Successful vacation abroad, gut behaved!

Hi All -
So, I went from the US to France, first time ever traveling, several weeks ago. My UC was doing OK; I was taking steroid enemas for a slight blip, and the GI recommended I taper to every other night while I was on vacation.
I did and all was great. I had 2 BMs most days, non-urgent. I took a bunch of probiotic capsules with me and took several each day. And I ate lots of yogurt (OMG! So much yummier than the US commercial yogurt!) And I ... ate like a regular person. Yay!
I had been hesitant to travel my whole adult life because I wasn't sure how my UC would act. Well, it behaved!

I went with a tour group, and I was assigned a hotel room with someone I knew slightly. My cortenemas had made it through the flight in my checked baggage,and at night when we turned off the lights I just turned my back on my roommate (separate beds) and snuck the enema under the covers and administered. I am quite sure she had no clue (unless she examined the bathroom trash after I was up and gone the next morning!)

Since I returned, I have gone enema-free and... this week things are not quite as perfect (3-4 poops a day, some urgency). I suspect I will need a step up in meds. But... Yay! I feel as though I made a huge discovery that Adventuresome Life is Possible!

Yes, I started to have real anxiety over the roommate issue, and then I just did not allow myself to fret about it. And it all worked out OK.

I also bought "just a drop" and used it in bathrooms. It really does help a lot with the smell of poops!

Everything was wonderful. I think maybe my favorite things were.... the village and cathedral of Chartres... there wa a light show, with music, on a lot of the old buildings in that village. A google search of "Chartres en lumieres" would give a taste of that, though the hugeness of the cathedral wouldn't carry on the computer screen!
I also LOVED being in Monet's gardens at his home in Giverny. Just.... wow. It felt as though we were walking through his paintings.

Favorite foods? Everything! And wine. (!) Beef bourgignon, croissants, chocolate mousse... and why my gut did well with all this is a mystery. But a happy one!

Glad it went well. Sounds like tons of fun

songlady said...
Hi All -
So, I went from the US to France, first time ever traveling, several weeks ago. My UC was doing OK; I was taking steroid enemas for a slight blip, and the GI recommended I taper to every other night while I was on vacation.
I did and all was great. I had 2 BMs most days, non-urgent. I took a bunch of probiotic capsules with me and took several each day. And I ate lots of yogurt (OMG! So much yummier than the US commercial yogurt!) And I ... ate like a regular person. Yay!
I had been hesitant to travel my whole adult life because I wasn't sure how my UC would act. Well, it behaved!

I went with a tour group, and I was assigned a hotel room with someone I knew slightly. My cortenemas had made it through the flight in my checked baggage,and at night when we turned off the lights I just turned my back on my roommate (separate beds) and snuck the enema under the covers and administered. I am quite sure she had no clue (unless she examined the bathroom trash after I was up and gone the next morning!)

Since I returned, I have gone enema-free and... this week things are not quite as perfect (3-4 poops a day, some urgency). I suspect I will need a step up in meds. But... Yay! I feel as though I made a huge discovery that Adventuresome Life is Possible!

I AM SO HAPPY TO READ THIS! I feel like one of us has succeeded! YAY! I have the same reservations regarding traveling. Reading your story makes me hopeful that one day I'll be able to travel and explore too! Thanks so much for sharing and again, so very happy for you! Congratulations :D