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Posted 2/19/2013 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in a flare and have to go to the Doctor today. The stress of having to drive there and wait in the waiting room is killing me. I really hate having to do this knowing that at any second the urge will hit me and I'll need a bathroom and may not be able to make it. I've never had any accidents outside of the house so I would really have no idea how to handle it if it did happen.

I usually wake up EXTRA early and try to get all my eating and bathroom visits in before leaving, but that fear is always still there. How do you guys handle these situations?
Posted 2/19/2013 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
I just try to relax myself... It's hard to explain but I know thinking about the situation makes it worse. Sometimes anxiety will make me feel like I have to go when I really don't have to which doubles the stress. You could just use anti-diarrhea medicine which many people on this board use without adverse effects.
Posted 2/19/2013 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have never had an accident outside of the house. However, just in case when flaring I have had wipes, extra undies and pants in the car. If you are really doing poorly maybe an extra long pad or diaper just to ease your mind. Try not to worry because that does make it worse.
Posted 2/19/2013 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
i am the same! the only accidents ive had have been in my house but i'm terrified of the possibility of crapping in the grocery store or going in the car. I always have supplies in my purse in case it happens so that makes me feel more reassured.

over the weekend, my mom, sister, and I wanted to go shopping down in this place called south side. it has all these cool stores but there's no general bathroom. I asked my mom where i'd go if I had to and she's like "oh the stores have bathrooms." I ended up calling just to make sure and 2 stores (the ones we'd mainly be in) said shoppers aren't allowed to use the bathrooms and we'd have to go to the restaurant a few blocks down. I was like "uhh that doesn't help if i'm in the dressing room of YOUR store and have to go NOW." anyway, they've lost my business and we ended up going to the mall.
Posted 2/19/2013 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Relaxing is a great tip as getting nervous makes urgency issues worse.

Leave early, and allow extra time so if you have to stop at a restroom along the way then there is no issues with being late. Lookup a few restrooms along the way, so you know where to stop if you have to quick.

I find the best thing to do to ease the anxiety and your mind is to have an emergency kit with you with a change of clothes and some wipes and toilet paper. Put it in a bag in your car, just in case you need it for your own peace of mind -- that puts the mind so much at ease so you know in the worst case scenario you are covered. My mind tends to run away with wild "what if scenarios" (what if I get stuck in traffic, what if I cannot make it to a bathroom in time) and knowing you have a solution ready helps greatly.

I'm flaring right now and I've had to make emergency restroom stops while driving, I've crapped my pants while driving, and I've had to stop alongside the road while driving and run into the woods to poop. I've seen and done it all and this disease does really take the shame and dignity out of one lol. When an accident happens you clean up, curse and fuss a bit, and then move on with your day (it isn't the end of the world by any means). I once had an accident in the grocery store too, but luckily it didn't come through my pants. I just lost a good pair of boxers that day and on a few other occasions as well (I bid adieu to you oh lost ones...).
Posted 2/19/2013 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
I never had accidents in public, either. I was close at work a couple of times, but never when I was in a store or anything.

If you're really worried about it, get some Depends and wear one. That way, if you do have an accident, there's little cleanup involved.
Posted 2/19/2013 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I wear depends from time to time if I am going to be out in public for too long of a time period. I usually make all my doc appointments, etc fairly early in the morning as after waking up I generally go 1-3 times and then I'm good for a few hours after that.
Posted 2/19/2013 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Don't eat anything and you'll feel better. Eating provokes movement...
Posted 2/19/2013 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
That's good advice. I only eat breakfast on the weekends when I'm home. During the week I just skip and that is actually quite helpful. Not only does not eating help but drinking brings on action too so I don't drink any breakfast drinks either.
Posted 2/19/2013 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
Do you ever take Imodium or use narcotic painkillers? As a rule I never used Imodium or took narcotics *except* before GI appointments. Every once in a while to be able to make it to/through an appointment is OK, in my opinion (and the opinion of my GI).
Posted 2/19/2013 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I've used immodium. Narcotics don't seem to slow down my gut.
Posted 2/20/2013 12:01 AM (GMT 0)

Somedude said...
Don't eat anything and you'll feel better. Eating provokes movement...

This is what usually works for me, and it did the trick today. I just stopped eating/drinking all together until after the appointment. Also packed emergency clothing just in case, which actually helped to ease my worry a bit.

Guys have it so bad because we don't have "purses" to carry wipes, etc for clean up. : (

Thanks for the tips.
Posted 2/20/2013 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
The thing that helps me the most is always knowing where the gas stationsare along the way wherever I am going. Also the not eating thing really helps. I wont eat till like 3pm if I am out all day, I'm a little hungry but its way better then having an accident.
If I am going on a long trip I take imodium. I have never had an accident outside my home (knock on wood) I started acupuncture for my anxiety and I have found that really helps me.
Posted 2/20/2013 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
I do imodium. I take two before a long car ride. Just knowing I took them eases my anxiety.

