Husband has a flare, we're going out of town, PLEASE HELP!

In my personal experience, these kinds of upsets from taking abx run a course of a couple of weeks and then resolve on their own. YMMV!

I suggest your husband reestablish good bacteria by using a high quality probiotic supplement and eating yogurt with active cultures (this is something he should always do when prescribed abx).

C-diff might be a risk here - I don't know much about it but others here do. I hope someone responds with more info.

If he's concerned about urgency/diarrhea/too many BMs while traveling, perhaps an anti-anxiety medication might calm him and his system down? Perhaps a xanax or something like that might relax everything and make the trip unstressful. I'd combine that with probiotics as others have mentioned along with something like Pepto or Immodium.

I'm not sure of the name for the probiotic at Whole Foods, but get one that is in the refrigerated section in the supplement area. That will work the best and quickly. I used to take it all the time.

Immodium should be used sparingly, but I swear it helps get me through when I feel my worst! I was flying from California to Denver (and then on to the east coast) and I had horrible d. I thought I'd never make it and even had to go on the plane. I considered the possibility of buying tickets in Denver to go home, that is how bad I felt. I popped an immodium and within 1/2 hour I was feeling totally better. I swear my colon has a brain of it's own, lol.

kazbern, my flare was triggered by antibiotics and I've been sick for 14 months ...

I recommend bringing changes of clothing, and using flushable wipes (which I think you might already have with you--you have a young child?). That way, if he has an accident, he can more easily get cleaned up with the wipes (waaaay better than toilet paper!), and then change into something that's not soiled.

I also recommend he limit his diet. Stick with low roughage and low residue foods, stuff that's easy to digest and that is better absorbed by the body. Stuff like white grains (white bread, pasta) and rice are excellent, as are eggs and meat. Most fruits and veggies are tougher, but I've had good luck with apple sauce and steamed zucchini. I also think it helps to limit the amount of food he's eating--more food = more poop = more pain and urgency and more trips!

Granola Bars are great resources too. I prefer the Nature Valley brand as it is all grains and oats, but no dairy.

Ditto the probiotics and yogurt.

I haven't touched a granola bar since 1976. Yes, they're loaded with grains and sugars and sometimes fat...good for fibre, but huge on gas.

I'd rather eat a plain chocolate bar. I don't get gas at least.

q

I don't feel like I get gas. In fact, if anything, I almost never have gas. I used to get it badly but have cut dairy out of my diet for the past 3 years and have found myself rarely experiencing gas or gas pains.

I guess Nature Valley is one of my "cheat" foods, but I definitely eat worse and feel okay. To each his/her own with this kinda stuff, as we all know.

Well I can't eat a regular chocolate bar, given the lactose. So yeah, like I said each person is different with what their bodies can tolerate.

I know a lot on this forum say that they take immodium OK but I have been strongly advised against it by my medical team, especially if there is active ulceration, due to risk of toxic megacolon (which I came close to once 25 yrs ago). I would not take it without knowing the actual extent of the ulceration going on and if he doesn't have diarrhoea at the moment and will be able to make it to the bathroom if needs be, immodium would be a needless risk, the last thing you want really is faeces impacting over ulceration..

There is a small chance that he has c diff as it thrives when antibiotics kill off the bacteria that keep them in check so can he get a stool sample in asap? I don't know what brand it is sold under where you are but I would try s. boulardii probiotic as it is a good one against c diff they say.

Here in the UK, the protocol for mild flares has changed from straight onto pred to go onto a high dose of oral (up to 4.8 grams) and rectal mesalazine, for those who can tolerate it, don't know if he takes mesalazine or can get hold of any? Seems to work for me to get me out of mild flare.

Sounds like he feels confident this is calming down anyway so try not to worry too much. He needs calm, I am sure you are trying to help and mean well but do be aware that your worry could cause him to worry which is not good for a UCer.