I need a good prescription drug before I fly in November

[H5N1]

Flying absolutely freaks me out.
I need to calm the hell down
before I get on the jet
and stay reaallly mellow on the flight.

[ScamUSA.Com]

1. 1) booze 2) pot brownies 3) valium

1 or 2 of the above

[H5N1]

4. Booze won't cut it, I cannot take valium, pot has the wrong effect on me

[ScamUSA.Com]

19. different people, different chemistry no doubt

probably best to discuss it with a doc

[H5N1]

28. I like to have some ideas before i see the doc, Thank you

[kitkat65]

47. Self deleted

You can't do valium so never mind.

[UAWONE]

2. flight

xanax.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. Ask your doctor for valium...just enough to last the flight

I used to get anxiety flying and even a 2.5 mg valium helps

[H5N1]

8. For some unfortunate reason, valium slows my heart rate way down...

almost as frightening as the plane ride

[insane_cratic_gal]

68. might be the dosage was too

high. I have the same effect with Percocet or Codeine I can only take one because it effects my breathing.

Perhaps a lower dosage of Valium or just one pill would be better?

[H5N1]

71. Possibly. Never thought of that.

[ismnotwasm]

5. Best talk to your doctor

There are several options available

[pitohui]

6. see yr doctor but many recommend ambien

google for ambien free trial

you can get 2 pills free

do NOT fill a large RX until you have tested yr reaction to the free pills, ambien doesn't work for everyone

test drive the pill at home

if it works, you will be able to sleep for abt 6 hours on yr flight

this is for transpac, transatlantic flights only, if you can't sleep for several hours, do not take ambien

for shorter flights, you may be a candidate for xanax or valium

*ask your doctor*

on edit, i see you cannot take valium, likely means you can't take xanax either

you really need a travel or phobia doctor's help here

[H5N1]

9. now that you mention it, ambien works for me

[pitohui]

13. that's great

i will try to link you to the free pill offer:

http://www.ambien.com/consumer/doctor/free_trial.asp?origin=FTO&PALT=&Detection=True&OriginalHTTP_REFERER=

enjoy your flight

[H5N1]

14. neat-o

[leftchick]

25. I forgot about Ambien

that would work very well but NO alcohol with that.

[H5N1]

29. Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way

[wakeme2008]

7. I know my friends for longer flight

take a prescription sleep pill. But that knocks them out for 8 hours.

[H5N1]

10. Best if I am totally knocked out

[davsand]

38. Might I suggest a ball peen hammer?

If you want to be "knocked out" it can work. If you want to escape brain damage, however, I'd avoid it. :)

Seriously, you need to talk to your doc. Many of the common tranquilizers work on your central nervous system. Xanax, Valium and several other "minor tranquilizers" are in the benzodiazepine family, and there is a similarity to them that might be a problem for you if your heart rate drops.

Addiction most likely poses little to no risk for you with this kind of short term use, however you might want to take a look at this article:

http://www.breggin.com/minortranqs.html

It may give you some good info before you talk to your doc. There is at least one short term anti-anxiety med he mentions that is not associated with the CNS depression that other sedatives are.

I hope your flight goes well and peacefully!


Laura

[H5N1]

41. thank you for the article..... I'll pass on the hammer (maybe)

[lady lib]

11. Ask your doctor about

lorazepam (generic for Ativan) to relieve anxiety in the short-term.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682053.html

[H5N1]

16. that short term anxiety kills me - i shall ask him

[lady lib]

21. The only problem

is that it's in the same family of drugs as Valium. Since you had a complaint about the Valium, you should definitely try out the lorazepam (Ativan) ahead of time.

[H5N1]

23. I plan on it, thanks

[Windy]

12. ativan... worked for me to Hawaii...

calmed me down and I slept through the entire flight

[H5N1]

17. I've heard of that. I shall ask.

[etherealtruth]

57. Worked for me too ...

... From DC to Hawaii. I was traveling with my then husband; this is important because in order to be calm enough to endure the flight, I became too "unreliable" to navigate across LAX to catch a connecting flight.

As with many others advice: NO ALCOHOL. I learned this the hard way flying home from Puerto Rico ... being both "freaked out" and nauseous is HORRID!

