Whether you’re heading off for business or pleasure, travelling can be a very stressful time for those with diverticular disease/diverticulosis (DD). However, it’s important not to cancel these important events because of the fear of getting sick while away from home. Fear not, there are things you can do to ensure you are prepared in any situation.

Travel insurance

The first step includes purchasing travel insurance – You need to do this before you head off on your trip. Make sure that you always read the small print in your insurance policy – sometimes the policy doesn’t cover everything that you might need or it may have a huge excess to pay if something does go wrong. If you’ve been diagnosed with a condition, these often need to be declared before travelling. Most inexpensive travel insurance policies don’t cover pre-existing conditions and so it’s important to find one who will. If you happen to be a member of the EU, check to see whether the country you’re travelling to will accept the EHIC card (pre-Brexit). However, even if they do, I would STILL recommend buying travel insurance since it can cover missed flights, lengthened stays and even costs incurred for meals, etc while unable to travel.

Do your research

Before you set off on your holiday, do a little research online to find out where your nearest hospital, doctor’s surgery and pharmacy is. Of course, if you’re staying in a hotel, the receptionists may be able to help you with this, too after you’ve arrived. However, it’s certainly a load off your mind if you already have this knowledge before even leaving your house for the airport. You can always check that your research matches up with what the hotel receptionist recommends when you arrive anyway!

Antibiotics

If flare ups are quite common for you, it might be a good idea to speak with your doctor before you travel – some doctors will be more than happy to prescribe you some antibiotics to take with you, just in case diverticulitis rears it’s ugly head and threatens to spoil your trip. If your doctor doesn’t want to prescribe any pills, don’t stress. You can always visit a doctor during your trip, or in some countries, you’ll even be able to purchase the antibiotics you want without a prescription. For example, in Greece, Flagyl and many other medicines are available without a prescription. However, Ciproxin requires a special form to be filled out by the prescribing doctor.

Medication

There are a range of different medications we can take with us on any trip. To begin with, anti-diarrhea medicines such as loperamide (Immodium and other brands) are usually a good idea – When we travel, we often experience a change in our bowel habits and it’s not uncommon to get ‘holiday tummy’ or ‘traveller’s diarrhea’.

To make sure you’re prepared whether it’s diarrhea or constipation you’re suffering with, pack a supply of both anti-diarrhea medication, a stool softener and a couple of rehydration sachets. This will mean you’ve got exactly what you need right away and won’t be worrying about how to get to the nearest pharmacy. Also, taking your own from home is a good way to save money, in some countries even basic medication can be quite expensive. For instance, in Italy, I had to pay 10 euros for a small pack of paracetamol….that’s a LOT more expensive than in the UK.

Pain medication

As you know, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and aspirin are to be avoided for DD sufferers, it is also widely known that codeine -containing medicines can bung you up and cause constipation, so be cautious when taking pain relief. Stick to paracetamol-based pain relief if you can. However, if the pain is severe, constant over 24 hours, worsening or not improving even after paracetamol and a liquid diet, seek medical advice.

REMEMBER: Some countries may require that you have a notice or prior permission before taking certain medications with you. For example; codeine is a regulated substance in Greece, and Tramadol is regulated in Egypt. It’s best to check with your travel agent or with the embassy of the country you plan to travel to. See the website below for more in-depth guidance.

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/medicines/can-i-take-my-medicine-abroad/

Trying new foods

Now, one of the best things about travelling is tasting lot of new foods and having DD doesn’t mean you can’t try anything new. However, it does mean you should be careful. When trying new food or food combinations, just taste a small portion and eat it slowly. You may also want to keep some indigestion remedies on hand, too.

I know it can be tempting to drink lots of booze while away, but ensure you stay hydrated and try not to push your limits too much. Some dd sufferers have trouble with alcohol, so don’t overdo it and ensure you drink water with each alcoholic drink.

Remember to drink plenty of water. This is a MUST for any dd sufferer, but especially if you’re visiting a hot country or swimming in the sea, staying hydrated is extra important!

Language

As a side note, I’ve included the word for ‘diverticulitis’ in different common languages below just in case you come into contact with a doctor with limited English as I have done in the past. As you can see, sometimes the word is pretty much the same, but it’s always worth checking before you go.

French: diverticulite Italian: diverticolite

Spanish: diverticulitis Portuguese: diverticulite

Greek: εκκολπωματίτιδα (ekkolpomatitida) German: divertikulitis

Mandarin Chinese: 憩室炎 (Qìshì yán)

Bulgarian: дивертикулит (divertikulit)

So, if you’ve got all of the above in order, you’re pretty much ready to go! So, have a great time and enjoy yourself stress-free and knowing that you’re prepared for any eventuality.

Do you get stressed about planning trips? Have you ever got sick while on holiday? Let me know in the comments below.