Pooping in an adult diaper while on an airplane anyone???

Hello,
I would like to know if anyone has had an accident in an adult diaper while on an airplane? I have an extremely long 14 hr flight and get very anxious about having to use the bathroom on the airplane. I have thought about wearing adult diapers while on the plane, but if i do end up using the adult diaper, I am scared to death that everyone will be able to smell it. My UC is for the most part under control so my BM's are usually formed and solid...but I still have the problem of holding it in. When I have to go, I HAVE to go. Has anyone had accidents in adult diapers and can everyone around you smell it??
Thank you so much!

I think you can smell a dirty diaper. Just as you can smell when a baby needs a change. If you do have an accident, just go to the bathroom as quickly as possible and change. That would be my recommendation. i am sorry you're dealing with such terrible urgency, many of us have been there and can relate.

I agree. Bentyl or immodium might help. Then a diaper as backup, just have extras in your carry-on.

My biggest problem wasn't people in the bathroom, it was the stewardesses pushing carts in the aisles ALL THE TIME.

Immodium wouldn't help me at all with urgency but it may be worth a try.
Flying is always a source of anxiety for me, since getting UC. I agree with the suggestion to get some kind of Rx for anxiety which helped me a LOT during the waiting in lines at the airport and then being on the plane. I'm also very petite so I only needed half a pill (I tried it out ahead of time so I would know how it made me feel).
And at one point I had to travel while flaring and did keep a diaper on for just in case. It also acted like a mini anxiety reducer because I knew that if an accident did happen I could clean up and throw it away.
They're bulky but they have a lot of elastic so it will probably fit well enough. I had to fold down the waist some and wore it under a skirt and you couldn't even tell I had it on.

Hi,
I hope things will work out. I've taken Immodium before a plane ride, and that helped. Also, you may want to wear feminine pads at the rectum part of your underpants. If something leaks out you can just change it. Also, you could bring some wipes to feel extra clean. God bless and good luck! :)

Oh boy I can relate. I fly a lot... flare, no flare... life doesn't wait for your UC.

Pop 2 immodium the night before, and one in the morning.

Then, basically eat light before the flight particularly avoiding ANYTHING that can give you gas, and eat VERY light on the flight itself. 14 hour flight and light eating means you will probably be pretty empty. It's always nice to know there's not that much "on board" if you know what I mean. Also, careful with the sodas they keep handing out-- the carbonation will expand and give you bad gas, which can trigger urgency. Just buy a large bottle of water before you get on the plane.

As for the pooping part, please try not to worry about it during the flight. Long flight means big plane. Big plane means lots of bathrooms. Just bring a change of underwear in your carry on (or pants, if you're feeling really concerned) + wet wipes. I'd rather use the bathroom and let it out than fight it for hours on end. I ALWAYS carry tons of immodium in my pocket for 'insurance'-- even though I full well know that it doesn't work instantly.

The only parts that give me major anxiety these days are the boarding-taxying-takeoff (they will NOT let you use the bathroom during this time, and if you're flying out of NYC for example, you can be taxying for over an hour!), and likewise the 30 mins before landing. Unfortunately, I just have to think about it ("oh no, they're about to tell us to fasten seatbelts, and by the time we land and I can use the bathroom will be at least 45 mins, am I going to have any problems?!) and my stomach will start to cramp.

Quick question, it says on the Immodium box that you can't take it if you are bleeding. Are any of you taking Immodium and are also currently bleeding?

momwithuc, 

I don't like to take immodium because I find it causes major gas pains but I do take the perscription LOMOTIL which is stronger and it works better, bleeding or not.  What I do find that when I am flaring the LOMOTIL slows things down in the colon so you don't go to the bathroom as often therefore my colon does not feel as irritated and raw.  When I am flaring and use an enema the lomotil helps to calm the colon so I am able to retain the enema for longer periods of time and hopefully helping it to heal.  I take one tablet every morning after my BM"s and I am fine all day, it gives me the peace of mind knowing that I will be ok when I go out.

MomwithUC,

I use hycort enemas and cortifoam.  The cost of LOMOTIL HERE in Canada without a drug plan would be 30.35 for 60 tablets.  With my plan I pay $4.00

Have you ever tried adding the oil from Vit E capsules into your enemas.  The vit e stops the bleeding and helps things to heal.  I add the oil from about 8 capsules into my enema bottle.

