Hi Everyone. I have a problem with my j-pouch getting enflamed and infected when I travel by a vehicle or in a smaller boat. This latest episode happened while I was on a Cruise and I went out in a boat to see humpback whales. I was doing fantastic up to that point! The cruise line offered lots of gluten free options so I was really well. I went on a bus for 1/2 hour and started to feel rawness in my pouch area. Got on the boat and we went out to the whales 🐳 and although I was suffering a bit I was able to enjoy seeing them. However it was a bumpier ride on the return trip and my pain climbed up to 8 out of 10. By the time I took the bus back to the ship I was in a lot of pain. I went and laid down for a while and then when I went to the bathroom I bled alot! Haven’t bled like since I had ulcerative colitis. Any ideas what is going on? Is my pouch moving out of place? I am in so much pain and I saw my Doctor. He upped my amoxicillin and took a blood test. Blood test shows my reactive protein is 10 (previously was 4) and that I have an infection.
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This sounds really scary! I have never heard of this on the forum but I haven't read every single post. What did the doc say about this response to vibration? Has she seen it before?
Can you explain other situations where traveling by vehicle or boat caused the same issue? Perhaps finding a common denominator might help. It could definitely be vibrations, but I'm wondering if there could be something more: diet; where you're traveling, such a tumultuous terrain.
I notice it now every time I drive long distance..ie more than a couple of hours. It’s really restricting my ability to go places! I take a plane if the flight is a couple of hours but don’t go farther or sets it off. The Doctor has increased my amoxicillin and it has slowly subsided. It could be diet I suppose or stress of travelling too. It’s just that it happens only for long distance travel….so strange. I see my Gastroenterologist next week so will see what she says. Thanks for your replies.
I get stress-related gut/butt irritation when I travel. Sometimes it kicks in a little before. If it was only after or during travel, I'd think it was from something that happens during travel, but since it sometimes happens during prep for travel, I think it must be stress. My digestive system has acted up during travel so often that I even anticipating travel can set it off! Even though I have fun too....it's hard to break that cycle. Funny thing is that I have to take trips for my job and they rarely cause the same thing.. Those trips are short and routine, even though I have to spend the night in hotels for them often. It's only when I travel for "fun" that I get stressed because those are the trips that, because they have been generally longer and I didn't always have access to proper food (for work trips I bring all my food), my digestion would respond badly. It seems I have developed a specific phobia, though it's only my digestive system that acts scared. I'm still working on reinforcements I can use to give the system extra support when it gets scared, so I'll have more practice having fun trips without constantly being uncomfortable, then maybe the phobia will decrease? I hope so! I'm tired of this pattern!
Yes…it seems travel becomes more challenging I think maybe more so as the pouch ages. I hope you are able to find a way to overcome you challenges when you travel as well!
I seem to need to go more often during a bumpy ride. Don't know if it's actually because of the bumpiness or if it's 'all in my head' because there aren't many potties in the boats or cars.