Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How The Hell Am I Supposed To Travel?


jasonD2

Recommended Posts

jasonD2 Experienced

My friend wants to take a trip to South America w/ me and I would love to go, however, the amount of physical grief I would be in is just not worth it. Walking around constipated, bloated and having to urinate every 5 seconds...my god my life is ruined!!! ill never be able to do anything cause of this condition...ever!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



MySuicidalTurtle Enthusiast

If you figure out the things causing your symptoms then you should be fine. Before I was diagnosed I didn't let being ill stop me. I still traveled, played sports, and went to school. Since you know what is making you ill it should be easier to fix. There are simple ways to maintaining this diet overseas, as well. When I went to Europe I did just fine! When in doubt, stick to fruit, veggies, and rice. Even if you have some issues, don't let it stop you! You deserve to travel even if you aren't feeling well and you can handle yourself.

You may also want to seek a therapist's help. When I first when gluten-free and my symptoms went away so suddenly I developed even worse anxiety about them coming back. Talking to a therapist helped immensely.

Good luck and I hope you do go with your friends!

Nikki69 Newbie

Hi Jason,

I've only been diagnosed a month and still getting my head round it so can understand the grief you are going through. However, what all the others have said to you makes sense. It is something, in time, that can be controlled and you will feel better. Yes things are difficult right now and your life feels as though it will never be the same again because it has changed. It won't be the same but it will be better because you will become well again.

It doesn't have to stop you living your life whilst you are learning to adapt. Get as much advice as you can and stick to plain fresh foods whilst you are away. Yes it is boring, but only the food is a tad boring. The point is you will be away with your friend enjoying your trip so will be worth it :)

Hope you are doing ok, take care, Nikki

ang1e0251 Contributor

I don't really know where you're traveling, but my husband is Colombian and I spent a couple of stints living there. They really eat very little flour which is probably why I felt so good while I was there. They eat corn cakes called arepas which I still eat and most of their meats are fried or boiled. No breading. Their diet is rather bland. No one bakes in the home. If baked goods are wanted, they go to a bakery. We ate very little baked goods in the home I lived in, which was typical of their diet. I believe it is similar to the diet in most of South America with regional variations, of course. And the other posters are right, just stick to safe foods when in doubt. Take some food for backup in your luggage like energy bars and canned meats that are safe.

You'll be fine. Don't panic, this is a big change but life goes on. You'll get the hang of it in no time. The biggest thing to learn is to overcome the fear and anxiety. Get some help with that if you need it.

SLB5757 Enthusiast

I agree with the other posters. It is very difficult and at times debilitating. I have MULTIPLE food allergies and intolerances and like I was stuck unable to do anything social. The thing my father told me was " Stacy - you are going to feel crappy no matter what. You may as well be feel crappy and be doing the things you enjoy doing rather than feeling crappy and feeling sorry for yourself moping around at home".

I decided that I am going to have pain and bloating and distention and the big "c" no matter what I do because my many allergens. I have chosen to so everything that everyone else does even if it means I have to eat only rice or live on vitamins and ensure.

The more you stress and worry about the "cant's" - the worse it will all become. Focus on the positive things. if you can't find any positives - MAKE SOME. Start doing little things that make you happy or content and I promise you it acts almost as a magnet - you will attract more positive into your life. Like attracts like - and as soon as you change the mental - the physical is sure to follow (even if slowly).

Just do what you can to lessen your symptoms while away - be prepared - but definitely do NOT forgo the trip. You deserve to have fun. You will probably be having such a good time with your friend that your symptoms will naturally lessen.:)

missy'smom Collaborator

Many people here have traveled oversees successfully including myself. It can be done. Planning ahead, doing your homework, having some understanding of the culture/lifestyle and food is helpful. Stick with the basics, meat, veg. and rice. Enjoy the unique local seasonal fruits and veg. Appreciate the change of pace, change of scenery etc.

jjc Contributor

I need to travel for work and I'm really nervous about it too. I'm going to have to do tons of calling beforehand - to the hotel and to the restaurants around it, so that I know how much food I need to bring with me!! That will be funny, at the airport having TSA open a huge suitcase full of gluten free food ... :P


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular

Pack things you can eat in your suitcase--pack minute rice, an immersion coil and electricity converter/adaptor, foil packs of chicken, salmon, tuna, whatever you feel your body can handle.

