TRAVEL CONSTIPATION

There are various different causes of travel constipation. On holiday, people tend not to eat at the times that they usually eat, which is mostly due to time differences and local traditions at the holiday destination. Other causes of constipation are jet lag and not getting enough fluids and fibre. However, one of the most usual causes of travel constipation is “safe toilet syndrome”. Safe toilet syndrome is caused by the fact that, on holiday, it is often not possible to use a toilet. Some people just can’t “go” in a “foreign” environment, which may cause a complete stop of bowel movements.

Pharmacy customer: Hello, do you speak English?
PTA: Hello. Yes, I do. How may I help you?

I’m going on holiday in a few weeks and I’d like to put together a travel first aid kit.
Certainly! Do you mind me asking a few questions before we get started?

No, not at all. Go ahead.
Are you staying here in Europe or are you travelling to a tropical country or similar?

We’re heading off to southern Italy. Just my husband and I.
Good. Are you travelling by car or plane?

We are travelling by plane.
I see. And will you be travelling around, you know going on hiking or biking tours, that kind of thing?

Not really, it’s more relaxing and sight-seeing.
Okay. Are there any prescription medicines that you or your husband need to take with you? You know, such as narcotics or injectable medication such as insulin?

No, thank goodness!
Certainly! You might also consider taking insect repellent and hydrocortisone gel with you to help deal with midges and horse flies.

Good idea! What else do you recommend?
Well, it’s always good to take antidiarrhoea medication with you. The usual is loperamide hydrochloride.

What about painkillers? You know: Ibuprofen or Paracetamol?
I was just going to recommend taking medication for headache or fever. You might also consider something for constipation.

Constipation? Really?
Oh, yes. You’d be amazed at the number of people who suffer from travel constipation!

I thought you only got that on transcontinental or transatlantic flights. You know, from sitting down too long or from the dry air in the airplane cabin.
Yes, that is true. But a lot of people get constipated from not getting enough fluids, or not enough fibre.

I see.
I can recommend either this medication with bisacodyl or this one with sodium picosulphate.

I’ll take the sodium one, I know it already, thank you!
Here are you purchases. Have a nice trip.

Thank you. If I think of anything else, I’ll drop by. Goodbye.
You are more than welcome. Bye, bye!

Vocabulary
constipation Obstipation, Verstopfung
unpleasant unangenehm
holiday destination Reiseziel
fluids Flüssigkeiten
fibre Ballaststoffe
safe toilet syndrome Syndrom der sicheren Toilette
bowel movements Stuhlgänge
travel first aid kit Reiseapotheke
hiking Wandern
prescription medicines verschreibungspflichtige Medikamente
narcotics Betäubungsmittel
insect repellent Insektenschutzmittel
midges Mücken
horse flies Bremsen
painkillers Schmerzmittel
sodium Natrium

Den Artikel finden Sie auch in Die PTA IN DER APOTHEKE 06/15 auf Seite 90.

Catherine Croghan, Lecturer in English and native speaker