Irritable Bowl Syndrome & Anaphylaxis

Fiona35

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
I apologise in advance for asking this question, when its probably not the right place as there are so many people out there with much worse problems than this.

I suffer IBS and although I take medicine from my GP for it, I have noticed that sometimes heat affects it.

Has anyone got any tips on how they manage suffering with this, I'm aware that I need to drink lots and not necessarily ice cold either as that can set off the stomach cramps!!

Also I know to make sure on the park maps where the bathroom facilities are!

If you have a fastpass, can you exit the queue at anytime if you feel that you need to go, and would you get back in? Or just put it down to a loss?

Also I suffer from Idiopathic Anaphylaxis, which can strike at any time, and unfortunately for me, the initial symptoms will start as violent stomach cramps, nausea, etc before I suffer low blood pressure and can pass out. I obviously take anti-histamines each day to try and prevent this, carry extra with me, steroid tablets and epi pens, but I can't always tell the difference to start with from IBS to the 'allergy' and quite often want to just lie down and see if it makes things better, is there anywhere in the park you can do that without making such a big fuss?

Many thanks
 
I practice a different regimen in the parks. For one, I don't eat as much. This helps with my bathroom visits. If you are onsite utilize the early extra magic hours at the parks.

I really believe you are screwed if you have to leave the ride line.

There are first aid centers in each park. You can have a rest there. You can even get a cot for a while and lie down.
 
are you going with some one else, if so and you have to leave the line have the person with you ( or if you can ) talk to the CM at the ride entrance and let them know. This is not 100% but I have had to leave the line a few time or could not make my FP time because of medical problem and I was given a return time/ rider swap to come back when I was able too. at the worst the CM can do is say no right.

First aid is great if you need to lie down for a bit there are nurse there that ( for the most part are great) and you really do not have to go in to much detail about why you need to lie down ( most likely just saying you have IBS and they will understand)

yes I would make sure you have a list of all the bathrooms but also bring extra cloth in case of an accident I think @mamabunny had something she did with her mom ( if I am wrong I am sorry ).


also first aid has a bathroom in it if you need to go and need to go now and there is a line at the regular one.

and make sure you carry your epipen with you all the time, Disney is one of the safest places to be and they are really good at getting paramedics to you but some times it can take too long ( my Dr reminds me of this since he had someone die at Disney due to anaphylaxes )
 
I too have some problems with IBS and heat, though not together usually. I've never seen being able to get back in line if you leave, but I never tried too hard either. My biggest thing for IBS is limiting my food triggers, which unfortunately are a lot of things I love on vacation (I suffer through the side effects usually). Also knowing where bathrooms are, never needed first aid but have heard good things.

As far as heat, I don't like the bulky misting fans since i only carry a small purse/backpack in the park but I have a set of small misters I love. Easy to refill with ice water to cool down, and great for hot days. I know some people who love cooling towels or the fancy cooling clothes, personally never tried them. I just take breaks on cool rides or shop. We stay on site and try for afternoon breaks on hot days, +/- pool time. My biggest hurdle personally is listening to my body when it's done before me haha. Have a great trip!
 
Hey @Fiona35

What our dear @gap2368 is referring to is when I was my Mom's caregiver, I made up "toileting kits".

When visiting WDW, we would set up "bathroom kits" that I would create in a gallon zip-lock bag. It would have a fresh pair of briefs, a pair of nitrile* gloves, and a small supply of wipes in a sandwich size zip-lock bag. We would also include a fresh, clean damp washcloth folded in a separate ziplock bag. Because Mom sometimes got emotional during toileting (side effect of her strokes) I always popped in another sandwich bag with a few tissues folded up. In two separate gallon zip-lock bags I would put one pair each of the soft knit pants she preferred to wear in case we needed a wardrobe change. As the day progressed, I would keep/consolidate any "extras" that we didn't use, and place soiled briefs, wipes, etc. into a ziplock to dispose of. Soiled washclothes went back into a ziplock bag for laundry. We also made sure to carry sufficient snacks, water, and a supply of clean cotton bandanas (again - ziplock bag!) which can be handy in *so* many ways. By packing everything "flat" in ziploc bags and squishing all the air out, it makes it super easy at Security/Bag check as well; they can see all the contents of every bag, and so won't have to go rooting around through everything.

*we only carry nitrile gloves so we don't accidentally expose someone with a Latex allergy to a trigger.

Remember that the HA stalls in the bathrooms, and the Family/Companion bathrooms will all have a sink right next to the toilet at WDW. Very handy.

And the First Aid centers are amazing; they offer a quiet, private place to recoup a bit, perhaps lie down and cool off. They are staffed by trained medical professionals.
 
I have found that drinking ice cold water on a hot day triggers my IBS. I try to drink cool, but not ice cold beverages.
 
I have systemic mast cell disease, and one of the symptoms is idiopathic anaphylaxis, and just anaphylaxis in general. perfumes, colognes, lotions, environmental, foods...anything and everything triggers mine.

I don't know if this will help you at all but one thing I do is I wear a vogmask. They are not cheap (between $30-$40) but for me, they allow me to be around fragrances without going into anaphylaxis. Our last few trips, I have spent a lot of time in First aid. I am on IV meds so I go to first aid every 3-4 hours anyway but I also go there if I feel that something is "off". GI symptoms, headache, rash....all send me to first aid.

