question about anti-anxiety drugs??

[aurora30]

hello!

My flight to Switzerland is coming up in 10 weeks :woohoo

but i'm still nervous for this long flight (10hours):yawn

i have taken xanax and ativan in the past, which have helped me. I'm wondering if I should ask my doc. for Valium (to sleep), anyone taken valium for FOF?
thanks for the feedback;)

aurora

[Passenger Mark]

Hey Aurora!

Yes I tried Valium for my first flight. And did not like it! In fact I disliked it to the point that I got off the plane.

For me it did not tame the anxiety... FOR ME it made it worse as I felt "out of touch". I do not like that feeling.

That is why Ativan works well for me. I really don't feel like I am taking anything, other than it takes the edge off. I can still function, walk, talk, read, watch movies (and remember them).

The dosage I take is small .5 and it usually takes about an hour to kick in, and last about 4-6 hours.

However, you are right that you should speak with your doctor. They are the experts, and know you the best.

As for long flights... I took the one to England, and it was about 12-13 hours... non-stop. I thought I would have a hard time with that. But actually once I was up and going, the first few hours were the slowest, then it seemed to click by.

I put the flight into sections, tracked it on the skymap, and used my watch to count-down the hours. After the first 4 hours, I actually forgot to check off a couple of hours.

Kept busy with the inflight entertainment, my DVD player, laptop, and of course made photos.

Walk about quite a bit, and visited with the flight attendants.

I think that once you get going, you become familiar with your surroundings, and that make the time go by.

I also noticed on one of your earlier posts that you have taken some small flights to get ready. This is great! And I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone considering a long flight. I did just that, with two flights to Vegas, then one to SLC, then to New Orleans, and the last was to Nashville. Each flight was just a bit longer than the prior.

Take care, and have a great trip!

Mark

[beaugest]

The drugs you are talking about are pretty much in the same family. By taking Valium rather than ativan you are not switching to a whole different family of drugs so I'm not sure why you would.They are all short acting agents that act on your central nervous system in a similiar manner. Has someone suggested that it might work better? However,it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor about how the meds are affecting you, what you can expect, what you you want them for,etc. Many times I see clients give up easily if their anti-anxiety or anti-depressants aren't working the way they expect. I figure you and your doctor are in a partnership to get it right so he/she will need your input.
It sounds though that you have found meds that have worked for you in the past. If you do decide to switch you might want to try it at home first to see how you feel while you're in a safe environment. Then you can compare what works and what doesn't.
I understand why you want to figure out the meds though. I usually fly without meds but I'm facing a long trip too and don't know that I want to do it without something. I have used Valium and it's been fine.

[beaugest]

Oops. Mark and I must have posted at the same minute. His experience with the valium is exactly why I always recommend that people do a "dry run" in a safe environment. you don't want to find out mid flight that you don't like the feeling...

[aurora30]

thanks Mark!

I also have taken Ativan and it has helped me.... it would be nice to be able to sleep on this long flight.... perhaps a couple of drinks will do it!:drunken

I'm planning on watching movies and reading (hopefully I will be able to do that without reading the same line over and over again:\

thanks for your help!

Aurora

[aurora30]

thanks for the feedback.
The only reason why I'm wondering about valium is whether it will help me sleep. Ativan and xanax do not make me sleepy.
You are absolutely right about trying the meds. before the flight... don't want to find out it is not working mid-flight.:eek

Aurora

[Passenger Mark]

Absolutely correct Monica!

I did not try the Valium prior as I thought it was going to be the "wonder pill" for me. Man... was I ever wrong!

But understand that this was my experience with it. I really don't need or want much as I want to "feel" the flight. Some may not want to, and it may be just the feeling they are looking for. For my next flight, I want to do it without anything. That is my new goal!

But Monica, your statement is absolutely positively correct! Try it first before the flight to check it out!

[Passenger Mark]

Hey Aurora,

I would caution against drinking alcohol and taking the meds.

Again, you can speak with your Doctor and/or Pharmacist, but it can cause some undesirable side-effects.

On my flight to England they gave out complimentary champagne upon boarding. I really wanted to participate! ha ha I am not a big drinker, just wanted to experience it all. I tried to call my Doctor from the airport before boarding, but they were closed. I did talk with my pharmacist, who told me with taking .5mg one glass of champagne would be no problem. But no more than that, and nothing stronger than champagne.

But that was for me, for others it may be different. Again consult your Doctor or Pharmacist!

BTW: Ativan is the oldest one out there. Has been around forever. Just a little factoid!

Take care,

Mark

[xiknal]

...just look into these eyes...:crazy

Aurora, I would just like to add a shortie to the excellent comments above. If you find that your antianxiety med--xanax, ativan, valium or whatever--helps you relax during the flight, then I would expect your natural sleep cycle to kick in at the time you normally go to bed, so that you'll probably be able to sleep some on the plane. Not as well as at home, of course!

You might also consider taking some melatonin (OTC) around the time you'd like to get to sleep. But ask your doc about this, and about how these meds combine.

I have only taken valium for a crick in my back (muscle spasm), and it helped me quite a bit. I didn't mind the spacy side effect; it helped me forget about my back! :rolling

Barb

[aurora30]

You are right.... meds and alcohol can be dangerous... I was only talking about a drink or two.... no more than that...

