I’m a Foodie With IBS. Here’s How I Survived My Recent Trip to NYC and Ate Delicious Food.

I took my first trip since February of 2020 last week to New York City. It was a whirlwind trip focused on seeing two shows, doing some sightseeing, and eating some great food. In the past, I’ve always loved to travel, but if I’m completely honest, I had a lot of anxiety surrounding this particular trip. Partly it was generalized anxiety over traveling in a post-COVID world, but more specifically I was extremely worried about managing my IBS symptoms.

I am the ultimate foodie and being able to eat well is fundamental to my enjoyment of a trip. In fact, I typically research what restaurants I plan to visit in a new city before I plan anything else about my vacation. This time was no different except that I’ve been dealing with an IBS flare of late, precipitated by both anxiety over major life changes and a bout with COVID-19 which seemed to disproportionately affect my gut causing more frequent diarrhea and increased sensitivity to a myriad of foods. What timing.

All was not lost, however, as I took numerous precautions to insure that my short trip would not be disrupted by my disagreeable bowels. I only had 48 hours to enjoy New York City to its fullest and I had zero desire to spend any of it glued to a toilet. How did I do it? Here are a few tips and tricks for a (mostly) hassle-free food-centered trip when you have IBS.

1. Front loading Pepto Bismol chewable tablets.

I actually googled how to prevent an IBS flare on vacation and this advice came up multiple times. Several articles suggested taking two chewable Pepto Bismol tablets four times a day for the duration of your trip. Having IBS that alternates between diarrhea and constipation, I was a bit concerned with such a high dosage of Pepto. It typically will constipate me, which might be problematic for a longer trip, but I thought for two days it wouldn’t be too big of an issue.

I decided to start with taking it twice daily rather than four times a day, adding doses as needed if my intestines started to rebel. Fortunately, the two-dose method worked like a charm. I took it before breakfast first thing in the morning and then again about an hour before dinner. I will note that it did cause some constipation, but that resolved itself by the next day when I stopped taking it. Again, for a longer trip, I’d consider an even more conservative dosage, but for the most part, this was quite effective.

2. Drink plenty of water.

To combat the use of the Pepto and to assist with just keeping everything lubricated, I made sure to drink more water than I typically consume. To be fair, I’m terrible about drinking water at home and usually forget until I feel dehydrated, so any water was more than my usual. But I intentionally drank about the equivalent of a liter of water a day. This is a good practice in general when traveling, but in particular when you are trying to make sure you are flushing your system of toxins adequately… it’s necessary.

3. Finding public bathrooms.

With the increased water consumption, finding restrooms became a sport. I had already been concerned about the bathroom situation. Anyone with IBS knows that diarrhea can occur seemingly out of the blue and when your intestines start doing somersaults the necessity of finding a restroom quickly is crucial. Herein lies the problem — New York City is virtually devoid of public restrooms. Most restrooms in stores and even fast food restaurants are reserved for customers only and require a PIN number to enter.

I was traveling with a friend who has an Android phone, and I have an iPhone. We both decided to download a different toilet locator app on our phones to see if it would point us in the right direction when needed. I won’t mention the names of the apps we tested because we found them to be completely unhelpful. Often they directed us to restaurants that had restrooms, but we couldn’t use them without making a purchase or they’d send us to a place that was out of business.

Our best bets were public parks during the daytime and hotel lobbies. We were also successful in asking patrons at fast food establishments for the PIN numbers to enter those restrooms in an emergency, but I honestly wouldn’t rely on the generosity of others to help you out in a pinch. We used every opportunity to purchase a bottle of water just to gain access to patron-only restrooms, particularly when we were taking long walks.

4. Know your food triggers.

As a foodie, I refuse to completely deprive myself of the opportunity to try new foods or to splurge on vacation. Honestly, what’s the point of travel if you can’t enjoy your meals? That being said, there’s a limit to how much you can and should test your luck with your digestive health when you have IBS. Let me be clear — if you have a food allergy or intolerance that you know will make you sick, don’t take unnecessary risks. If you are gluten or dairy free for example, there are plenty of restaurants that can easily adjust or accommodate your needs while still creating culinary masterpieces.

However, for myself, I know where I have a tiny bit of wiggle room and where I need to just say no. Dairy typically affects me negatively, so for the most part I was cautious with consuming things like milk or soft cheeses that I know are usually a problem. I did splurge on some amazing fresh mozzarella, but then opted for the vegan gelato when we stopped for a late-night treat. And I know that meat doesn’t usually work well for me, so I stuck to fish and seafood options, not hard to do in a city like New York which has an abundance of fresh seafood flown in daily. Coming from a small town in the Midwest which is a veritable fresh fish and seafood desert, this was a treat.

And, as tempting as they may seem because they are cost-effective and smell amazing, I avoided the street vendors that are a part of the very landscape of the city. I know a lot of locals swear by them and food trucks have certainly made a resurgence during the pandemic, but I didn’t want to have to guess which ones were the safe ones to eat from. There were plenty of outside patio dining options as well as well-ventilated inside options.

5. Don’t overindulge.

This kind of goes with knowing your triggers, but it’s easy to eat more than you usually do when you are on vacation. Especially if you are doing more walking than usual and busy with activities all day. But… don’t overdo it. Listening to my hunger and satiety cues is important at all times but it is critical when I’m not in my normal routine eating at the same time every day and at my regular activity levels. I always ask myself “Could I eat more right now?” and if the answer is yes, “Do I need to eat more right now to feel satisfied?”If that answer is no, I skip it. Overloading my system just makes digestion that much harder and the less I tax it, the more likely I’ll be to avoid an IBS flare. Plus, it’s New York — you can always find a cute place for dessert at 11 p.m. after a show if you develop a sweet tooth.

6. Loose-fitting clothing.

Fashion has never been my priority. I’ve always put comfort over chic. Even if my shoes don’t match my outfit or I’m wearing a goofy hat with a cute dress I honestly don’t care if it keeps me cool, sunburn free, and my feet from blistering. This goes for my tummy too. Now is not the time to wear something super tight around the waist. Give your belly some room to expand after you eat. This may sound fairly innocuous, but I am one of those people who does get a noticeable food baby when I eat and I get extremely uncomfortable if my gut is being squeezed in like a sausage in its casing. A loose top with an elastic waistband solves this problem.

7. Wash or sanitize your hands.

I’m fairly certain most of us automatically carry hand sanitizer around with us now, but don’t forget to use it on vacation. I may be a bit hyper-vigilant where germs are concerned, but I do tend to be more aware of surfaces I’ve touched and how many people I’m around, particularly in a city as densely populated as New York. The last thing your gut needs to test it beyond its limits is to throw in some kind of bacterial infection or virus. While washing your hands is preferred, if that’s not an option, hand sanitizer will do the trick.

Some of these tips are good practice any time when you are away from home if you have IBS, but they are definitely important when you are in a foreign environment doing irregular activities and behaviors. My advice is, don’t skip the opportunity to travel if you are concerned about your symptoms flaring. Just be conscious of doing the right things to make your trip as uneventful as possible. The only fireworks you want on vacation are the kind in the sky, not the type that come with your IBS getting triggered.