Travelling with UC during flare

So I'm going to Finland tomorrow to see my girlfriend, but just a bit nervous how I'll cope. I'll travelled before with UC but I've been in remission before. I'm going about 4 times a day with cramps throughout the day, taking 2 x budesonide, 6 x asacol, 1 x nicotine lozenge, 2 x predfoam doses a day and alendronic acid once a week. I was going about 2/3 times but since the travel date has got nearer, I've felt more cramps n have gone more times and woken up earlier to go to the toilet.

My girlfriend lives in a small flat with one bathroom with her parents, so I'm just worried what if I have an accident on the plane or when I get there and can't go out cos of fears of urgency while walking? I've tried some anti-diarrhoeals before like codeine which didn't do much and was told not to use it, loperamide which made me worse, but I've heard good things about Pepto Bismol though it doesn't seem as common here in the UK as in the US. I'm not too keen wearing adult diapers as I'm only 24. Any tips, please?

Thanks in advance.

I've had to take loperamide before when traveling to Europe and it worked great for me. Too bad it made you worse. Some use Lomotil, which is a prescription based anti-diarrhea medicine here in the US.

Thanks for the replies. I haven't heard of lomotil or activated charcoal but in the end, I bought some pepto bismol - anyone had good experiences with that while travelling? I might get some adult diapers afterall. Just hope I don't get patted down at security and have to explain it!

Haha cheers but don't make me nervous saying that! lol. I've sen the adult diapers now n they make me feel sick just looking at them, no way I'm wearing them. I asked her about that n apparently they would just come out of the bathroom if I knocked - just hope I can hold it! As for the noise, I always run the tap which helps a bit, plus I'm gonna leave my deodorant in there so I can spray it whenever.

It's all booked n my flight is later today so don't really wanna cancel now. I would take prednisolone but the doctors won't let cos I've been on them several times before, so I've decided to take 3 x budesonide every day instead of 2 on their advice.

Is there anything else I could take to bung me up a bit? I can't take immodium (loperamide).

Yeah, I think you're right lol. Any advive, please?

The activated charcoal does work and it can be purchased at a health food store.

I react the same way to stress, excitement, nervousness and pressure-sounds like you are very happy to be making the trip and you are reacting to it, unfortunately for "us" types, it comes out (pun intended) in a bad way! : ) Imodium may help and that is what I would try above the Pepto.

Since your committed and I suspect you would react this way any time you would be plan this trip: I hope you enjoy it and that all goes well. Let us know how you are.

Valerian extract to calm the nerves. Also instead of trying to prevent it... have some coffee when you're close to a washroom right before boarding so you can survive the takeoff. I used to do the coffee thing before class/exams, worked fairly well.

It is a rough trip. I know how you feel after that kind of trip. Just try to rest, drink some peppermint tea and eat some plain rice to calm your body down. A heating pad on the belly will help with pain and cramps.
Finland sells German probiotic Mutaflor. I highly advice you to buy it. It might be available there in the pharmacy.
Check it out:
http://www.mutaflor.fi/
I hope you will feel better soon and enjoy your visit.

Maybe you can hit a few loos if you go site seeing? I know you said nay to the diapers but what about
a ladies maxi-pad? That sounds bad too but they are easy to put in your underwear and you can easily throw them away if you have a squirt or two and not have to wash out your clothes. More discrete.

Get yourself some mesalamine suppositories. Use one BEFORE you go out and AFTER you empty your bowels. Fold up a layer of toilet paper or tissue about 3 layers thick and plug up your anus behind the suppository. You will have to experiment a little to get the right thickness of toilet paper to use. Too thick and you will have toilet paper shreds all on the inside of your undies. Too thin and it won't protect you as much against any suppository leakage and you will have a white mess in your undies.

It also helps that you not eat or drink any large quantities.

This works for me to prevent accidents and allows me to almost function like a normal person. Just be prepared to let out a lot of gas when you finally have to go but it's a reasonable tradeoff.

Mah88,
the time difference between the countries, different food and water can give even a healthy person diarrhea. I am not evven talking about us, with UC. Maybe try to drink only boiled water or herbal teas. Sometime different kinds of bacteria and minerals in water can be irritating. Just a thought. I had this issue In Russia when visited my parents.
Just in case you will get Mutaflor probiotic, you need to know it should be ice-packed. You will not be able to buy it here, in the USA. Use this opportunity. It kept me in remission for 1.5 years without any drugs until FDA stopped the sale of Mutaflor in the USA. It almost gave me a heart attact. It is the only probiotic that did that for me and I have tried at least 12 different ones, Including VSL#3.
I hope you will feel better soon.

Teva makes a good incontinence pad, better than maxi pads. Its actually pretty comfortable, doesnt make noise when you move or anything like that. Sticky tape attaches to your own underwear. Other incontinence pads might be good if you cant find that brand.

I have some words of advise regarding travelling with a flare up. I was about 1 week in to a flare up where things aren't too bad and there is a bit of mucus and some urgency. I went to Bulgaria for 2 weeks on my own. It was meant to be an adventure to free my mind. Instead it freed my flare up and by the time I came back I was a mess and had to go back to hospital again. So don't do anything crazy.

I imagine a short trip to Finland will be ok but be wary of the unknown stresses that are involved. Things you don't even think about. Your colon will pick them up.