Need a handhold- ill and due to fly home tomorrow

[holidaytummytrouble]

Posting here for traffic. On holiday with DH and two young DC. I started with diarrhoea at 2am. It's showing no signs of stopping, even though I've had nothing but water since last night and we're due to fly home at midday tomorrow. It's a 4 hour flight and on the way here there was a queue for the toilet pretty much the entire flight.

I don't know what to do. If I'm still like this tomorrow I can't possibly fly, can I? Presumably the insurance wouldn't pay for all of us to stay so DH would have to fly home with the DC and leave me here?

DH has taken the DC out to give me some peace but I'm just lying here panicking about tomorrow in between running to the hotel bathroom. I don't even know where to start with the practicalities if I can't fly tomorrow, would we contact the airline or the insurance company? Will they definitely pay out? If anyone has been in a similar situation and had any advice it would be very much appreciated.

Imodium?

Didn't mean to enable voting. Sorry.

To pay out they would surely need verification from a healthcare setting?

Can’t your DH go to a pharmacy and get something for you ?

tbh I would do a covid test.

and ask dh to bring back immodium.

all the best!

DH did suggest going to the chemist to find some immodium or similar. I'm sure I've read that it just prolongs diarrhoea though so I was worried it might stop it for now and then it would potentially start up again with a vengeance tomorrow!

Definitely immodium and some kind of adult incontinence pad (like an adult nappy) just to be on the safe side!

Definitely immodium and some kind of adult incontinence pad (like an adult nappy) just to be on the safe side!

Oh god, the thought of shitting myself on a plane in front of a load of strangers is my worst nightmare.

I had a similar problem on my last 12 hours in Mexico. I stopped drinking water apart from when I took paracetamol. DP took over all travel plans and looked after everything.
I literally just dragged my bones to the airport and got onto that plane.
Once I was on the way home I felt so much better.
I had lots of tissues and clean pants in my handbag for any incidents and a spare pair of trousers.
I didn't need them thankfully.
I hope you feel better soon and good luck.

you just keep taking it until you get home

You poor thing.

I suspect it will have run it's course by tomorrow but in the meantime get some dehydration sachets, plenty of water and some Imodium or similar and rest.

I think your choices are to visit a doctor and either get something that will allow you to fly or a letter confirming you can’t which will allow your insurance to pay out, or stick it out as best you can then start taking immodium an hour before you leave your hotel and keep taking it.

Is there any option of upgrading to business just for you? Access to a lounge before the flight, fewer people using the onboard toilets?

Sometimes these kind of bugs can literally be 24 hours so fingers crossed you have one of them.

In my limited experience the problem with Imodium is it works too well and you end up not going for days afterwards.....good luck OP, hope you get home ok

@pinkbowl I thought you were supposed to drink more water when you have diarrhoea? Now wondering if I've been making myself worse trying to stay hydrated! How long before your flight did you stop drinking?

Immodium + incontinence pants - you'll be uncomfortable but you'll survive!

In my limited experience the problem with Imodium is it works too well and you end up not going for days afterwards.....good luck OP, hope you get home ok

I can live with that! My fear is it won't work at all and I'll end up having an accident on the plane.

Immodium wont work if you have something like norovirus and if you have food poisoning or a bug then you shouldnt bung yourself up, its better out than in as they say, plus you could pass anything on to other passengers and crew if its noro. I would contact your insurance company and see what they suggest.

You absolutely must stay hydrated! Keep drinking water, as much as you feel able to. Can you get an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte?

Is there any option of upgrading to business just for you? Access to a lounge before the flight, fewer people using the onboard toilets?

I think it's unlikely we could afford it to be honest.

How long away is midday tomorrow where you are? The likelihood is that it will have calmed down significantly by then.

I agree with the others - keep hydrated, take immodium. And use any toilet as often as you can.

I've done this although in my case it started about an hour before boarding the plane. Immodium worked although the stomach cramps were vile.

A lovely flight attendant gave me a bag of her own peppermint tea because they were only selling normal tea and she could tell I wasn't feeling great, which was so nice of her.

You can get through it and then you will probably feel better getting over it in your own house in your own bed anyway

Sorry I don't know how to tag....
I stopped drinking when I realised that was the only thing coming out as I was utterly empty if you know what I mean (tmi?). About 6 hours before we had to head off to the airport.
This is not proper medical advice but 'I want to stop shitting every 5 minutes and get on a plane and be poorly in my own bed' advice.
I felt dreadful but I really needed to go home.
If I had a tummy bug at home I would treat it much differently.
Maybe if you have to, suck on a sugary sweet as a pick me up. Might not do too much damage.
Can you get any imodium?

@Lockheart we're in the same time zone as UK so just under 24 hours til flight leaves although we obviously have to be at the airport before that. I am desperately hoping I'm over the worst by then but I suffer with anxiety so my mind does tend to go to the worst case scenario.

I had this on a 9 hour flight home from America. Immodium a few hours before the flight then another tablet after each motion until it stops. But I only needed one top up over the 8 hours. And even if it is a bug, immodium won't prolong it, that's an old wives tale. Keep drinking water or diluted juice and eat some bland salty plane crackers. Make sure you have some salt to replace what you have lost. And let DH do everything.

Just take immodium before you fly, you can take it for more than one dose so if you’ve got a long journey to airport take it before and then again before flight.

Tbh unless you’re really really poorly I can’t see an insurance company paying out because you didn’t fly due to diaorreah.

my son had to visit a hospital on our last holiday and I’m still waiting for our insurance to pay out, they want to know all the details and more before paying out.

I would just buy some immodium and stop taking it when you get home - a lot less hassle than prolonging your holiday and claiming on insurance: