Getting to your destination

Here are some general points to consider when travelling:

Luggage

• Products for managing incontinence can take up a substantial amount of space in your luggage. This is especially true for disposable pads.
• Use the most absorbent products you can in the smallest quantity.
• Look for vacuum packed pads which take up less space.
• Reusable products are often inconvenient when travelling as the used products have to be stored for washing. However, if you can manage washable products you will save luggage space.
• Consider using products other than pads. For example men could try a sheath system instead of pads which would take up less space.
• Find out if there are luggage restrictions and if you will have to pay extra.
• Find out if a supply of products can be delivered to your holiday destination or send a supply yourself.

Hand luggage

• Make sure you have a supply of spare products in your hand luggage which you keep with you.
• If possible keep enough products for a couple of days in case your main luggage is mislaid or damaged. This will hopefully give you time to get replacement products at your destination.

Toilets

• If you know you will need to use the toilet quickly, try to reserve a seat near the toilet. You may wish to wear a pad ‘in case’ of a leak if you can’t access the toilet quickly enough.
• If you are travelling by car, you may have a bit more flexibility. Think about where and when toilet stops might be possible. Consider explaining to any passengers in the car that you will need to stop every so often to use the toilet

• Public toilets vary and cleanliness and facilities. Here are some things you might find useful to keep clean and fresh:

  • toilet paper / tissues
  • wet wipes
  • a small bottle of water
  • hand towel
  • disposable bags for used products
  • disposable paper toilet seat covers

• You may find a urine director useful if you:

  • are unable to sit on the toilet seat
  • have to use a squat toilet as opposed to one with a seat
  • are unable to remove your clothing
  • are unable to find a toilet at all!

Product suggestions

• Consider using the smallest absorbent product you can and changing more often so you have less bulky products in hand luggage
• Consider using larger more absorbent products if getting to the toilet to change is going to be difficult
• Use high quality products that you are confident in to reduce the risk of leakage onto clothing or seats
• Consider using a travel urinal. You may be able to stop in a lay-by to use a urinal. Many men and women’s urinals are available but men can use a home made urinal from a large plastic bottle if necessary.
• Add super absorbent gel to the container to solidify urine until the urinal can be emptied discreetly.
• Consider using products designed to contain leakage over longer periods of time e.g. for men a sheath system
• Wear dark clothing to disguise wet patches and reduce product visibility
• Wear loose fitting clothes which are easy to remove and replace

Security

• You may have to go through security checks depending on your type of transport.
• If you need medicines / products during the journey that do not comply with usual security regulations you may be allowed to take them on board if you have a letter from your doctor.
• This includes super-absorbent gel which may be mistaken for an illegal substance
• If you are concerned about luggage searches or body searches contact the transport operator in advance. This will help to avoid the embarrassment of your continence products being visible when bags are opened or you are searched.

When you are there

How you manage your leakage when travelling will be influenced by the type of accommodation you have. For example, if you rent a house you may be able to use washable products without too much difficulty. If you are camping you are likely to want disposable products.

• Think about how long you will be away for and how much product you will need. Contact the product manufacturers for local suppliers but don’t assume you will able to get your products locally.
• Take an extra supply in case your symptoms worsen. Bowel leakage can worsen with a tummy upset from a change in diet. Bladder leakage can worsen if you become dehydrated in a hot climate.
• Work out roughly how many items you will need and add an extra emergency supply , for example, enough for two additional days
• If this is more than you can practically transport, contact the manufacturer(s) and see if a supply can be sent directly to your destination

Discreetness

• If you are staying in a hotel, ask not to have maid service if you would prefer staff did not see continence products in the bathroom.
• If you do not have en suite facilities try to book a room close to the bathroom / toilet.

Disposal

• Disposing of large quantities of pads can be very difficult to do discreetly when travelling.
• If you do not feel able to talk the hotel staff about this, try to find local bins and put your products into several bags.
• Find out when the hotel bins are emptied.
• Take a good supply of plastic bags for disposal and double bag your products.

Laundering products

• If you do not have direct access to private laundry facilities consider sticking to disposable products
• It might be possible to wash a limited quantity of products in your hotel room. Take washing powder and a travel clothes line.

Product choice

• Make sure you have bed and chair protection to avoid embarrassing accidents which are hard to deal with.
• Check the size of the bed so you have appropriate sized bed protection.
• If you are camping you might want a sleeping bag cover
• Contact the product manufacturer to check the likely performance of your products in extreme temperatures. For example, products that use adhesive such as sheaths can be problematic in hot temperatures where the skin adhesive may melt and the sheath may not be easily unrolled.
• In damp environments such as when camping in wet weather, the damp may affect the performance of absorbent pads.