I am on multiple antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, steroids to help try to manage it but I still have reactions that require rescue meds including epi many times. Only advice I can give is to always carry all of your medical information with you at all times. We also have everyone who I travel with keep a copy of the info AND anyone I travel with always carries extra epis just in case. Also a medical alert bracelet if you don't already have one. But all you can really do is to be prepared. Have everything you might need and make sure whoever is with you is aware of what could happen.

I don't have IBS but I do have Eosinophilic Colitis and Gastroenteritis. Similar symptoms to both anaphylaxis and IBS. And many of the same triggers. Since we know for a fact that my GI system gets hit the hardest with my mast cell, if I have very severe GI symptoms come on suddenly, we automatically treat for mast cell (extra Benadryl, mast cell stabilizers, Zyrtec, atarax) and if it keeps progressing, we epi without hesitation (have done it 10 times over the past 4 years at WDW and DL). I have a history of anaphylactic shock that began in the GI system so we are extroidinarily cautious with me. But each time I have had to epi, the nurses, managers, security, CMs, paramedics.......they've all been amazing. And even when I refused transfer to ER, they basically fully worked me up in first aid and I recovered in first aid (I have every med that they would give me in the ER with me at all times....plus a lot more, so we don't transfer about 90% of the time)

But the past couple of trips, I have used a DAS. It worked wonders for me because we used the wait time to go to first aid to do meds, or for me to lay down in first aid. Our last trip to DL, I ended up needing to nap for about 2 hours in first aid. With a fastpass, we would have missed the ride but with the DAS, we were still able to go on it since there is no end time with those.

I hope you have a great trip. As stressful as these things can be, personally, I think Disney is the best place and most accaomodating place when having to deal with these medical conditions
 


Sounds like your need to not stand in lines would qualify you for a DAS. You'd still have to wait the same time, but could do it somewhere cool and near a bathroom.
 
Thanks for the helpful tips, you have all reassured me lots, as I was starting to panic a little, and we all know what Stress can do to IBS!!

I'm glad that you can leave the line if required, although it wouldn't bother me too much if I can't get back in and I'm very grateful that you could go and lie down in First Aid if required.

I have a treatment plan that I carry with all my medicines so it sounds like I'd be best to put it all in a clear plastic bag and just let Security see what is in there?

And I think I've gotten the message, that whatever happens, will happen and it sounds like Disney will be accommodating over it.:)
 
Hey @Fiona35

What our dear @gap2368 is referring to is when I was my Mom's caregiver, I made up "toileting kits".

When visiting WDW, we would set up "bathroom kits" that I would create in a gallon zip-lock bag. It would have a fresh pair of briefs, a pair of nitrile* gloves, and a small supply of wipes in a sandwich size zip-lock bag. We would also include a fresh, clean damp washcloth folded in a separate ziplock bag. Because Mom sometimes got emotional during toileting (side effect of her strokes) I always popped in another sandwich bag with a few tissues folded up. In two separate gallon zip-lock bags I would put one pair each of the soft knit pants she preferred to wear in case we needed a wardrobe change. As the day progressed, I would keep/consolidate any "extras" that we didn't use, and place soiled briefs, wipes, etc. into a ziplock to dispose of. Soiled washclothes went back into a ziplock bag for laundry. We also made sure to carry sufficient snacks, water, and a supply of clean cotton bandanas (again - ziplock bag!) which can be handy in *so* many ways. By packing everything "flat" in ziploc bags and squishing all the air out, it makes it super easy at Security/Bag check as well; they can see all the contents of every bag, and so won't have to go rooting around through everything.

*we only carry nitrile gloves so we don't accidentally expose someone with a Latex allergy to a trigger.

Remember that the HA stalls in the bathrooms, and the Family/Companion bathrooms will all have a sink right next to the toilet at WDW. Very handy.

And the First Aid centers are amazing; they offer a quiet, private place to recoup a bit, perhaps lie down and cool off. They are staffed by trained medical professionals.

Can I ask what HA stalls, and Family/Companion bathrooms are?

Sorry I'm from England, and we just have ladies/mens toilets and disabled toilets for wheelchair users.
 
Can I ask what HA stalls, and Family/Companion bathrooms are?

Sorry I'm from England, and we just have ladies/mens toilets and disabled toilets for wheelchair users.
it is a privet bathroom with a toilet and sink in it it, they are big enough to fit a wheel chair ECV in and have grab bars around the toilet. It is for both mans and females or a family ( like a dad can take his DD in or a mom can take her son in) any one can use them if it if no one is in there. There is normally one where ever there are bathrooms
 
Can I ask what HA stalls, and Family/Companion bathrooms are?

Sorry I'm from England, and we just have ladies/mens toilets and disabled toilets for wheelchair users.

HA stalls are the larger ones in the regular men's/women's restrooms, large enough for a wheelchair.

Companion restrooms are single-toilet restrooms, separate from the regular men's/women's restrooms, also large enough for a wheelchair user who needs additional assistance.

Enjoy your vacation!
 

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