Arroz con Pollo is a dish in most restaurants--it's chicken and rice, and usually does not contain any wheat, soy sauce, flour, etc.

Print out the Triumph dining cards in Spanish and Portuguese, and show them to the restaurants when you order, if you and your friend don't speak the language.

FMcGee Explorer

I'm going to South America this summer, too, actually - to Ecuador. My boyfriend used to live there and will have been there for two months before I arrive, and he's going to do some scouting, so I'll let you know what he finds out here (if you're not going to Ecuador, I'm assuming there will still be more broadly-applicable information). He's assured me that they mostly eat rice with chicken or vegetables, and a lot of products are made with manioc and other gluten-free flours. Also, there is a lot of fruit (just peel it before you eat it), which can tide me over if needed. The best part is there is a lot less processed food there, so it's easy to eat healthy if you don't go nuts on cheese and whatnot. I spent some time in Costa Rica before being diagnosed, and felt freaking fabulous the whole time because I ate rice, beans, chicken, and fruit the whole time (a less-extreme version of the Hasslebeck experience?).

Also, if you're going to Brazil, you're going to be in a good place. A friend of mine has spent extensive time there and her stepmother has celiac disease, so she pays attention to things like that. Apparently Brazil (and Argentina, rumor has it) are aware of the disease and are pretty good about food labeling. If you don't speak Spanish or Portuguese, it's probably worth learning some of the vocabulary before you go.

Finally, I ordered some restaurant cards from Triumph. My boyfriend is fluent in Spanish and Quichua, but I still think it makes sense to have them in case I'm ever eating on my own or to ease a chef's mind about what I can have.

In other words, go on the trip! It'll be worth it, and you WILL be able to find things to eat. Just get vaccinated a month before you go, only drink boiled water, and pack nonperishable gluten-free snacks in case of emergency. :)

mysecretcurse Contributor

I'm also planning on doing a BIG backpacking adventure to south america at some point before I turn 30. Rock on.

I thought you might like to read this thread I posted when I got back from my last big adventure in South East Asia:

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.ph...ackpacking+asia

^Hopefully that gives you some hope. It's not always easy. But is it worth it? Hell YES. Don't let celiac stop you from living. :) Where there is a will, there's a way. It's cheesy but true!

mattathayde Apprentice

ya i am worried about my first real travel since going gluten-free that i will be taking in aug. i really only care about not being sick the first 2 days then the rest of the week i dont care if i end up in the hospital but the 2nd day i am at this even is a competition that i need to be good for (and its the last time i can compete since i will be too old next time this event come around so i want to be able to give it my all)

the people putting this on only ask if you have an allergy to wheat so i am going to call and be annoying as we get closer to the even because if i get fed gluten i am going to flip out and be a rather pissy person (not as a side effect but because being that they are supposed to provide food that i am paying for they can give me food i can eat)

but for traveling abroad, a lot of food seems to be simpler and not all the random junk tossed in it. you can get a card in the local language(s) that explain your dietary restrictions so a waiter can help you. you might want to look up "GFRoadWarrior", he has a blog about traveling and eating gluten-free and you might get some tips/tricks/ideas

