Summer is on its way, especially here in Tampa Bay! If you're starting to get excited about your summer travels, you’re not alone! With vaccination rates rising, more and more people are eager to escape their homes and finally travel once again this summer. However, as many of our patients are well aware, traveling with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be a difficult endeavor. Here are some tricks to help you avoid your worst IBS triggers and get the most out of your vacation!

Avoiding Your Worst IBS Triggers While Traveling

1 - Take a Morning Walk To Clear Your System

Exercise can help motivate your bowels to get moving; an early morning walk or exercise session can help you avoid a bowel movement later in the day. If you have built a routine that works for you, don’t let yourself slack off during vacation!

2 - Don’t Experiment (Too Much) With Food

If you’re wondering how to avoid IBS triggers at restaurants, the best bet is to stick with what you know. While we’re all for trying new things, for those of us with irritable bowels, anything new is often a huge gamble. In order to enjoy traveling with IBS as much as possible, try to limit the ingestion of foods that your system isn’t used to. We suggest you continue to stick to a low-FODMAP diet, as much as possible.

3 - Try to Get Enough Sleep

Lack of sleep can exacerbate one of the main triggers for IBS: stress. While you may want to stay out late with your family and friends, your bowels will thank you for a good night’s rest. Plus, aren’t vacations supposed to be restful anyway?

4 - Don’t Forget Your Probiotics

One of the best ways to fight IBS attacks is by taking a probiotic once or twice a day. You and your doctor will likely have worked out a solution that works best for you and your IBS journey, but we recommend probiotics to all of our patients— especially those who have frequent attacks of diarrhea that flush out the good gut bacteria.

5 - Avoid Triggers While Traveling with IBS

This tip is probably pretty obvious, but many people relax a little bit too much while they are on vacation. Unfortunately, if you start to “cheat” even just a little too much, your bowels will likely pay for it soon after. Don’t let IBS ruin the rest of your vacation in exchange for one night of fun. Avoid your triggers and stay happy and healthy!

6 - Manage Stress Levels

As mentioned above, stress has a massive impact on our gut— even for people that don’t struggle with IBS. Vacation should be relaxing and stress-busting, not the opposite; do what you have to do to find a little bit of extra peace (meditation, CBD, a glass of wine) during your travels; after all, you deserve it.

7 - Bring Your IBS Medication

Perhaps the most important thing is to not forget your medication! Your doctor has likely prescribed you a preventative medication and pills to take if you have an IBS attack, whether it’s diarrhea or constipation. If you will need refills during your trip, make sure to stock up before you leave.

8 - Talk to Your IBS Specialist Before You Leave

If you are concerned about your IBS flaring up while you are traveling, schedule a consultation with an IBS specialist here at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay. Bring a list of your concerns to your appointment so that you don’t forget anything.