Travel and IBD Part 1 Transport and Deep Vein Thrombosis

If you have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis (the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD) you may find the thought of travelling daunting. A change of climate, water, or food can upset anyone’s bowels. Yet many people with IBD travel widely, both in the UK and abroad. They may go for a short break or a long holiday lasting several weeks or months. With careful planning ahead it should be possible for you to travel to most places. This series of articles sets out to answer some of the questions that you may have when thinking about going on holiday or on a business trip.

Transport


You may be travelling on holiday via car, bus, train, ferry or airplane. Whichever way you are travelling, there are issues that you may wish to consider. If you are travelling by car, you may wish to check the location of accessible toilet facilities when planning your route. They can often be found in places such as Tourist Information Centres, supermarkets, and fast food restaurants, as well as service stations. You can get a key for UK toilets for disabled people from RADAR.

A Euro key for toilets for disabled people in Germany and some other European countries can be bought from from CBF Darmstadt. When travelling by bus, train, or airplane, it may be worth checking whether there is an accessible toilet on board, and, if possible, booking a seat close to it.


If you are flying, you can usually prearrange your in-flight meals for any particular dietary requirements, such as dairy free or low-fat. If you are going on a long flight you might want to consider taking an anti-diarrhoeal beforehand. Cabin air is often very dry and drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol and caffeine should help to prevent dehydration.


Avoiding Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

DVT or blood clots can be a risk for anyone sitting still on a long journey. Long haul flights lasting over 8 hours are thought to be more likely to cause blood clots, but long journeys by car, bus or train can also put you at danger. People with IBD have an increased risk of blood clots. You may also be at risk if you have had recent surgery. You can reduce this risk during the journey by:

• Wearing loose fitting, comfortable clothing
• Drinking plenty of fluids but avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated drinks before and during the journey 
• Avoiding smoking
• Rotating your ankles regularly
• Taking regular deep breaths
• Walking at regular intervals around the  plane cabin or train carriage or during stops on bus and car travel
• Wearing travel compression socks/stockings – it is vital that they are properly fitted

The British Medical Association does not recommend taking aspirin to prevent travel related DVT. You may want to talk to your specialist about your risk and whether you should wear compression stockings or take anti-coagulant medication.

In Part 2 - Insurance and Vaccinations