Georgie’s Wanderlust

So you have endometriosis but you really want to take that trip you’ve been dreaming about! If you are feeling nervous or anxious about this, that is completely normal.

You are however in the right place! I have been travelling the world for over ten years and I’ve been battling endometriosis for even longer. Everywhere I have been, endo has been right there with me. I will share with you some of my favourite travel tips to cope with your endo while you are travelling, and get you on your dream holiday!

Be prepared and plan ahead

I feel like this goes without saying, but if you are placing yourself outside of your usual comfort zone, then being prepared with some of your usual comforts is a great idea.

Preparing for your trip before you even leave can set you up for success. Making a list of essential items that you use for your endometriosis flare ups and general management can ensure you don’t forget anything.

Travel days are not for the hard days

If you have a regular cycle, try to plan ahead and book your travel days (especially days you’re flying) that don’t fall over your period. Most of us suffer the most during our menstruation, and we don’t want to make a hard day harder by locking ourselves in an airplane or a bus for 10+ hours.

Plan ahead and book your travel days (especially days you’re flying) that don’t fall over your period.

Travelling with liquids

If you use topical creams or balms for pain, make sure they meet airline requirements. Most airlines require individual bottles of liquids (yes, a solid balm is considered a liquid) to be 100mls or less to be approved for cabin baggage. If your products are larger than this, put them in your checked luggage. Or if you are going light and taking only carry on, get some silicon travel bottles – they are great for a few week vacation.

Supplement upkeep

If you are managing your endo symptoms with daily supplements, it is highly productive to continue this, even when travelling. A week or two might not seem like a long time, but through my experience over the years with taking supplements when I work, and leaving them behind when I travel – I always notice a significant difference.

If I am travelling for a specific length of time, I will count out my supplements so I am only travelling with exactly what I need for my holiday (with a few spares). If I am going for an extended period of time, I’ll bring whole bottles of supplements. In both scenarios I remove them from their packaging and place them in ziplock bags so they are lighter and pack more efficiently. If you are worried about customs seeing little pills and capsules and not being sure of what they are, you can peel the sticker off the supplements and keep them with you.

Supplements I take everyday:

• Vitamin C – this is great for cell production and will also help keep away colds! I take 1000mg everyday, and up my dosage to 3000mg if I am experiencing cold or flu like symptoms
• Fish oil omega 3s – I take 500mg a day
• Turmeric – this is excellent for reducing inflammation, I take 1000mg per day
• Magnesium glysinate (same as bisglysinate) – I take 200-400mg per day, and during menstruation will take up to 800mg per day
• Probiotics – I take a shelf stable probiotic daily, to help with gut health. These can be a great defence while travelling against stomach bugs. If I have an upset tummy while travelling I will double my dose

Please always consult your healthcare professional before starting any supplements. Although they may seem harmless, all of our bodies are so different and have different needs. I am simply sharing what works well for me, and not offering this as medical advice.

Heating pads

I cannot recommend enough the Myobi. I have the Artemis 2.0 (my favourite for travelling, it can be used over or under clothing). I also have the Apollo 2.0 which requires skin contact and has a range of tens settings. They are rechargeable and cordless, and are safe to travel with in the cabin with you on flights. I always make sure mine is charged up before I travel, on a plane, on a bus, in a longer taxi ride or ride share. Sitting for long periods of time can cause pain and discomfort, even on days we may not usually feel pain. I find that applying heat to my lower tummy or lower back can really help get through those longer travel days.

You can also opt for a hot water bottle, this should be easy to fill at your accommodations, however you’d find it more challenging on travel days.

Creature comforts

Being away from home can be a little scary, especially if it’s not something we do often. Bringing a little piece of home can make places feel more familiar. This could be your favourite teddy bear, or a special tea or drink you regularly make at home.

I have food allergies (wheat and soy) and sensitivities to dairy (acne and body inflammation). Travelling to a new place is going to reveal new and exciting people, places and food. And sometimes the foods we know and love will be nowhere to be found. Non-dairy milks, while ever popular in western countries, are only starting to become a hit in others, and non existent in many places too. I travel with a good quality, powdered coconut milk (check that it’s dairy free if you need it to be!). I also like to bring my own cacao flakes for my delicious morning drink. I stopped drinking coffee as it was causing me way too much inflammation. Powdered matcha is also a great alternative, if you like the taste. A matcha whisk will make this a more pleasant experience.

Choosing your accommodation

I’m a big reader of reviews, and I recommend you to do this too. It’s a useful way to plan ahead to find a comfortable space and a great deal. If you are a budget traveller and planning to stay in hostels, that’s great! I have stayed in many over the years, and love them for making new friends and for saving dollars. I do recommend you to take a private room with bathroom over days that you know will be harder (the period), so planning accordingly can be in your favour.

