Travelling on a bus - Gravol? Immodium?
#246790 - 02/16/06 12:57 PM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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My first post!
I'm going to be on a very long bus ride and want to know what to do ..
I'm IBS-D and have had a lot of success the past few weeks watching my diet, taking the accacia FS, and peppermint caps
I'm just worried that while travelling (especially on the bus ride) I'll have an attack. Should I take Gravol during the bus ride? (I dont mind sleeping through it) Or should I take Immodium? Is it bad to take both? I don't get carsick, but my stomach does get uneasy especially from sitting for that long..
Any adivce?
Thanks
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Kat
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Hi and welcome! I've traveled by bus a lot w/ IBS and probably will be making another bus trip in March. The trip is usually 10 -12 hours long. Two days before the trip, I usually start eating very safely, practically eating according to the BTC or What To Eat When You Can't Eat Anything guidelines. The night before the trip I take an Imodium (one 2mg caplet) and then another one in the morning (maybe two depending on how I'm feeling).
I'm sorry I don't know what Gravol is, but I would take it if it helped me sleep during a trip! Maybe someone else can help out with more info on this.
Also, be sure to pack your own snacks and bottled water for the trip. Here's a list of what I usually take (although I can tolerate a bit more fat than most folks here): peanut butter sandwiches, plain white toast, applesauce cups, Luna Bars, peppermint Altoids, something crunchy like Crispix cereal or baked Tostitos.
Be sure to get out and walk around a bit when the bus makes a stop. You probably know what else to take, like music, magazines or a book, your own disinfectant handwipes (depending where you're going, some stops have crummy bathrooms). Those bus rides can be boring (or verrry interesting depending on who you end up sitting next to).
Have a good trip! Let us know how it goes.
Edited by Maria!Maria! (02/16/06 01:19 PM)
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I definitely take Gravol (just make sure it's lactose-free) on long trips--especially by car/bus. I take Immodium too. Indeed, I pack my mini-tummy pharmacy.
Maria gave some great tips re: eating safely.
Have fun.
Kate, IBS-D.
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I take bus trips of 10ish hours frequently too!
I second everything Maria and Kate said (especially eating safe on the day before... and then, for me, I eat only SF on the day of the trip) plus I'd just add: try not to stress too much about the trip. I know that when I was stabilizing the thought of sitting on a bus for 10 hours with the possibility of having an attack would send me into a panic! And that can be just as bad. So just tell yourself that if you DID have an attack, so what - you have immodium, you can deal with it. Don't let the stress of a possible attack ruin your trip! Try to relax and de-stress (and sleep, if you can!) as much as possible 
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Natalie
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Thanks for all the posts, I feel pretty prepared and less anxious. Got my Gravol and Immodium, and a big supply of SF foods. I'm also trying to cuz down the stress since that won't help
So here we go, 25+ hours on a bus, what us Canadians will do for a bit of sunshine!
Thanks again for the quick help, I'll let you know how it goes
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Kat
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I do the same thing a lot of other people do. Eat safe for a couple of days prior and the day of, I use Immodium usually late the night before or early that morning and, no kidding here, I take a supply of adult size diapers with me on every trip.  And lastly, if something does happen, I say to myself, "Well, that sucks, but at least I have my giant diapers." Try not to stress out. The stress makes it worse. I've been on lots of long trips and I've never had big trouble. It'll be okay.
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If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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Trip was a lot of fun!
We went from Canada down to Panama City Beach, FL for 5 days on the beach. The trip overall was really good. Very nice to have a break from winter and school.
The bus ride ended up being extremely long (30 hours there, 36+ hours back) because of bus drivers getting lost and mechanical problems..
I had lots of food packed and good thing, most times we had only a McD's or KFC to go to. I slept a lot thanks to the Gravol (highly recommended) and did perfectly fine.
After doing well on a 36 hour bus ride, I feel like I can do anything!
Thanks for the helpful posts!
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Kat
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Wow! 36 hours?! You can do anything now!
I'm so glad to hear you had a successfully fun trip. 
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