Travel Stress-Free With Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Packing Tips, Safe Dining, and More

Navigating everyday life with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) can come with challenges, and those can be magnified when you’re traveling.

Figuring out which foods are safe to eat, being far from your health team, and dealing with potential flares in an unfamiliar place can all make you feel overwhelmed or anxious — and that makes managing the condition even tougher, notes Rudolph Bedford, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

“For someone with EoE, thinking about the uncertainties involved with travel can be a stressor,” he says. “That’s an issue because increased stress can sometimes trigger a flare, causing inflammation and symptoms.”

However, EoE travel dread doesn’t have to be inevitable, he adds. Some advance planning can go a long way toward helping you feel more confident about a trip, and adjusting to different situations no matter where you visit. Here are some top tips to consider as you’re getting ready to leave.

When traveling with your EoE-friendly items, be sure to store what you need in your carry-on bag instead of your checked bag, Dr. Bedford recommends. That will give you assurance that you have what you need even if your checked bag is delayed or lost. In terms of what to pack, here are the three main categories:

Medications

If you take medication to manage your symptoms, be sure to stick to your treatment schedule even on vacation. If possible, bring more than you need for the timespan of your trip, says Bedford. “Talk with your doctor in advance about prescribing extra medication, in case any gets misplaced or left behind in a hotel room,” he suggests.

Also, bring a printed list of your medications, including dosage and instructions for use, just in case you have an urgent medical need while you’re traveling and have to provide that info to a health provider.

Safe Snacks

Most likely, you already know which snacks are a good fit for you and provide some nutrients, such as protein bars without ingredients that might trigger symptoms. If there are snacks you suspect will be useful but you haven’t tried them yet, Bedford recommends doing a “tryout” before you travel, so you’re not sampling a new food when you’re away from home.

Medical Info

In addition to carrying printed information on your medications, it’s helpful to have info on your condition, contacts for your health team, and anything else you might need if you have to visit a health provider away from home. This might include travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, your insurance card, and a list of trigger foods.

“If you have an emergency situation and you’re feeling panicked, you’re likely to forget important information that a provider would need,” says Bedford. “Having it all in one place and readily available can be very handy in an urgent situation.”

Even for those who know their trigger foods well, dining in different places can be stressful, according to Shasawat Kumar, MD, an internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan in New York.

Although it can be fun to be spontaneous, Bedford says it’s not worth the risk to take a chance on food that’s not in an established restaurant, such as sampling the fare of street vendors and food trucks.

“You just don’t want to put yourself in a situation where there’s a chance for any anxiety over food that contains ingredients that can lead to inflammation and potentially getting stuck,” he says. “Some of my patients won’t even eat the food that’s offered on an airplane because that feels like too much risk. Just go with what makes you feel safe.”

“As well prepared as you can be prior to traveling, a flare can always occur and be even more worrisome away from home,” says Dr. Kumar. If it’s fairly minor, like a bout of heartburn or nausea, a PPI or other over-the-counter medication may be helpful, he notes.

“Ideally, look up where hospitals and urgent care centers are in relation to where you’re staying before you get there,” he suggests. “That’s just one more way to alleviate any anxiety you might have, because you know where to get help if you need it.”

• EoE and travel can be an especially stressful combination, and feeling anxiety can increase your risk of symptoms.
• Planning as much in advance as possible can help relieve that stress, and that includes finding accommodating restaurants, locating urgent care centers or hospitals, and packing safe snacks.
• Always bring your medications and medical info in your carry-on bag, to make sure you have what you need even if your checked bag gets lost.