Once your system is kicked up into gear for the day, next I highly recommend taking some Imodium. Take two pills after the first ‘movement’ and then one pill after each one…do not exceed 4. If there are stomach cramps are involved, I do recommend taking a Gas-X along with the Imodium pills. Be careful when using other medicine like Pepto-Bismol, it’s not generally recommended for long-term use and could have some negative side effects.
Always pre-plan where you are going to go. Scope out the availability of restrooms and plan for any emergencies should they occur. For me, it was extremely difficult to know what the restroom situation would be like until I was out there. I still remember sitting in a 3ftx3ft compact ‘bathroom’ in the middle of the jungle trying to sit in a squatting position with large tarantulas crawling all over the walls…not the best place to go. Sometimes you gotta make due with where you’re at.
When taking planned trips to countries where things might not up to sanitized conditions, I recommend taking probiotics a month prior to help build up your stomach with good bacteria. When you get there remember to proceed with caution when eating out or even brushing your teeth. Use bottled water to brush your teeth and make sure all the water you consume is either bottled or boiled. Same goes with other foods that are rinsed with that same water, such as veggies and fruits that are washed. If it’s peel-able, then by all means eat away! But watch out for salads and other foods that could contain potential harmful bacteria. Likewise, when ordering drinks, make sure you ask without ice cubes!
I’ve been on some crazy adventures. And no matter what you do or how much you plan, emergencies will happen. Just be sure to plan ahead of time and help avoid making things worse. One quick tip I learned to help manage the IBS-caused panic attacks when they occur is to divert your mind away from the stomach pain to something else. In most cases, I start with my hand and clench my fist as hard as I can while focusing all my attention to it. Stay there for a few minutes and then slowly release, and allow that releasing/relaxing sensation to spread throughout your body. You can begin to do this with other muscles throughout your body diverting your pain away from your gut and to other manageable parts of your body.
Don’t let your stomach define who you are and what you are limited to. Always be open to new experiences no matter where they might take you. I spent so much time being fearful of stepping away from my comfort zone and living an actual productive normal life. You never know where you might end up or who you might talk to that will take to a whole other level you never before thought.
Anyways, I hope this helps out someone out there. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know of any new medications or techniques that you take to manage your IBS.
Safe travels!