STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Karina · Chanel

Fear of Flying

Elle · Hermes

I don't love flying, either. But I don't think flight length makes a huge difference. It's the taking off, landing, and turbulence (sp?) that get me, so the less that stuff happens, the better I feel.

I'd talk to your doc about some anti-anxiety meds for the trip - should calm you without knocking you out.

blubirde · Chanel

I'm with whoever recommended the Ambien. Seriously, that'll be 6-8 hours gone right there, with no adverse reactions, imo.

jj · Kate Spade

I have a horrible fear of flying - but Xanax has literally changed my life. Sounds like we are similar, because I got clausterphobic and anxious.

I take the lowest doseage about an hour before I fly. It takes about 20 minutes to take effect, and really, there are no noticeable changes in my behavior except that I'm relaxed and happy instead of gripping my husband with fear. Usually I fall asleep before take-off. I've never had any adverse side effects either. I just wouldn't mix it with alcohol.

Seriously, I went from being totally hysterical to being able to sleep, watch the in-flight movie or read on 5 hour flights out west.

laken1 · Hermes

blubirde wrote:

I'm with whoever recommended the Ambien. Seriously, that'll be 6-8 hours gone right there, with no adverse reactions, imo.

Agree. I have a friend that is a drug rep for ambien - she took it the night before she ran a marathon - that is how sure she was that she wouldn't be groggy the next morning. I've never had adverse reactions to it either.

twinkle · Coach

I take ambien on long flights and its the greatest thing ever. You take it when you board and then the next thing you know you've landed. No side effects whatsoever. Of course, it would be a good idea to try it for the first time at home just in case you have a bad reaction (which has never happened to anyone I know.)

For shorter flights, I take xanax and that calms me down without knocking me out.

HTH!

Drew · Gucci

I'm so tempted to try Ambien. Do doctors just give it out like candy? How do you all get your hands on it?

jj · Kate Spade

Drew wrote:

I'm so tempted to try Ambien. Do doctors just give it out like candy? How do you all get your hands on it?

Yep, I asked, he gave. I will say that ambien works but sometimes I feel "off" the next day.

I would consider taking ambien for a red-eye but probably not for a daytime flight. It really takes eight hours to get through your system, and you may be a sleepy mess when the plane lands.

RyanJ · Coach

Definatley talk to your doctor and they should prescribe you something. My mom has given me Valium and it has worked really great. I am a total psyho when I comes to flying. When I was around 7 or 8 an we flew to Europe I was clenching my hands so hard that I manage to break a finger.

twinkle · Coach

i get it from my gyno. i always feel like i have to justify asking for it so i say its for long flights. but i dont think she really cares.

jah · Dooney & Bourke

Well, as an air warrior, I think a couple of glasses of red wine, an aspirin, an eyemask and a pashmina to keep away the chill work just as well as sleeping pills, so if you are afraid of the pills, you might try this tactic. I'm not nervous about flying though, I just get bored, so I like to sleep through it all. I also try to make sure I am really tired if I want to sleep on the plane. Sounds simple, but it makes a BIG difference!

Where are you going?

Bastet · Kate Spade

I second what jah said about the wine. I drink a glass of red wine (or take a Nytol), put on an eyemask, my ipod, and sleep. My mom hates flying and one of the ways she copes is to never take a window seat. She tries to get a seat as far towards the middle of the row as she can so she can't see outside. If you don't want to take pills, try getting an eyemask and bring headphones. It might help you forget you're on a plane.