Vacation Poop

Best thing to get things going again is some prune juice. Start with half a cup at night and see how you do in the morning

This problem has plagued me for as long as I can remember, long before I had UC. It's a huge deal for me because I travel for work regularly. As soon as i'm with people other than just my husband, even if we're just visiting family, my body just will not poop!

It varies depending on who i'm traveling with and if I have to share accomodations, and the bathroom situation. It's worse when i'm with people I don't know well, or if bathrooms aren't private (I travel for work to remote places and often stay in temporary camps where the toilets are just little stalls in a big tent shared by both guys and ladies and everyone can hear everything... or the outhouses share thin walls, and again you can hear everything...).

However, as long as there's a lone bathroom available somewhere that I know I can go use (be it a private, lockable bathroom in the hotel lobby or nearby coffee shop, a lone outhouse at the edge of camp, or just some nice dense trees to go hide in), then I have no problem.

In general, I find that I am better able to "go" if I wake up early enough, and drink a lot of cold water (along with my coffee, which also helps). I definitely have to wake up early though, and have time to try to relax myself. If i'm rushed or stressed, it's not happening. I also find it helps to eat lots of good fiber, and leafy greens. I understand that some people with UC fear fiber and leafy greens, but I have no problem with them.

Also, I find it can help to walk around, which is also why getting up early helps. So, i'll take my coffee and go for a walk.

Thanks everyone. I think my problem is more closely related to MarigoldA. It's like I'm a shy pooper or something, not exactly constipated. Because as soon as I got home on Sunday (and then on Monday too) it was super easy to get out, not hard like constipation. With some gas and a little diarrhea. It's just like I was holding it in or something even though I wasn't intentionally.

I might try getting up early like MarigoldA suggested. We're staying at someone's house and I'm not sure how many bathrooms there are so getting up early would probably be a good idea anyways. I'm just not a morning person lol. I'm gonna Google some stuff too and see what's out there. I know my grandma tries to eat Activia yogurt when she travels. She doesn't have UC, but she gets constipated when traveling. I'll grab some fiber snacks to take with me too. Never tried prune juice before, might give it a whirl.

Haha thanks pb4. Yeah I don't think it was detrimental, but it really sucked coming back and feeling like I had to go a lot. I feel like I'm still working on getting it all out lol. And since I'm in an apartment to myself I'm letting it rip! How does prune juice taste? Lol.

And thanks! I live in Michigan so it is much needed. Although we're having nice weather now, I can't wait to go outside in just shorts and a tshirt!

Haha oh jeez. I might keep that in my back pocket. If it's think I'm not sure if I could handle it lol. I drink skim milk because anything higher is too thick lol. Up to 1% is ok, but whole milk, no way.

I talked to a friend and she made me a sample of DiGize essential oil to take with me. One of the friends I'm going with knows I have UC, I can't remember if the other one knows or not, but I've known her since I was 4 so I think I'll be ok. Just wanted to get some tips in case traveling messes me up. Maybe I'll also take a tiny Febreeze bottle. I think I've seen them somewhere. Or buy some Poo-Pourri.

I'd call your gastroenterologist office, explain what's going on, and take prednisone and Imodium with you, just in case it's the rumblings/beginning of a flare up.

I think I'm gonna call after class. I feel a little better now. Had a breakfast that had some fiber and I think it helped. My back hurts and I think that's irritating it. I could really go for a massage right now. I had some coffee yesterday which could have bothered me. I'm also wondering if my being excited for my trip is causing me some symptoms. Like a stress reaction.

I think I'm gonna go get some Activia yogurt. I don't currently take any probiotics and I think I should. I know VSL3 is one that's mentioned a lot but is that only available online? Are there any good ones I can buy from like Target or Walgreens or somewhere?

Interesting. I've never heard of refrigerated probiotics. I like chobani greek yogurt. That's what I had this morning. It was the new chobani oats that has steel cut oats in it. So good. I forgot I could just look at regular greek yogurts. A lot of them say they contain live active cultures. Just FYI for greek yogurt lovers. Never get any of the yoplait low fat ones. Like light or 100 calories or anything. So disgusting. They use sucralose and it tastes like chemicals. I've seen Liberte before. Actually have a coupon. I think they're usually more expensive so I don't typically buy them.

Since you're lactose intolerant, have you ever tried the silk brand yogurt? When I'm in a flare dairy bothers me so I've tried it before. It's really good. Super creamy. Don't think it has any probiotic benefits but it's yummy.

Never heard of Sangsters, but I wonder if they would have something at GNC or The Better Health Store. I'm sure someone at the store could help me too. Usually they're more trained than people who work at regular drug stores.

I started feeling crappy again so I took a hot bath and now I'm working on sitting up straight and doing deep breathing. Also drinking lots of water. It's just so crazy that it kind of happened all at once. I'm not sure if not pooping all weekend even has anything to do with it. Or the disgusting food they served. The water also had a lot of iron in it. I didn't drink it, but I did drink lemonade that had the water in it and then of course they used it in the meals too. Usually iron doesn't give me problems, but who knows. I guess I just want to blame it on something even though it probably happened just because it was time.

Didn't call my doctor today because I didn't get back from class before the office closed for the day, but I'm going to call tomorrow. Thinking about talking to him about my remicade schedule too. Started feeling symptoms a little bit before I was scheduled for an infusion in January too. I'm due for one technically next Friday (24th) but since I'll be away it's on Monday the 27th. Does anyone know what comes first? Like do you go up to 10mg/kg every 8 weeks or still do 5mg/kg but every 6 or 7 weeks?

GNC shows probiotics on their website. Never been in one of their stores before because I also think it's for "gym-rats." Real gym folk don't need supplements! :) Yeah I'm from the US.