-matt

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      129,932
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Kaslee75
    Newest Member
    Kaslee75
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Early guidelines from years ago concerning D3 supplementation was unduly conservative. There was fear of toxicity in over-supplementing because D3 is a fat soluble vitamin and not a water soluble vitamin. More recent studies have shown we can supplement safely at considerably higher levels for extended periods. But yes, 50,000 IU would not be safe over an extended period of time. That much is a kick start dose.
    • Shining My Light
      @knitty kitty I had an injury from assuming I could do work outs at the gym like I did in my 20s 😏. it didn’t work in my favor. My orthopedic doctor told me to go on 50,000IU /per week for 4-6 weeks for a boost and then do a maintenance. I took 2 and got nervous to take any more, it seemed so high to me. About 7  months later I had a blood test revealing that my Vit D levels are lower than normal. I started taking vit D supplements-4000IU./a day now. (the natural garden of life ones) I had a friend whose levels were low and she was having a mental breakdown.  My B12 levels were right in the middle of the range.     
    • knitty kitty
      @Ginger38, Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies, besides iron?   Celiac disease causes inflammation which results in nutritional deficiencies.   Iron needs Thiamine and the other B vitamins to make new red blood cells.   Iodine and thiamine deficiencies affect the thyroid.  The thyroid is one organ that uses lots of thiamine.   Vitamin D deficiency leads to hormonal problems, including menstrual problems.  Vitamin D needs Thiamine to activate it.   Heart palpitations and chest pain after gluten exposure can be evidence of poor digestion and a drop in available thiamine.  Consumption of any  foods high in carbohydrates can cause a drop in thiamine.  This is called high calorie malnutrition. Anxiety, numbness, tingling, acne, and brain fog are symptoms of Thiamine and the other B vitamin deficiencies.  There's eight B vitamins that all work together in concert.  They are water soluble.  They can be hard to absorb by inflamed intestines.  Vitamin A can improve acne. I suffered from all the same symptoms which only resolved with B Complex and Thiamine (in the forms TTFD and Benfotiamine) supplements, Vitamins D, A and C.  Magnesium, Thiamine and B6 Pyridoxine will get rid of the nightmares. Replenishing your vitamin and mineral stores will help heal and feel better faster.  Talk to your nutritionist and doctor about supplementing. Think about adopting the Autoimmune Protocol diet to help with SIBO and MCAS to reduce bloating and heal the intestines. @Alibu and I were just discussing diagnosis without obvious villus damage here.   This study followed people who showed no or little villi damage at first....they accrued more damage over time. Outcomes of Seropositive Patients with Marsh 1 Histology in Clinical Practice https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4980207/ There's a move to be less reliant on endoscopy for diagnosis. Biopsy‐Sparing Diagnosis of Coeliac Disease Based on Endomysial Antibody Testing and Clinical Risk Assessment https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12074562/
    • Ginger38
      Okay, Thank you!! I already have thyroid problems and my total iron binding capacity is high which usually means low iron but everything else was normal, lower end but “normal” my hair falls out and my nails won’t grow without breaking but nothing is being treated iron wise.  I have started having palpitations and chest pain,  both of which seem to be attributed to exposure to gluten. I’ve also been having a lot of nightmares, anxiety, numbness and tingling, brain fog, spotting between cycles and acne. Idk if all those are relatable to gluten / celiac but I’m concerned  I’ve finally tipped my body/ immune system into a bad place. Is there anyway to detox and heal faster or treat these symptoms if related to gluten ? 
    • knitty kitty
      @Alibu, Start with this study... High-dose thiamine supplementation improves glucose tolerance in hyperglycemic individuals: a randomized, double-blind cross-over trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23715873/ "Conclusion/interpretation: Supplementation with high-dose thiamine may prevent deterioration in fasting glucose and insulin, and improve glucose tolerance in patients with hyperglycemia. High-dose thiamine supplementation may prevent or slow the progression of hyperglycemia toward diabetes mellitus in individuals with impaired glucose regulation." They used 100 mg of thiamine three times a day.  They don't say which kind of thiamine was used.  Benfotiamine is my recommendation because it has been shown to promote intestinal health and helps with leaky gut and SIBO.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine and TTFD are safe and nontoxic even in higher doses.   The old "gold standard" diagnosis is changing.  It must be confusing for doctors as well.  I went through all this myself, so I understand the frustration of the vagueness, but set your course and watch as your health improves. Keep us posted on your progress!   P.S. here's another link.... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39642136/
×
×
  • Create New...