Having a change of clothes in the trunk along w/ wipes and a towel is a good idea too.
Posted 2/20/2013 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
I hate gas stations. I've always encountered waiting times and having to ask for keys, not to mention they can often be quite disgusting places. What I love most are lesser traveled fast food restaurants, no McDonalds or Burger Kings.
Posted 2/20/2013 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
For long car rides Lomotil. I always have extra pants, underwear, Lomotil, absorbent pads, depends, wipes, etc. Better to be prepared then caught of guard.

GPS and locations of usually safe bathrooms also helps as well; knowing what is usually safe and what is not can really relieve anxiety. Also places that do not have public restrooms go in the GPS. Also a backup printed list in case the GPS fails.
Posted 2/20/2013 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
Immodium and Xanax are the only things that help me when I'm nervous about an appt or outing.
Posted 2/20/2013 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
I carry a fairly large purse just so I can carry supplies. (Guys can carry back packs by the way). I have undies and wipes in a ziploc bag so I can seal my soiled clothing.

I found some pads that are working out really well for me too. Gives me confidence to go out. I posted about them a few weeks back...the name is Abri San.

I keep an extra pair of pants in my vehicle along with a poop pail (more wipes and toilet paper there). I've only had to use the pail once, but it sure gives me peace of mind.

The best place to be if you have an accident is at your GI app't. The doctor will have a greater understanding of the dilemmas you face.
Posted 2/20/2013 6:30 AM (GMT 0)
I carry a change of clothing and clean up stuff with me....I bought a minivan, took the very back bench seat out and put a port-o-potty back there so in real tight situations I can pull over somewhere safely and do "my thing" in the back of my van.

I honestly don't know how you guys can eat in the morning...I'm so busy pooping in the am, the last thing on my mind is food...and I go enough as it is in the am without eating in the am....couldn't imagine what the rest of my day would be like if I ate in the am...you guys are lucky...mind you it's been decades since I've eaten in the am thanks to this DD so I'm use to it now lol.
Posted 2/20/2013 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
I was 'lucky', even with my most severe flares, I could more or less guarantee about 6 hours with no BMs if I took one Tylenol 3 (tylenol w/ codeine), not to mention it took the edge off the horrible pain. On the other hand, being so sensitive to narcotics meant that I was never allowed to take painkillers because they would shut down my GI tract :(
Posted 2/20/2013 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
"I honestly don't know how you guys can eat in the morning...I'm so busy pooping in the am, the last thing on my mind is food...and I go enough as it is in the am without eating in the am....couldn't imagine what the rest of my day would be like if I ate in the am...you guys are lucky...mind you it's been decades since I've eaten in the am thanks to this DD so I'm use to it now lol.
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"

Yo, you've been the same for decades? Why don't you try something different, like biologics. Maybe with a biologic you'll be completely healed and it will give you 1-5 years of peace.

Geez, people here complain when they have only a month of flare.....
Posted 2/20/2013 3:44 PM (GMT 0)

Pluot said...
I was 'lucky', even with my most severe flares, I could more or less guarantee about 6 hours with no BMs if I took one Tylenol 3 (tylenol w/ codeine), not to mention it took the edge off the horrible pain. On the other hand, being so sensitive to narcotics meant that I was never allowed to take painkillers because they would shut down my GI tract :(

I really wish I had some pain killers atm, but I am not in any pain and really didn't want to ask for them to be used in this manner. I have used them for this exact thing in the past.
Posted 2/20/2013 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
somedude, I asked for biologics and my GI said I wasn't a candidate for them because I don't have severe D. My stools are formed, very little if any mucous for the most part...my issues are frequency and urgency and pain from my perianal crohn's skin tags. And I haven't had any bleeding (just the odd time here and there) for a few yrs now.
Posted 2/20/2013 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
I'm embarrassed to admit I've had accidents. One was during my first flare, and I am still angry at the CVS employee who told me I couldn't use their bathroom. I've worked retail before, and the (LEGAL) policy is that customers can use the bathroom if it's an emergency. By the time I got to the Shaws across the street, it was too late to do anything except clean up.

No accidents during my second flare, but I've had three or four with my current one. Most of them have been while teaching, since I cannot leave the classroom while in the middle of the lesson. I wore a pad last week to try to keep that from being a problem, like it had been the week before, but as luck would have it, it was a mostly solid BM, which made clean-up even harder. Doesn't help that I teach at 8am.

I'm lazy about prepping, but next time I have an 8am class, I'm doing pads again, but also bringing another pair of underwear and a bag to put the ruined pair in. In the past, for long car rides, I've also brought wipes for easier clean-up. As a woman, good clean-up is even more important to avoid vaginal infections :(
Posted 2/20/2013 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
ScienceGirl, it is nothing to be embarrassed to admit about having an accident with uc. It is just a fact of life that when flares happen your urgency goes way up (mine too). Long and short of it, this disease sucks as do accidents. Sounds like you are well prepared and that's key. I've never been turned away from a bathroom in a store before, but I would be very angry if it happened...
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