Nerves

[michigan]

I just found this site, I'm flying for the very first time in just a few days.
I have avoided it all my life, and I'm in my mid 30's. I'm so afraid of being up that high and not being able to get to the ground when I want to. I'm also scared to death of turbulance! However, I am determined to do this, and I have to because someone else bought the ticket for me and I cant chicken out!
I want to do this because I think (hope) that once I do it once I will be ok with it.. maybe not after reading this board and seeing that most people are still afraid the second and twentieth time around.
This forum and website has helped me out a lot so far. I just want to get it over with and behind me. There are times when I think about it and I'm hardly nervous or afraid, then there's other times when I just think that there is NOO way I can do this. I am having trouble sleeping and I wake up a lot during the night and have stressful dreams when I do sleep.
I have been debating calling my doctor and seeing about getting something for the trip.
My flight is only 2.5 hours for the first part and then another 45 minutes to my final destination. I'm flying American Airlines.
I'm also a little confused about what we can carry-on.. some sites say different things. I seen somewhere where it says no radios, but then someone talking about headphones and cd's and even dvd's?
I'm thankful for this message board, it helps to talk about it and read other people's success stories. :)

[UpwardBound]

Hi!

I was where you are just a week ago. Believe it or not, you CAN overcome this. The best way to do that is to do exactly what you are doing.

A few things:
1. It may seem scary to be that far off the ground, but as you may have already read, many people see that as a beautiful and magical opportunity. Even though that's not your opinion, it can help to try and put yourself in that other person's shoes. It is easy AND hard to change your own perspective.
2. The hardest part (for me) was the days leading up to the flight. I was terrified, having bad dreams, panic attacks, etc. But once I got on that plane, a strange calm came over me in waves, and I knew I was just going to DO this thing!
3. There is NOTHING wrong with seeing about medication to help you with the flight. In the past I had taken Valium, which really just knocks the heck out of you and turns you into a helpless lump of blah. This possibility may frighten you, especially if you are concerned about being out of control. I would recommend you ask your doctor about Xanax, which is what I took this time. It was a great tool for me, because it left me functional but less frightened. I was fully cognizant of my surroundings, and still felt some uneasiness about being on the plane, but it did wipe away the catastrophic thoughts that can be so crippling (and self-serving too). I think the best part about taking Xanax for me was that it left me with the ability to analyze what was going on and to experience the flight, but to do so without the overwhelming panic that had hindered me in the previous weeks.
4. YOU CAN and WILL DO IT! Despite the scary thoughts, you really are safe. Captain Ray said to me that YOUR IMAGINATION IS SCARIER THAN THE REALITY of flight. If you can come to a place of a sort of meta-consciousness, where you KNOW that you're scared, but you also know that your fear is an intangible nothing... that's the ticket. I haven't quite reached it yet, but I'm working on it.

I won't say good luck because you don't need luck. You are going to be just fine! I would DEFINITELY recommend that you post your flight info on the tracking board. It helped me immensely to know that people on the ground were thinking of me in the air.

Congratulations! You're about to break through a HUGE wall in your life. You will feel fabulous once you've done it.

Best,
Lauren.

[dyanlew1]

I'm also a little confused about what we can carry-on.. some sites say different things. I seen somewhere where it says no radios, but then someone talking about headphones and cd's and even dvd's?
I'm thankful for this message board, it helps to talk about it and read other people's success stories. :)

I have an additional question. Can a CD player be used during take off and landing? I have heard that no electronics can be used, but I didn't think that CD players emit any waves?

[high anxiety]

You sound like me. Call your Dr. and get something, it is nothing to be ashamed of. This is a great site that I came across a few days before my flight. Just having others reassure me before hand helped me a great deal with my panic attacks. Now the actual day of my flight was a different story. Had I not had Xanax I think I would have had a heart attack LOL. I can't stress it enough, call your Dr. By the way once I was in the air I enjoyed flying.

[CaptainStark]

I have an additional question. Can a CD player be used during take off and landing? I have heard that no electronics can be used, but I didn't think that CD players emit any waves?

The FAA mandates that passengers be able to hear commands by the FA's in the event the crew needs to get your attention. If you are blasting Village People at 98db on your iPod, you might miss important instructions.

BUT, for some reason, certain airlines do not enforce this rule. Once the wheels lift off you are flying so seatbacks and tray tables are all yours. Most airlines keep all electronic devices off below 10,000 feet so wait for the ding before donning your tunes. Instead, grab a window seat and watch the cool scenery go by.:thumbsup:

:ray:

[dyanlew1]

Instead, grab a window seat and watch the cool scenery go by.:thumbsup:

:ray:

That would mean, um, opening my eyes... :eek: :mg: ...Not ready yet, but was thinking drowning out everything with music would help...Oh well, I guess I can just sing outloud.

[michigan]

My dr. gave me some Ativan for my flight, which is TOMORROW MORNING.
The thing is.. he only gave me one pill, I told him I only needed enough to get me there. He perscribed a half a pill for the way there, and the other half on the way back... which leaves me none for "testing out" beforehand.
Will half a miligram be enough to get me there?

[UpwardBound]

Did you post your info. on the tracking board? It helps to know there are a bunch of folks on the ground watching your plane and thinking of you.:pompoms:

Monica

Monica is right. Knowing someone was watching was very comforting to me.

I would also second what someone said (was it Monica?) about calling your doctor again and asking if he could give you a trial dose. Ativan is pretty effective stuff, so I'm sure half a pill will help you relax tomorrow, but if the point is to alleviate some of the anxiety about the anxiety -- well then I would say advocate for yourself, girlfriend! Your doctor will understand.

L.