Pro tip: while hostel dorm rooms are typically the cheapest accommodation, their private rooms are not! Staying in a basic hotel will often be your cheapest option for a private room

Booking.com and HostelWorld are my favourite websites for comparing accommodations to find the best deals.

Things I personally like to look for in a place are:

• Quiet in the evenings to promote adequate rest – avoid party hostels and streets full of bars and nightclubs if you prefer this too
• Clean facilities – showing up to a place mid flare up and the bathroom isn’t clean – no thank you
• A rooftop space – if you are more on the budget/mid range end of travel, a balcony sea view apartment might be out of reach, but a shared rooftop space is not. I love these for journaling and morning yoga, and laying in the sun
• Or just go all out and book the beautiful villa with private pool and gorgeous view, I know I do when I can afford it!
• Good reviews – a couple of bad reviews won’t usually deter me from a place, but if the place has consistent issues I won’t book there. Look for places with recent positive reviews on staff, security, cleanliness, comfort and location

Staying in a comfortable space (especially on high pain and discomfort days) will make travelling much easier, and give you a safe space to ride out the endo flares in.

Food choices while travelling

You are on holidays! Not a diet! Ok we’ve cleared that up.

Travelling to a new country is exciting, and will expose you to new and wonderful foods. So enjoy the new and yummy delights!

With my experience of analysing my symptoms of endometriosis over the last 17 years, I am pretty familiar with my food triggers that heighten flare ups. Knowing what agrees with your body is invaluable knowledge, and knowing what disagrees with you is even more so.

It can be somewhat limiting having dietary restrictions when travelling to a new place, and can sometimes feel a little tiring having to converse with restaurant staff every time you eat out (which will be a lot, you’re on holidays!). However I always manage to find something delicious to eat, and I will repeat meals if I know they make me feel good!

If the country you are travelling to does not speak your native language, I highly recommend pre-downloading your chosen destinations language in your phone. I use google translate for this. It is a great tool for communicating with people if you don’t know their language. This will make the conversation much easier and give you peace of mind at the dinner table.

If you have severe food allergies (coeliac, peanut allergy etc) it can also be useful to have pre-made cards printed for your trip that you can show to restaurant staff. A quick internet search will find companies that do this for you at a cost, with verified translations, or you can make your own through google translate.

If you usually eat dairy free (or any other food sensitivity avoidance), don’t be hard on yourself for enjoying an ice cream by the pier, or for getting cheese on your tacos. A few meals is not going to ruin you. I like to have little treats here and there, while still maintaining my regular eating habits most of the time to manage my endo symptoms.

My endo essentials packing list

I’ve been doing this for a long time now, these are my absolute essential items to make it through my worldwide travels:

• Pain killers – I’ve tried a few times through my life to go without pharmaceuticals but I simply have days when I cannot do it without pain medication. For me this is an absolute essential when travelling. Keep it in your carry-on
• Supplements – vitamin c, fish oil, turmeric, magnesium, probiotics
• Heating pad – I keep my Myobi charged and with me, especially on those seated travel days!
• Pain balms – I have Somedays cramp cream and also I love tiger balm (did you know tiger balm can calm the itch of bug bites?)
• Infraredi red light therapy pad – this is an investment but I am finding a great reduction in my lower abdominal bloating and flares. I use mine daily in the mornings while I enjoy my hot cacao
• Comfy clothing – while it can be fun to dress up, my favourite baggy Lululemon pants are my best friend on the hardest of days (while still looking cute)
• Reading material aka my kindle – there are days I don’t want to be out and about and adventuring, keeping cosy with a good book is a great alternative

My Infraredi red light therapy pad set me back $320CAD, but it was well worth every cent. I use it daily and have found a huge deal of reduction in my lower belly bloating and inflammation.

Travel companions or solo

If you are travelling with someone, make sure to have a conversation with them beforehand about your endo and how you need to deal with it. That there may be days you are unable to do anything and simply need to honour that with rest. If you are sharing a room with someone new, let them know everything! Communication can make it much easier and make both of your holidays memorable in the best way.

If you are travelling solo (especially if it is your first time) try not to be scared! Our world is so beautiful and exciting to explore, and travelling doesn’t have to be scary. I’ve been solo travelling for twelve years, and while I do love a trip with my buds, there is something incredible freeing about travelling solo. I always feel the most connected to a place when I travel independently. It is a wonderful way to get to know yourself and to push the boundaries, we grow the most in our places of discomfort! And as endo warriors we are pretty good at that!

What’s next?

Now you just have to find your perfect place and book that plane ticket! What are you waiting for? Even if it is a single night away, you can do it, you are the one who can make your dreams come true.

I hope you found some inspiration in these writings, it brings me incredible joy to travel and experience new places, and I hope the same for you. If me and my endo can travel the world, then you can too 💛

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

With love,

Georgie 🩵