[H5N1]

60. I will never mix drugs and alcohol..... (again)

[leftchick]

15. Xanax and a glass of Wine

It got me to Switzerland and back last year. I freak out just like you. I always take holy water and splash myself with it too. :)

[H5N1]

20. Xanax, wine, and....Holy Water. Noted.

[Lost-in-FL]

18. How long is the flight? Are you flying solo?

Options would be valium (generic is diazepam) , Ativan (works best) or Xanax but you do need a prescription from your doctor since at times those meds can cause respiratory distress. We use those for patients that suffer from claustrophobia and will be undergoing MRI's.
The dose will depend on how long is the flight and you should take them 60 to 30 minutes prior to entering the plane. You might need assistance and you MUST fly with someone.

[H5N1]

22. Six hour flight. Yep, I have claustrophobia BIG TIME!

I will be with some other people.
Does Ativan make you sleep?

[Lost-in-FL]

24. Oh yes...

It will knock you out... but depends on what the doctor prescribes

Even the patients that are in the very noisy MRI will sleep through the whole procedure:boring: :boring: :boring: :boring: :boring: :boring:

[H5N1]

27. It would be nice to see the scenery out the windows

while flying. I know that some people can get hammered on mixed drinks
and all is good. Problem is, I am a heavy drinker - alcohol
would not cut it.

[Lars39]

30. Where you sit will be important then.

It might help if you can manage to sit with a lot of space between you and the front of the plane.

[H5N1]

32. Interesting

[nashville_brook]

26. i'm the same way, xanax won't even help

i usually vomit the whole trip.

[H5N1]

31. I am going to try some of these things in advance

I don't need to be freaked out AND sick all at the same time

[nashville_brook]

35. the xanax doesn't make me sick -- i get vomiting with flight panic

i think i need a horse tranquilzer or something. i've found nothing to work. ambien is a great sleep aid -- i can see it maaaaaybe cutting thru my anxiety. maybe. :yoiks:

[H5N1]

39. yikes!

[Bluerthanblue]

33. xanax is the best

in my experience- more effective than ativan, and quicker acting than vallium- (xanax and ativan are in and out of the system in like 4-6hrs, vallium is a sustained, low level calmer, that seems to just numb me down continually)

just don't 'stay' on xanax for very long.

i did, and withdrawal was the PITS- even in hospital.

[H5N1]

34. good tip, I don't need withdrawl complications

[tigersumtin]

40. xanax works for me

Im the worst at flying, a xanax and jack n coke work just fine

[H5N1]

45. I'm going to try some of these drugs before the big lift off

[Lost-in-FL]

36. Have you...

Used any of those medications before? I think Ativan is the best bet but I do not remember if Ativan is a narcotic which would be a problem if you drink lots of alcohol. If that is the case it would take a lot of medication to make you sleepy because of the possible high tolerance to alcohol. You are going to have to ask a doctor, or even call the pharmacist and ask what would help.

[H5N1]

42. good point

[Rainscents]

37. Have you tried KAVA KAVA?

Kava Kava is great for relaxation! I take liquid filled capsules.

[H5N1]

43. KAVA KAVA has very little positive effect on me, same as pot

[Lost-in-FL]

44. I have an idea!

It might sound stupid or silly but how about if you just don't sleep for the 24 hrs prior to the flight so you are so sleepy you won't care about the flight??:yoiks:

[ScamUSA.Com]

46. yessss

but then again some people just cant sleep

[Lost-in-FL]

48. If you are sleepy...

YOU will sleep, trust me. But well, you might get cranky, sleepy and afraid...:think: :crazy: :freak:

[H5N1]

52. I am already cranky, sleepy, and afraid

[ScamUSA.Com]

53. we love you

*HUG*

:)

[H5N1]

56. thank you!

I fear that many of us are cranky and afraid.
It is a sign of the times.

[Lost-in-FL]

59. Yup...

:argh: :beer: :hug:

[H5N1]

51. That would only add misery to the terror

[lady lib]

49. Have you considered hypnosis or

cognitive-behavioral therapy? You have enough time before your flight. I'm concerned that since you say you're a heavy drinker, that you have the potential to become dependent on drugs like Ativan to calm your anxiety. It would be much better for you to have a nonchemical, nonaddictive method to calm yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive-behavioral_therapy

[H5N1]

54. My brother is a hypnotist - it does not work on me

what a bummer

[Lost-in-FL]

61. How about...

Take a portable audio player, and record a few of Bush's speeches during the flight, you know the usual "they hate us for our freedom" crap. Trust me, you will be so furiours that you won't realize you are on a plane.

