Vacation outside the US or not?

So the wife and I have reservations 1 month from today for a week in Jamaica.

I started my first major flare in Aug and got on pred and lialda after being diagnosed in late Sept. I am about 30 days out from my flare and I feel pretty good.

I worry that as soon as I leave the US I will have a major flare and need to see a doc. This will not be possible in Jamaica, they just do not have medical facilities like we do in the US.

So what do you think? Should I just say to heck with it and go? Or cancel?

I guess I could get my doc to write me an extra script for pred and just take it in case I suddenly flare up.

Thoughts? Would you go?

I'm a fan of experience.  It's just one week--prepare as best you can and try to enjoy yourself.  The relaxation could be just what you need to kick yourself out of the flare!

B H,

I say go and enjoy yourself. I travel a lot with the military and for pleasure and I find that my colon loves to be outside the US. I recently went to Serbia for a month and ate on the local economy and have never felt better. A week later I went to the Dominican on vacation and ate resort food. I felt great there too, and was even drinking quite a bit (since it was all-inclusive). I stay away from my trigger foods as usual, but I always try the local cuisine wherever I go for the experience. Many times I have been in a flare and gone on a trip and came home feeling great. I try not to worry about it since I never really know where I am going and what I am going to eat, and it seems to turn out well.

Have a great vacation!

I'd go! Talk to your GI ahead of time and come up with a "what if" game plan and take extras of all of your meds with you. Pred isn't a bad idea, but I wouldn't start it unless you're *really* bad off, because you don't want to risk the side effects unless it's absolutely necessary. If things start to get dicey, maybe you could rely on immodium so you can still enjoy your vacation.

Both my trips to Jamaica were during bad flares. No Problem Man!! I'd get lomitil instead of immodium... a little more powerful. Stay away from the jerk chicken and pork. Take a lomitil or immodium about an hour before you land if you have any sort of bus ride from airport to your resort. I had one stay in runaway bay, which is about a 45-50 ride after the airport.. Last trip was just outside Montego Bay. I took cort enemas with me second trip and used them too.

Take lots of your medications, some anti-diarrheals, and have fun! I went to Egypt last year with no problems, China two years prior, and Mexico this year (after ending my worst flare yet).