Discussion
For reason I have developed nervousness of flying, I haven't a clue why, I used to be fine but over the last couple of years I have started to get worried about it.
I don't get sick, I will get on a plane, I just struggle to settle and get worried.
We have a 12 hour night flight at the end of the month and the wife has instructed me to go to the Drs. to get something, I'm not keen on bothering the Dr, for something that I feel is trivial and TBH I probably won't be able to get an appointment for a few weeks anyway.
Can anyone recommend anything that is over the counter.
I don't get sick, I will get on a plane, I just struggle to settle and get worried.
We have a 12 hour night flight at the end of the month and the wife has instructed me to go to the Drs. to get something, I'm not keen on bothering the Dr, for something that I feel is trivial and TBH I probably won't be able to get an appointment for a few weeks anyway.
Can anyone recommend anything that is over the counter.
Go see your Doc. It may seem trivial now, but 12 hours on a flight being nervous will be no fun at all & you'll wish you had seen your GP beforehand.
I fly loads, but I too am getting more apprehensive the more I fly. I'm not worried about it crashing or terrorism etc as the chances are minute, I just hate the turbulence when in cloud etc, that really unsettles me.
My GP gave me diazepam, low dose before a flight. It works well, takes the edge off, so much so that I've been asleep on flights - something I've never managed before.
I fly loads, but I too am getting more apprehensive the more I fly. I'm not worried about it crashing or terrorism etc as the chances are minute, I just hate the turbulence when in cloud etc, that really unsettles me.
My GP gave me diazepam, low dose before a flight. It works well, takes the edge off, so much so that I've been asleep on flights - something I've never managed before.
Robertj21a said:
I thought doctors were very reluctant nowadays to prescribe diazepan, following problems with addiction ?
I think you'd struggle to get it on a weekly repeat from the GP!I'm taking 2x2 mg 20 mins before a flight, I suspect you'll need either a higher dose or a top up on a 12 hour flight.
Robertj21a said:
HTP99 said:
Went to the Dr's on Wednesday, after telling the wife that I had an appt on Tuesday and when asked how it went I said I'd "forgotten to go", he gave me a prescription for diazepam.
The flight is 21:30 tonight.
Good, you'll now be fine.The flight is 21:30 tonight.
darreni said:
Robertj21a said:
I thought doctors were very reluctant nowadays to prescribe diazepan, following problems with addiction ?
I think you'd struggle to get it on a weekly repeat from the GP!I'm taking 2x2 mg 20 mins before a flight, I suspect you'll need either a higher dose or a top up on a 12 hour flight.
Diazepam is the best thing ever invented when it comes to being scared of flying. Last month I was really, really late for a flight and took 4 10mg (thought they were 5mg) tablets about 40 mins before takeoff. Normally I am still a little on edge on takeoff but I was out cold and it lasted the whole flight to spain!
uber said:
Diazepam is the best thing ever invented when it comes to being scared of flying. Last month I was really, really late for a flight and took 4 10mg (thought they were 5mg) tablets about 40 mins before takeoff. Normally I am still a little on edge on takeoff but I was out cold and it lasted the whole flight to spain!
What happens if you divert, evacuate or have a decompression and you're out cold? benzo's are extremely effective central nervous system (CNS) sedatives which is why they were routinely prescribed as "anti-anxiety" meds. Sensible doses, used infrequently or for a discrete period of time, will not produce tolerance which is what can lead to chemical dependency (as you have to increase the dose to achieve the same effect).
lorazepam is not necessarily a good drug for flight anxiety though, depending on duration. whilst it's true that it has the fastest onset of action of all the benzo's, it also has the shortest half life. as a result, it's needed more often and, again, risks of developing tolerance etc. only really used for episodic disturbance these days (rta aggression, violence etc).
beware paradoxical reactions with benzo's - for some people they make things worse, causing a counter-intuitive agitation and excitation. also, amongst the side effects is listed their potential to increase anxiety.
don't totally rule out over the counter preparations. one of the sedating anti-histamines (Promethazine) carries a dual licence (anti-histamine and also sedative/hypnotic) and has largely replaced benzo's in practice. it's calming effect is achieved in a different way to the traditional 'scripts but it's the effect you want, not the method of action, so i'm guessing that wouldn't matter. you won't find Promethazine on the shelf of your local supermarket of choice - it's a "discuss with the pharmacist" state of affairs, but it is a non-prescription med which is also licensed as a sedative. also, perhaps a good choice for a GP who has concerns about benzo's. as an anti-histamine it'll be 10-20mg up to 3 times a day, as a sedative use 25-50mg up to 3 x daily. usual caveats around driving, heavy machinery etc
paul
lorazepam is not necessarily a good drug for flight anxiety though, depending on duration. whilst it's true that it has the fastest onset of action of all the benzo's, it also has the shortest half life. as a result, it's needed more often and, again, risks of developing tolerance etc. only really used for episodic disturbance these days (rta aggression, violence etc).
beware paradoxical reactions with benzo's - for some people they make things worse, causing a counter-intuitive agitation and excitation. also, amongst the side effects is listed their potential to increase anxiety.
don't totally rule out over the counter preparations. one of the sedating anti-histamines (Promethazine) carries a dual licence (anti-histamine and also sedative/hypnotic) and has largely replaced benzo's in practice. it's calming effect is achieved in a different way to the traditional 'scripts but it's the effect you want, not the method of action, so i'm guessing that wouldn't matter. you won't find Promethazine on the shelf of your local supermarket of choice - it's a "discuss with the pharmacist" state of affairs, but it is a non-prescription med which is also licensed as a sedative. also, perhaps a good choice for a GP who has concerns about benzo's. as an anti-histamine it'll be 10-20mg up to 3 times a day, as a sedative use 25-50mg up to 3 x daily. usual caveats around driving, heavy machinery etc
paul
Just out of interest - have you tried to work out why you have become anxious about flying?
Isn't that probably a better route than medicating yourself?
Strange one the fear of flying, I've known it affect some people quite drastically.
No logic to it as they would happily drive to the airport (1000s of times more dangerous than flying) but be anxious about the incredibly safe process that is flying in a modern aircraft.
Funny thing the brain.
Isn't that probably a better route than medicating yourself?
Strange one the fear of flying, I've known it affect some people quite drastically.
No logic to it as they would happily drive to the airport (1000s of times more dangerous than flying) but be anxious about the incredibly safe process that is flying in a modern aircraft.
Funny thing the brain.
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