[H5N1]

64. No, no, no... I don't want to hang myself before the flight

I want to take the flight and return home all safe and sound.
:)

[Emit]

50. Beta Blockers--propranolol-I swear by it

It's what I use to fly and to give speeches--works like a charm. Ask your doc about it or a Psychiatrist. Won't wig you out--no side effects--it breaks the physiological processes of fear and anxiety so you don't "work" yourself up. And you don't need to be "on it" for a long time. Just use it a few hours before the "event" and stop taking it after. Low doses work for this particular method. And it doesn't give you the strange feelings in your head that valium and other drugs do.

[H5N1]

55. I am already on propranolol for my HIGH blood pressure

I have never heard of that use before.

[lady lib]

58. You have high blood pressure -

AND you're a heavy drinker? Not good! Does your doctor know? Your problems go well beyond needing to calm down a little before a flight. You need to make an appointment with your doctor(soon)and get serious about getting your drinking, your blood pressure, and your anxieties under control.

[H5N1]

62. I have a theory on that.....

I am a drinker. I shall always be a drinker.
I see many who drink on one hand, and
swear they will never drink again on the other hand.
This continual worrying causes needless stress.
I have six drinks a night, four nights a week.
And I enjoy it.

I admire your lifestyle. No doubt you are a good person.
Drinking seems to work for me.

[lady lib]

66. I'm not judging your drinking

- not at all! Please understand that I'm concerned about your health. High blood pressure significantly raises your risk of heart attack and stroke, and when you drink you make it more difficult to control your blood pressure.

[H5N1]

69. Thank you. I do monitor my blood pressure daily.

It is my addiction, I do not wish
to burden anyone thru my actions.
I eat regular food at the regular time
and work out when I can stand it.

[uppityperson]

63. It is prescribed for stage fright also.

Stops the stomach butterflys, sweaty hands, jitters. Blocks adrenaline basically. Good stuff if you need to go to court for something like a custody hearing or some such.

[H5N1]

65. I did not know that!

I take 50mg, twice daily.
I assume that is a fairly low dose;
I benefit from none of those side effects.

[Emit]

67. I was just thinking of adding--if you have heart condition

It might not be a good drug for you. Yes. It is sometimes used for anxiety and situational anxiety. A doc I saw once (seeking valium to prepare for a series of speeches I had to give to a group of docs in the Mental Health profession---I just freeze and panic with public speaking) happened to be moving from an MD position to study Psychiatry. He had the foreknowledge of using this drug as an alternative for my stage fright--and it is what I still use on occasion when I need to.

Of course, since you are already on it, I have no idea whether it would still work for the flying anxiety. That's a curious question. Have you flown while on this drug before?

I would talk with your doc about anything you take if you are already taking this, and get his/her recommendations--even if it's an over-the-counter thing you try (like Kava Kava). If you're already taking a beta-blocker, some of these drugs others have suggested could be a problem and not mix well.

Here's how it works for anxiety:

Propranolol blocks chemicals, such as adrenaline, and prevents them from increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen use. It effectively reduces autonomic nervous system arousal (e.g. performance anxiety symptoms, palpitations, hyperventilation, sweating, pounding heartbeat, nausea, disabling tremor). Full benefits in a few hours to weeks, depending on severity of disorder.

http://anxietyhelp.org/treatment/medication/inderal.html

[H5N1]

70. It works great for my blood pressure

I will talk to the doc before moving forward

[Emit]

72. Good idea. I was just so pleased with how it has helped me

with public speaking. Being a rather shy person, and never fairing well with talking in front of large groups, I discovered on this drug that I can actually be quite a good speaker. What amazed me is how I remained so calm, despite my worries.

I then also used it for my fear of flying-- a fear I developed after having flown a great deal for many years with no fear--Again it worked like a charm.

Good luck. I know just what you're going thru!

[H5N1]

Good for you - that is awesome!

[alarcojon]

73. Cognitive Behavioral therapy

would be best. Here is a site with some specific info on fear of flying and links to additional resources:

http://anxietycoach.com/flying.htm

Otherwise, I would suggest Ambien. It usually puts me to sleep in fifteen minutes, and I sleep for about six hours straight. I strongly recommend against any mixing with alcohol.

[H5N1]

74. I've looked into that. I think I better go with the drugs.

I need a sure thing.
Especially in our paranoid
environment. (I need to be able to
'simma down.')

[Moderator]

75. Locking....

DU is not the place to ask for
medical advice. Please consult
your doctor.


DU Moderator