Ulcerative Colitis Guide: Surviving Bathing Suit Season

People who suffer from Ulcerative Colitis have to deal with frequent, sudden bouts of diarrhea, awful stomach cramps and the embarrassment caused by accidents when a bathroom is too far away or there is a line. For some Ulcerative Colitis sufferers leaving home is a challenge.

A trip to the beach can feel like torture to someone with Ulcerative Colitis. There are a lot of factors that make a trip to the beach feel like a nightmare. The bathrooms are often few and far between. Bathing suits do not leave much room to use pads in case of accidents. In some cases, the sun makes symptoms feel much worse than normal. There are ways to help make your trip to the beach more enjoyable and less stressful.

We will start with the basics. First off, a few days before your trip to the beach, go on your bland flare up diet. This will lessen the chance of you having a flare up while you are at the beach.

Make sure that you pack the right items in your beach bag. It is important to keep in mind that bathrooms at the beach usually do not have all of the conventional conveniences of a regular bathroom.

You should put bottled water in your bag. No, not to drink. You will use this water to wash up after a trip to the bathroom. This goes for your hands and your bottom.

Pack some baby wipes or paper towels. These will help you to clean your bottom better after a trip to the bathroom. You may want to pack a small bottle of hand soap.

Plastic bags are a must just in case you have an accident. You can throw your dirty clothes into the bag. Gallon size Ziploc bags are ideal for this.

Another must is at least one extra beach towel. This should be large enough to wrap around your waist just in case you have an accident. A beach towel will help to cover up the signs of the accident and it will soak up some of the liquid that may seep out of your swim suit.

Next, you have to pick the right spot for your trip. You should try to find a place near a bathroom or port-a-potty. Although it may seem less than ideal, a port-a-potty at the beach is often the best option for someone with ulcerative colitis. Portable toilets are often closer to the water line than conventional bathrooms.

If you are in the water, as long as you are in murky water, and you have an accident, don't worry about it. The water will wash away all evidence of your accident. Just make sure that you don't get out of the water right after the accident. You need to give the water a chance to rinse your suit. If you feel an episode coming on and feel that you won't make it to the bathroom, try to get as far away from the other swimmers as possible.

Yes, you can enjoy a day at the beach even with Ulcerative Colitis. Just make sure that you are prepared for the worst while hoping for the best.