Travelling with Crohn’s or colitis: insurance, medicines and infusions away from home

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis should not stop you travelling. Travelling with Crohn’s or colitis takes a little planning around medicines, treatment dates and travel insurance, and then most people with IBD travel for work, holidays and family visits without problems.

Due an infusion while you are in London? We give private biologic infusions following your own gastroenterologist’s prescription and protocol, from £1,750 plus the medicine. Our page for international patients explains how we arrange treatment around your travel dates.

Plan with your IBD team first

The best time to plan is before you book, especially if you are in or recovering from a flare. Tell your IBD team where you are going and for how long, and ask three questions: is now a sensible time to travel, what should I do if I flare while away, and do I need any tests or vaccinations first?

Ask for a short written plan for flares, including which medicines to start and when to seek help. It helps to carry a summary letter describing your condition, your current treatment and your team’s contact details, in English and, if you can, the local language.

Travel insurance with Crohn’s or colitis

Declare your IBD when you buy travel insurance, along with any recent flares, operations or treatment changes the insurer asks about. If you do not, a claim linked to your condition could be refused, and medical care abroad can be very expensive.

If you are refused cover, offered cover with your IBD excluded, or quoted a very high price, the government-backed MoneyHelper travel insurance directory lists specialist insurers for people with medical conditions. In Europe, a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as local residents, but it does not replace travel insurance.

Travelling with your medicines

• Take enough, plus extra. Pack more than you need for the trip in case of delays, and keep it in your hand luggage, not a checked bag.
• Carry your prescription. Keep medicines in their original packaging with a copy of your prescription or a letter from your team, especially for injections and needles.
• Keep injections cold. Many injectable biologics need refrigeration. A medical cool bag, and a note for airport security, will cover most journeys. Check how long your medicine can stay out of the fridge.
• Check the rules at your destination. Some countries restrict medicines that are routine in the UK. The embassy of the country you are visiting can tell you what is allowed and what paperwork you need.
• Plan around time zones. If you cross several time zones, agree with your team how to adjust the timing of regular doses.

Vaccinations and staying well

If you take immunosuppressants or a biologic, some live vaccines, such as yellow fever, are not usually recommended. Check with your IBD team well before you go, because some vaccines need several weeks to take effect and some destinations require proof of vaccination.

Food and water hygiene matters more when your gut is sensitive: drink bottled or boiled water where tap water is not safe, and be cautious with ice, salads and street food. A stomach bug can look like a flare, so keep oral rehydration sachets with you and follow your flare plan if symptoms do not settle.

I have seen too many people cancel trips they could have taken, or run out of medicine halfway through a holiday. A little planning with your IBD team before you book makes all the difference.

Kay Greveson, founder and advanced IBD nurse practitioner

Toilets and the journey itself

Worry about finding a toilet in time is one of the most common reasons people with IBD avoid travelling. Book an aisle seat near the toilets, ask for assistance at the airport if you need it, and carry a small kit with wipes, a change of underwear and any stoma supplies. Crohn’s & Colitis UK offers a free Can’t Wait card, which explains your need for urgent toilet access and is recognised in many places.

When your infusion is due while you are away

If you have a biologic infusion every few weeks, a long trip can clash with a dose. Talk to your team early: sometimes the schedule can be adjusted, and sometimes the dose needs to be given where you are staying.

If you are visiting London, we can give infusions of infliximab, vedolizumab and ustekinumab following your own gastroenterologist’s prescription and protocol. We review your records before you fly, so your treatment is confirmed before you travel. Our private biologic infusions page lists what we need, and our guide to getting biologics sooner explains how private infusions work alongside your usual care.

If you are coming to London for IBD care

Many of our patients live abroad or spend part of the year in the UK. We can see you by video before you arrive, arrange tests and treatment around your dates, and send a written summary to your doctors at home. Our page for international patients explains how this works, and you can meet the team here.

IBD Passport, the travel charity Kay founded, has country-by-country advice on medicines, insurance and vaccinations, and is a good place to start before any trip.

A quick checklist before you go

1. Talk to your IBD team about timing, a flare plan and vaccinations.
2. Buy travel insurance that covers your IBD, and pack your GHIC for Europe.
3. Pack extra medicines in your hand luggage, with your prescription and a cool bag for injections.
4. Check the medicine rules for your destination.
5. Plan any infusion or blood test that falls during your trip.
6. Carry a summary letter and your team’s contact details.

Your next step

If you would like help planning care around a trip, or a review before you travel, start with a first appointment, in Wimpole Street or by video. If you are still weighing up where to be seen, read how to choose an IBD clinic or specialist.