Do you guys do anything special for those times when you aren't sure if you'll be near a bathroom? Do you double up on the loperamide? Do you eat less throughout the day? I obviously empty out as well as I can before I head out, but as you all know, that often doesn't help.
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Sometimes a warm water enema helps, but it is not 100%.
Yes and no..
I have a k pouch so public washrooms need a certain minimum of equipment for me to feel comfortable (toilet paper, a seat, a sink...running water!)
So, if I know exactly where I am going and that there are none of the above then I eat very light (and only specific foods like rice or chicken breast), might use something like lomotil to slow me down (I like gravol but it can make me sleepy...Great for transatlantic flights!).
But drink lots of fluids if you are going to reduce intake and do not over exert yourself.
If it is something sporty like white water rafting or mountain climbing then I load up on protein meals and keep protein bars on me for a quick, low residue snacks.
Sharon
I take 2 lomotils and then take Metamucil (1 teaspoon in a very small amount of warm water). I also try to avoid any foods in the afternoon that usually give me issues. Generally this does the trick!
I play a fair amount of sports that keep me away from a washroom for a lengthy period of time. Usually it just means not eating much prior to going and Imodium. Can then usually go a while.
Unfortunately for me it's kept me from putting on weight. I just can't seem to gain any weight...
I wish I had the problem of not being able to put on weight. lol.
disneynut: so you use both lomotil and metamucil together? hmm. i haven't tried this.
I dont give being near a bathroom a second thought. I can be out for a couple of hours without the need for the bathroom, I would normally need to urinate before a BM anyway and when I do feel the sensation to evacuate, there's never any urgency; I can easily wait until a suitably clean bathroom is available or call it a night and make my way home.
I take 3 Imodium per day which thickens my output and probably slows down the frequency too.
When I had my Stoma, my output was always thick and I took imodium to slow down the output; still taking 3 per day, sometimes 4 and if I know I'd be out for a longer time, then I'd take an extra Imodium, maybe 2.
I don't eat any different now than I did before takedown; only food I've avoided due it's effects, is Porridge (oatmeal).
Metamucil and a bowel slower can be a very helpful combination. Don't overdo either one, of course, and don't be afraid to try adjustments (within reason). I've found that for me the bowel slower works best if I only use it at bedtime and before a challenging outing (e.g. time on a boat).
iHateColitis posted:I wish I had the problem of not being able to put on weight. lol.
The same here. I don't know how some can't put on weight. I wish I were one of those lucky people 
Being unable to keep your body at a healthy weight is nothing to be envied or minimized, regardless of the direction.
Scott: when you say Metamucil and a bowel slower can be a helpful combination, what exactly is the mechanism at play? I never thought of using them together because I assumed that it would be overkill and become painful to try and poop.
I've used both every day since my surgery 14 years ago. You can use too much of either, and you can use too much of both. Metamucil doesn't make the stool rock-hard, it just adds bulk. I use it twice a day. I tend to use Lomotil just at bedtime, as I mentioned, though sometimes I'll take an extra dose or two.
I used to take Metamucil in the morning and one Lomotil, then if going out would do the combo I mentioned above. Now I have a bowl of oatmeal every morning plus one Lomotil and it works even better. I use the old fashioned oats, not the ones in the packets (too much sugar). If I'm staying home, I don't take any more Lomotil until bedtime (so generally 2 a day). Tomorrow I'm going on a hike so I'll take 2 before I leave.
Ever since I received my pouch, I've always avoided that situation. If I was stuck in it though, it would probably mean a few hours of sleep or hopefully 5 or 6, maybe just 1 hour too. I know I'd struggle to get back to sleep after my pouch wakes me up. I never wanted to go camping post j-pouch.
I generally eat a lot, so I tend to go a few times in the evenings even though my output is fairly thick.
I only take one immodium a day, not sure if I need it to be honest but its routine and it works for me.
Not having a bathroom near by would be a problem for me, I'd either have to have not eaten much at lunch, or just timed things really well with emptying before I head out.
I always go out with pocket size clinell wipes so as long as there is a working toilet somewhere near I have everything I need. At worse I've had to pop into a restaurant/hotel to use their toilet and then head back to wherever I need to be...
