This post is intended to answer questions people have about restroom access while at the airport and while on the airplane.
Bathroom/Lavatory access inside the airport is plentiful. However, with a urostomy, the challenge for me is that my urostomy pouch fills quickly. While bathrooms are plentiful, long lines make accessing restrooms when needed difficult.
"Holding It" while in line is just simply not a good option for those of us with an ostomy (or two). Overfilling our pouches can lead to leaks or worse, the dreaded blow outs, decreased wear times, and even urinary tract infections.
So, we need to plan ahead and apply some strategic thinking. Locate a restroom near the line you are about to enter. Use it prior to getting in line. Seems easy, and most of the time it is.j Get through the line, and use a restroom on the other side as soon as possible.
This works until it doesn't.
After check-in and security screening the next lines you will be standing in are likely for purchasing food/drink/supplies, a restroom, or as you prepare to board the airplane. Same as before, bathrooms are typically located nearby, and you can visit them before getting in line, and then once you get out of line if necessary.
This works until it doesn't.
Once you board the airplane, you can typically use one of the lavatories until the fasten seat belt signs are illuminated and the flight crews prepare the cabin for departure. However, with people boarding the airplane the aisle(s) will be occupied as people find their seats, and place items in the overhead bins. Moving down the aisles will be difficult.
Once the fasten seat belt signs are lit, you likely will not be able to use the restroom again until close to cruise altitude.
Even then, especially on single aisle aircraft (like the Boeing 737) accessing the restrooms can be challenging. On smaller commercial airplanes, there may only be one lavatory at the front of the airplane and two at the rear. No lines can form at the front lavatory for flight deck safety reasons. The galleys are at the rear of the smaller airplanes, so once drink / snack service begins, carts may block the aisle for a period of time. This can still be an issue on larger twin aisle airplanes. There are more lavatories, likely near each set of doors. Though, there are more people, more carts. It is a challenge.
So, with an ostomy what can we do? I'd like to hear what you do to navigate these issues in the comments section. I know some people recommend limiting fluids and food prior to flying. But, I don't want to do that and for my urostomy situation, traffic, lines, etc are a daily problem. I don't want to further damage myself in solving the bag filling quickly problem.
For me, I solved the issue by carrying a urine drainage bag with me. I started doing this pretty early after my surgery. Shopping, traveling by car, long meetings (at the time they were virtual), attending my daughters volleyball tournaments all pose a similar problem. Even when restrooms are in abundance, accessing those restrooms is not always easy or fast. In Seattle, traffic is an issue. I had to do something, and that is when I started carrying the drainage bags with me. It was then that I started experimenting with different drainage bag covers, backpacks, totes, fanny packs. Nothing worked the way I wanted it to. So, I designed a drainage bag, bag.
https://a.co/d/fikjuxn Amazon Link. Bag information is also available on this website:
This bag allows me to have extra capacity with me at all times. I can discreetly empty my urostomy pouch, carry my emergency supplies including hand sanitizer, deodorizing spray, paper towels with me. I use drainage bags that have excellent backflow prevention, like Holliser, Coloplast, Convatec, Medline.
I have flown across the United States multiple times, been fishing for Halibut and King Salmon in Alaska, this bag has been a game changer for me. Even when I go shopping, go through checkout, get to my car and realize my pouch is full...simple things like this, I am thankful I have the Privy Bag in my car. It prevents me from over filling my bag, and when I do get to a restroom, I can empty my pouch and the drainage bag.
Part 4: Flying with an ostomy - Restroom Access at the airport and during flight
Part 5: Flying with an ostomy - Dealing with leaks at the airport and in flight
Part 6: Flying with an ostomy - Carry On Supplies and Packing
Part 7: Flying with an ostomy - Determine How Much to Pack
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