;) Aurora

[Chelle]

As the others said, your doctor is the best judge of what's best for you, but I can tell you when I talked to my doctor about meds and mentioned Valium he shook his head and said that 'wasn't one of the better choices' :dunno

If you've done Ativan and Xanax you'll know what to expect, but if for some reason your doc gives you Valium, absolutely do a dry-run first. If you have any adverse reaction to the drug, being ON the plane isn't the place to find that out :p

I have a 0.5 mg dose of Ativan for my flight this week, along with 10 mg Inderal, a beta blocker (still not sure what that's about, lol) but I also did a test run of them a couple weeks ago. I actually didn't feel anything but a bit groggy, but as some pointed out, sitting at home in my livingroom isn't a very high-stress situation. The most important part is I didn't get sick or pass out. I think my biggest fear (aside from the flight) is hurling in public :shocked

If for some reason I find they're not doing anything for me in-flight, I'll just order a drink. (Mark, you didn't hear that :angel ) I'm not a drinker at ALL, so I'd be perfectly happy to sleep the 5 hr flight :p

Good luck! And let us know how you make out :)

[aurora30]

That's funny:rolling

Melatonin is a good idea... I'll talk with my doc. and see if I can just do ativan and melatonin... I should be set

Aurora

[aurora30]

I have heard of beta-blockers... I think they act on "blocking the fear-based-thought-making process, if that makes any sense. :scratch


that would be awesome if there was a drug out there that would take away all fears and anxieties. Some of them I think come pretty close. (ativan, xanax etc...)


Aurora

[xiknal]

...and rock-n-roll...all your body needs....NOT! :thud

Your doc is gonna tell you that if you are taking any amount of certain classes of meds (like these under discussion) that ANY alcohol is a :nono . It's because of the reduced cabin pressure on an airliner and the way it exacerbates the effect of alcohol. It can really be risky...even if you feel the meds are having no effect.

Be safe! The flight will be the safest part!! :nod

Chelle, we need a Robbie the Robot smiley

(Danger, Will Robinson!) :barf

[aurora30]

we'll do....

good point!

:airplane

[Chelle]

Ok ok I won't drink :D

Actually the beta blocker I think he said was for hypertension, if I'm feeling tensed up and my heartrate elevating to take one of those. I think that works on the physical anxiety and the Ativan works on the mental....

[marypoppins76]

Coming into this one a bit late...

I took 10mg of valium on flights from London to Edinburgh and back earlier this year. I wasn't prescribed enough to do a dry run first, and prior to the flights was cautioned that I'd been given a high dosage, so split the pills in half. As it was I ended up taking the whole lot, but at staggered intervals (so, half the 10mg about two hours before the flight, then the other half about an hour/30 minutes before). This seemed to work really well on the outbound flight - I knew I was scared, but the fear was kind of outside myself, observable, and thus seemingly manageable. However on the return I wasn't able to time the dosage so well (delays, bleh...) and ended up having a coursing panic on the plane mid flight. Not very pleasant, but felt much more drug related than FOF.

Vis. sleeping and alcohol: I had a drink the evening of the outbound flight, so about 6 hours after taking the valium (I'd made it - I wanted to celebrate!) but nothing at all pre or during the trip. I slept that night like a baby, though was wide awake on the plane. On the return trip I avoided alcohol entirely, wasn't at all drowsy, but slept for 12 hours when I finally went to bed.

I think ultimately though, as others have said, that you should trust the relationship you have with your GP. They know you and your physiology and I'm sure will have prescribed accordingly.

And finally, don't forget that you're going to Switzerland so there'll be lots of good stuff in all that chocolate! :nod

MP

[beaugest]

Sometimes beta blockers are used for anti-anxiety because they help with the symptomsof anxiety like palpitations.
If you have Generalized Anxiety Disorder in addition to FOF it may be helpful to go to a psychiatrist for meds rather than your MD. You may be prescribed an SSRI in addition to a short acting agent like valium, ativan,etc. Just remember that they are short acting so on a long flight timing is everything.
And I can't stress enough the not drinking and taking meds. I've seen people get mighty ill from that. Not fun.:shakehead

[Passenger Mark]

I have hard the term Beta Blocker used several times... exactly what is a beta blocker? Just curious?

[beaugest]

Mark, I was hoping Spiff was around for this one but I'll jump in till she checks the board. Beta blockers are used for a variety of heart disorders. They do things like reduce the rate of your heartbeat, lower blood pressure,control abnormal rhythms,etc. For quite awhile Drs. would prescribe them for clients with anxiety to help reduce palpitations,pounding heart,etc.
I've noticed them being prescribed less and less as newer anti-anxiety agents come on the market. But they are certainly still around. Monica

[Chelle]

Yep, that's pretty much what my doctor told me, for hypertension and if my heart felt like it was 'pounding out of my chest' :D

[Disney fan]

Hi Mark,

Beta Blockers

Any of a class of drugs that block impulses that stimulate certain nerve endings (beta receptors) serving the heart muscle. This reduces the heart rate and the force of contraction, which in turn reduces the amount of oxygen (and therefore the blood supply) required by the heart. Beta-blockers may be useful in the treatment of angina, arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythms), and raised blood pressure, and following heart attacks. They must be withdrawn from use gradually.
I sometimes use them when flying to avoid the rapid heart beats and arrhythmia's I get when coping with the fear.


Lynda