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    #1

    Travel Bowel Issues/ Digestive issues

    Hi everyone! I don't post a lot here but try and browse around periodically. I'm a t-7 and injured about 12 years ago. I hope I'm posting this in the correct area. This is a 2 part question. Recently I have been trying to travel more and for the most part it's been working out well. My main problems are bowel program while traveling and diarrhea when I return home. My last 3 trips, when I return home the following day I get the runs and nausea and stomach pains. And if anyone has had the runs in a chair they know how much of a nightmare it is. I make my trips usually short like 3-4 days and I don't do bowel care at all on trip because I don't know how to do it on regular toilet. I have raised toilet seat at home and just transfer right over daily and do my thing and it's worked for me while at home. I don't know if the not going while on vacation has anything to with the problems I have when i return. How do others go when traveling in a hotel room? I've had skin issues and worry about transferring to hard seat. Plus the toilet is a lil lower than my chair and I'm scared of that transfer. Any tips for me? My digestion isn't great at all. Lots of bloating and heart burn. Soft stools quite frequently. I think this all has to do with one another. Any advice would be wonderful. I'm decent at transferring. Still very timid but for the most part I can do it. Does anyone take digestive enzymes or probiotics? Sometimes when at home I try my bp and have nothing there for a few days and then it's very little if I do have anything. I think i might be backed up. I don't know. Sorry for the long post.

    Thanks
    Daniel
    Tags: None
    #2
    Lots of us have bowel issues. I don't know the solution but it is a big part of this disease. Sometimes I have good bowel movements and other times I am on the toilet all day. Somebody else may have a better solution for you. It is aprt of this life.

    Comment

      #3
      How often do you normally have a crap and how do you do it? Drugs? Dig stim? etc. Do you have any sensation, do you go on your own?

      My suspicion is you are getting super constipated going several days without taking a dump and in those cases you can often have liquid stool squirt around a hard mass of solid stool unpredictably.

      Why not take a toilet seat on your trips? I take one with me both on the airplane and on a drive. At t-7 if you're in reasonable shape it's not a big problem to lug it around yourself. I definitely would not try sitting on a hard toilet seat for any amount of time, sounds like a good way to get a pressure sore.


      https://www.sportaid.com/activeaid-r...ilet-seat.html

      This is the one I use (no affiliation with sportaid, just happens to be where I got it). The legs pop off and you don't "really" need the cushion attached to the frame (it can just rest on top without being screwed down) so you can get it down to a package that is roughly 22" x 22" x 12". That's not gonna fit in an overhead compartment, but I found a soft sided bag that it fits in and there's plenty of room for enough clothes, toiletries, etc stuffed around it.

      If you put it in a bag/box by itself, US airlines are obligated to send it with you for free (like your wheelchair), but since I stuff luggage around it so I only have to carry one bag on my lap (two would be awkward), I don't get to fly it for free.

      Comment

        #4
        I go daily after breakfast. I actually use that same toilet seat at home. Never thought about trying to travel with it though. I just transfer over to raised toilet seat and I basically just go in and bring it out. No drugs, no sensations. Sometimes when I get on toilet chair it comes out on its own. I've done this routine since day one and for the most part it works really well. Takes only a few minutes and I'm accident free unless I get the runs. I am sure not going the entire trip is not the right route to take. I am in reasonably good shape. It's more of a mental thing that makes it hard to transfer if that makes sense. I guess I just have to man up and learn to transfer to toilet or bring chair along with me. I actually just found a Roho cushion that attaches to toilet so maybe I can try that also. Thanks so much for the response.

