I hate the "you're probably just stressed" reply! Of course you're stressed! That's the main trigger for me (besides diet) for my IBS.
That said...
How stressed are you about this trip??? Because it's important to keep in mind that even good things can be stressful. And if you add that excitement (looking forward to the trip) to the worry and fear (what will I eat? what happens on the plane if I get an attack? will i get on everyone's nerves if I have to run to the bathroom every 5 minutes the whole time we're gone!? what if i can't find a bathroom in a place I'm unfamiliar with?) you have a prescription for a flare-up! (I get sick at every holiday no matter how strict I am about the diet-- why? just from the stress of the holiday and worrying if I'll get sick!!! )
Try to do some stress relievers if you think that's a contributing factor. Yoga, meditation, any exercise you can tolerate, and so forth.
Do you have The First Year: IBS? It's got a section on travel... Lots of great tips. I don't travel much, so I haven't actually committed the chapter to memory like I have a lot of the rest of the book!
Make sure you've got soluble fiber going in (maybe limit to just soluble fiber for a few days to stabilize?). And pack soluble fiber snacks for the trip. Make sure you brush up on "safe foods" so you know exactly what to get when you're eating on the road! Take gentle walks after you eat to help everything work properly. And my own personal go-to tip: Eat a lot of sushi!
And make sure your new doc gets you tested for all of the things you need to have ruled out before you can get an "official" IBS diagnosis! Be firm and make him/her run the gamut of tests! It's the only way to put aside the questions...
Good luck!
Where's your trip!?
PS: Have a little cheer-up dance from the happy Mexican colon! If he doesn't relieve your stress, you're a tough cookie!!!
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Re: Advice for trip for a new sufferer, please!!!
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