As for the fevers I only use Tylenol, ibuprophen causes bleeding for me.  Yes I do find that I have vision problems sometimes and dizziness it comes and goes.

I'm going to Dubai for vacation. I am debating on purchasing the direct flight that is around 14 hours....or breaking it up with a stop in London. That would mean first flight is 6-7 hrs, layover in London for about 3-4 hours, then second flight another 7 hrs. I've taken the schedule with breaking up the flights before, and was thinking about trying out the direct flight. But I think i am going to break up the flights again. a break in between means i can get some coffee at London which may help me use the bathroom while i am there during the layover. the last time i took this trip i think my anxiety got the best of me and on the second flight i was feeling sick the whole time and had to use the bathroom 5 times. then on the flight back home i had to go and there was a line..i had to try really really hard to hold it in, which then gives me a full on anxiety with heart beating fast, red splotches on my neck, difficulty breathing etc. i held it, but it was so scary. :-( like i said, most of the time my BM's are formed and normal, but I still have problems holding it in when i have to go. So my fear is i'm going to need to go while on the plane, and not be able to hold it, and then have a big normal BM in my pants. :-(

@puffedrice,

Thanks for the great advice. To tell you the truth, I never really experimented with the enemas. My Dr. prescribed some steroid and the Asacol-type of enema last summer, but I could only keep it in for a minute and just didn't do the rest of my prescription. I will have to start doing that with the Vitamin E. How often do you suggest, one every single night before bed? I do take the liquid Vitamin E, so I have some here already.

I am going to look into the LOMOTIL, too. Every day it's a new set of things going on. With me, there's no real patterns to be figured out yet, a lot of random symptoms.

I was told that the Ibuprofen could also worsen inflammation, so I will stick with the Tylenol for the fevers. (I really HATE when I get the fevers, that's very uncomfortable and scary!)

Oh man, what a wretched thought. I've only flown once, and it was before I had really bad symptoms (that have since been managed with diet and Lialda). But I think I would definitely wear a diaper, mostly for that extra peace of mind. Imagine sitting there knowing it was either the toilet or your underwear.... And I'm sure it'll hold back the smell better than just your regular clothes. Either way, there's some good advice getting pumped through this thread. I can just say HAPPY TRAVELS! and here's to better health to all of us.

I only fly a few times a year and take precautions most would consider overkill. I had a bowel resection 20 plus years ago. They only took a foot of colon out but they screwed something up and I've had severe urgency ever since. At first, it was all blood then it was all really loose stool (and very uncomfortable). I was told to use a bulk producing fiber supplement ( I use Metamucil - 3 to 5 very large doses a day, depending). I now have 5 or more large, easy to pass BM's a day.The Metamucil worked great on firming up my stool but has done nothing for the severe urgency. The down side of all that fiber is I now have increased frequency and volume. I'd rather this than the loose stool.I settled with the surgical group out of court. How anyone can change in a plane's washroom is beyond me.I wear a Confi-dry 24/7 with a cloth pull-up diaper and plastic pants.(what I consider superior protection). I also use Desitin (zinc oxide) for skin protection and Nullo to eliminate odour.I will use Imodium in certain social situations with limited success. It will slow me down to a point but when I do have a BM, it's unusually large, even for me. The last time I flew I ended up having an enormous BM about halfway through a 3 hour flight. Nobody around me had a clue. I run a pinwheel over the disposable's plastic shell to allow flow through into the cloth pull-up when the disposable becomes saturated and the disposable acts as a "diaper liner" and keeps most of the stool off my cloth diaper. It really helps make laundering easier. It's not my idea of fun to sit through half of a flight in a loaded diaper but after 20 years you get used to it. Is it a lot of diaper to wear? Sure. But I'm an expert is how to dress to remain "stealth". I wear elastic compression shorts that help. Dressing in neat but baggy clothing helps the "stealth" look. And if anyone notices (and I'm sure some do) nobody ever says anything. Besides, I'm incontinent and I own it. I've experimented for years and have found this is what works for me. I don't suffer anxiety and don't freak out when I have an enormous load (or 2) in my diapers. Staying calm and acting normal is the best way to not draw attention. I take appropriate precautions so as not to be offensive to others. My skin care is with Desitin ointment and I do air my bottom out at every opportunity. Everyone has a method that works for them. These are my methods and it's worked very well indeed.