        Comment

          #5
          If you are going on a daily basis and then hold it in for a 3-4 day period, you are pretty much putting a lot of stress on your bowels. You are probably creating a bowel obstruction causing the loose stools when returning back to your daily routine. I would try to find a way to express your bowel contents while on a trip for no more than 2-3 days. If you are traveling and have an itinerary you could UPS your toilet seat to your hotel for delivery and then, UPS it back to your residence. I have done that in the past and it worked out well. Switching to a normal toilet seat is difficult but, with a little experimenting, it can be done. Toilet location is important. So is your safety. We do have our problems with these bowels don't we?
          I refuse to tip toe through life, only to arrive safely at death.

          Comment

            #6
            Padded toilet seats may provide cushioning on top. But they use cheap foam that fails around the edges where it counts the most. The gel ones are thin and give too. Haven't tried Roho. Will it stay in place or will it shift laterally with transfers and body movements leaving the seat edge exposed? All these are potentially dangerous if they create a false sense of confidence especially under unfamiliar settings like travel. The best solutions are often the simplest ones. What works for me (while at home and while traveling) is a standard toilet seat and being aware of time and weight shifting accordingly. Seeing that your injury is at T7, if you eat a good diet and exercise your core muscles you should be on and off in 5 minutes, which makes this concern go away.

            Originally posted by dlury24 View Post
            My digestion isn't great at all. Lots of bloating and heart burn. Soft stools quite frequently.
            Are you lactose intolerant? I was for a long time and didn't know it. Stresses like worrying and introducing different sources of foods/water while traveling will only make it worse. Probiotics (homemade kefir being the best) help tolerate lactose and improve digestion in general.

            Comment

              #7
              Activeaid offers a cushion on commode chairs and benches (like the one pictured on post #3) called "waterfall." These cushions wrap the foam down and around the construction of the cushion to offer padding on the inside of the cut out. You just have to know about the "waterfall" option and specify it when you make this purchase.

              Comment

                #8
                Here's what I use http://www.daherproducts.com/wheelch...ilet-seat-pads

                Comment

                  #9
                  Originally posted by gjnl View Post
                  Activeaid offers a cushion on commode chairs and benches (like the one pictured on post #3) called "waterfall." These cushions wrap the foam down and around the construction of the cushion to offer padding on the inside of the cut out. You just have to know about the "waterfall" option and specify it when you make this purchase.
                  Good to know.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    T7 12 yrs post and afraid to transfer to a toilet seat.... You have some work to do. What happens if you fall out of your chair ?? Assuming you can't get back up if you're afraid of a 8" transfer at most...... I go daily, sometimes 2 times daily can't imagine not going for 3-4 days. I agree with you not going for that period screws ya up some, specailly if ya go daily otherwise. I'm t-6 and I've had to jump straight forward to hurry up and get on a shitter as fast as I could because my guts were bubbling and I knew I'd better get on the toilet. This wasn't even a handicapped stall...door was wide open I'd suggest getting out of your comfort zone and doing some transferring at different heights

                    Comment

                      #11
                      For the OP, it would be a big help if you would complete your profile. Including what country or state/province in which you live makes it much easier to determine resources to share with you.

                      Originally posted by Yadier View Post
                      Here's what I use http://www.daherproducts.com/wheelch...ilet-seat-pads
                      This is a Canadian company. Do you know if they have a USA distributor, or will ship to the USA?

                      (KLD)
                      The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Roho toilet seat cushions work well, although the straps that attach them to the toilet seat can be a weak point and rip off if you drag during your transfer.

                        An over-toilet frame like the ActiveAid one above may also be an option. The 201/202 model is better for travel and is better padded, although both are good:

                        http://activeaid.com/products/raised-toilet-seats/


                        You can also get toilet seat raisers that attach to the bowl, like the Lumex. Bulkier, but can be taken with you for travel.

                        https://americanqualityhealthproduct...YaAh9aEALw_wcB


                        Keep in mind that if you are flying, and pack your toilet equipment in it's own bag, you can check or carry-on this bag with no extra charge by claiming it as medical equipment. It does not count against your allowance for either checked or carry-on luggage.

                        (KLD)
                        The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.

                        Comment

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