Sunday, June 25, 2017

Traveling Abroad with Short Bowel

traveling abroad short bowel syndrome  life's a polyp

I prepared myself for a few days traveling from the United States to Mexico to attend a destination wedding. With Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS), I'm always nervous about traveling as I need to have an accessible restroom. Without a restroom, my activities are limited and I am at risk of an incontinent mishap. Unfortunately, SBS is a very unpredictable rare disease. My food and fluid intake, activity level, sleep, and medications all affect the intensity of my SBS. If I don't eat or drink, sleep well, and limit my activities I tend to have a better success rate with reducing SBS urgency and even flare ups. However, when I partake in the necessities of life - such as eating and drinking - my digestion process is short resulting in frequent, often urgent restroom trips. Activity furthers my digestive process also adding to the frequency.

Fortunately my travel was only from the middle of the US to Mexico resulting in two flights lasting approximately a total airtime of 3 hours. Not a bad flight time. Needless to say, I was not nearly as nervous as longer flights I've flown such as to Paris, France during my college years. However, anytime I travel outside of the US, I am also anxious about restroom access. The US has a fair amount of accessible and free restrooms for travelers to use. But this isn't always the case in other countries that is further complicated by requiring the local currency when restroom use requires payment.

And so I prepared for my flights. I was lucky that my departure flight was an early morning flight thereby aiding in my fasting efforts to reduce SBS symptoms. My return flight though would be late afternoon meaning I had to decide if I wanted to eat my day's meals prior to flying or fast for the entire day. I double checked that I had my Lomotil medication to slow my bowel and took my pills with plenty of time for the medication to take effect prior to my flight. I opted to forgo the included beverages and snacks on my flights in order to further reduce SBS symptoms and to utilize the restroom with every given opportunity to help prevent additional issues.



Now Amber Resort. Puerto Vallarta
I arrived at an all inclusive resort for the wedding. I was comforted by the fact that I had my own room to myself so I could have private restroom access whenever necessary and I quickly located the public restrooms. Fortunately at a resort there are plenty of restrooms so I wasn't too concerned. Outside of the resort though would be another story.




Cigar Shop and Restaurant

Soon after arriving at the resort the wedding group decided to embark on an excursion to explore the local town and complete some shopping. We took a taxi to a local cigar shop and restaurant. To my relief, it had a free restroom. To my dismay, the group had decided to also eat at the cigar shop. I was once again faced with the decision to eat or not to eat. Do I eat and drink thereby creating increased restroom need or do I continue my fast of food and beverage to limit my need and allow for increased activity? I chose to fast. We would be walking to local shops and a flea market and I was uncertain about the distance and restroom access outside of the safe haven of this cigar shop and restaurant. I chose correctly as there would be a restroom at the flea market but it would be a for fee restroom. I did have some pesos but not in the correct amount needed. I made the short walk to the flea market and we spent a quite amount of time shopping before heading back to the cigar shop to wait for a taxi back to the resort. To my favor though, with the cigar shop's restroom and my decision to fast I wouldn't require restroom access beyond the cigar shop.




The Wedding Group
I wouldn't leave the resort for the remainder of the trip which provided me some relief and freedom. I chose not to participate in any other local excursions although there was an abundance of interesting and exciting options. Such as a Rhythm of the Night boat trip to a nearby island complete with performances and dinner. But again, I had to question if the boat had a restroom and what about restroom access on the island? It was a several hour excursion. Or the 6 hour city tour that the group decided to embark upon. What was the restroom access like for the duration? I opted against such activities but I would still have to face the decision of swimming or not. Of course I wanted to swim but my body needs to cooperate in order to allow for swimming. I would also be faced with the decision if I should eat breakfast or not each morning. Breakfast starts my digestive process in motion and sets me up for possible activity limitation requirements. I chose to risk the activity limitation and ate breakfast each morning - a behavior I don't normally participate in during my regular day schedule. The next day would not go as well as the first day due to my body not cooperating as



needed. My Lomotil medication didn't even seem to phase my bowel. I was blessed with plenty of restroom access but I would have to forgo activities such as swimming this day. However, this was the wedding day and I opted to take a second dose of Lomotil that afternoon in preparation of the wedding reception.

Due to my abdominal adhesions from surgeries, I have chronic nausea and pain when I eat and the nausea has a tendency to strike even when food isn't involved. Such as every morning or when I'm jostled. The next day I would be stricken with severe morning nausea requiring a period of rest before engaging in further activities for the day. I wanted to swim at least once with my friends so I started my morning of nausea with a double dose of Lomotil. The double dose of Lomotil slowed my bowel and with rest my nausea eventually subsided so off to the pool I went. I even managed to eat lunch while at one of the resort pools and I found a pool restroom so that I wouldn't have to travel back to the resort towers when the need arose. I was thrilled with my activity achievement for the day. 

The following day was my last day at the resort and I would depart in the late afternoon. I knew I would likely need to eat at some point during the day but the timing was essential to protect against the SBS. I ate breakfast, realizing it was the safest option. I would fast the remainder of the day including passing up any beverage or snack offerings on the flights home. And once again utilized the restroom at every given opportunity. I made it through US Customs without issue and had enough time for one final restroom use before boarding the last flight home.

To my relief, I had managed my traveling and activities in spite of SBS and I didn't get sick from the local water! It just took some planning and making the better choices for a better outcome. I hope you enjoy travel time and activities in spite of any obstacles as well!

11 comments:

  1. I'm really glad I have a rather normal bowel. This sounds really tiring and painful :( I'm glad you made the right choices and well done on surviving and even having some fun!

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    1. Thanks! It's quite tiring and becomes frustrating at times but it pays to know our bodies so we have better chances at making the best choices for ourselves at the time. :)

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  2. Hi, if you ever go to Mexico again there are many integrative clinics that may be of help for your SBS. Some in Puerto Vallarta such as Mariposa medispa and Sanar clinic in Playa del Carmen etc.

    Have you tried ozone therapy or acupuncture or bioresonance or homeopathy for fixing your issue? And maybe some pro-biotics like saccharomyces boulardii could help as well? Spooky2 rife system has some frequencies for gut issues too.

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    1. That's handy to know. Fortunately I didn't get sick while I was there or I possibly could have been in need of the clinics there.

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  3. Despite your SBS troubles, it looks like you have a fantastic time at the Wedding! I’m so happy you were able to go and not let your illness hold you back! Xo, Faith :-)

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    1. Thank you! It was a good time, I was determined to not it stop me from enjoying myself :)

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  4. Yeah why with a probable symptom of SBS I have within the hour when I eat certainly and/or drink I am having to empty my bag its a pain in the backside sometimes

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  5. Plus also get daily fatigue, but thats because of them using approx a 3rd of my large bowel.

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    1. Both are quite bothersome. I typically require using the restroom about 3 times the first hour after eating so I get your frustration with it. SBS definitely is not fun and affects energy levels with the fast transit.

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  6. This is a great article. Thank you for sharing your story!

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    1. Thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

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