Claustrophobia / plane anxiety About This Page:

[sweet156]

As someone who suffers from panic disorder, I can understand where you are coming from and what you feel. I have to take meds just to be able to be in my own home with constant panic attacks. There is nothing wrong with taking medications to help treat a medical problem. And panic/anxiety attacks ARE a medical problem. Every day is a struggle for me and I guess some of the comments really got my dander up, especially about the meds. [img]graemlins/pout.gif[/img]

[Kruggie]

GEE, I hope my "pill popper" comment didnt offend you Sweet156, I assure you that I didn't mean to. I agree with you fully that there is nothing wrong with taking meds to treat medical problems. I had stated things the way that I did because so often in my career I treat people that WONT take medicine for fear of becoming dependant on it no matter how often it is that i explain that this is not possible when the medication is neccessary.

I am oddly one of those types of people! I hate taking pills even for a headache....I will take four times the normal dose of motrin or tylenol to take the edge off of a migrane when I could take something else that would wipe it out completly...DUH! I just thought that adoneko and I were on the same page with the med fear as stupid as it is and used the term pill popper for lack of better terminology. Heck, I wouldnt even take birth controll pills! Sadly I am reckoning with the fact that I must take a blood pressure pill...this is recent onset...and I am trying to be in denial and check my BP several times a day, I am testing the effectiveness of the pill by not taking it one day and checking my pressure often and comparing it to tthe days when I take the pill...sadly I find that the damn pill is neccesary.
OH gee...I got off on a ramble....sorry!
I do apologize if my comments offended anyone, I sincerly didn't mean too!

[sweet156]

Im over it kruggie, lol. Thanks thou. I hate taking pills too but the option not to is worse. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[allysonh]

Before my wedding last year I asked my doctor for something to help me de-stress and calm down and she gave me a prescription for Clonapin (sp?) and it was GREAT!! I took some the day before the wedding when I was having some contact lens issues and it totally calmed me, but didn't zonk me out and I was still in possession of all of my faculties!!

I didn't even need them the day of the wedding, but believe me, if I had, I would have taken them without a fear of being all woozy and not remembering anything!

I would talk to your doctor and ask them about Clonapin, it really does take your anxieties away!

Good luck!

[Irishrbetter]

Xanax is a life saver, my trigger is just thinking about being trapped. On planes I tell my self that if I needed to I could lay down and stretch my arms out and that helps. Elevators I just stare at the floor, close my eyes and sing to myself. The one thing that always works is Xanax, I take it about 1/2 hour before I board the plane and I am great I just read and listen to my ipod and it's smooth sailing. I am going to Disney and I know enough to not ride anything with shoulder restraints but I might try the meds so I can enjoy some of the more cramped rides like Space Ship Earth & Tower of Terror. I would recommend Xanax to try and take the edge off.

[dolphin041599]

I'm not fond of taking pills either. And, in most instances, they don't work for me anyway, so I might as well not take anything.

So, here are a couple things that help me. I try to have something to read or do puzzles (like crossword or Sudoku). That helps take my mind off it. I also do a weird thing with M&Ms or Skittles. I dump out the bag and then sort them into colors and then eat them in a certain order. Its a little OCD, I know, but it gives me something to focus on. Plus, I eat them slowly so you are thinking about other things.

You could also try some meditation. Wear a certain scent and think about something that relaxes you (or makes you happy, like getting to Disney). Do this repeatedly and often. Then, when you are on the plane, take a whiff of your wrist or a tissue with that scent and your mind will associate that scent with your happy place and that should help. You can also utilize other techniques, such as going over your plans in your head - don't use paper, force your brain to think about other things. You can do math in your head too as that forces your brain to re-focus on other things.

[Haleyboo99]

Take your mind off of it. I chew gum, not just to keep my ears from popping but it helps me relax, I don't like landing at all! I can't even look out the wondow so I take my mind off of it and chew lots of gum. Music also helps me. I don't know what it does, but I feel more relaxed if I listen to music.

[jjjmranch]

I'm a nervous flyer and I talked to my psychiatrist about my anxiety disorder and flying with two kids. He prescribed something that really helped me. It didn't knock me out as I had the kids to be responsible for and I needed to be alert. It took many sessions of therapy to work my way through my anxiety but it did help as I don't need any meds to fly anymore. Just think - you're going to Disney and all the rest is just getting to the final result! Good luck!

[musicteachermom]

I love the feeling of takeoff and quietly say "Woo Hoo" as if I'm on a ride at WDW, (drives my daughter crazy). I guess I'm always happy, at least leaving home, that I'm finally going on my vacation. The flying part doesn't bother me, as I always have a book to read and then get in the zone.

My husband on the other hands hates flying. For the most part it is his ears, and the same claustrophobic feeling that you get. Now, he takes Sudafed several hours before flying and that helps immensely. He always tries to get the aisle seat and that helps him with the claustrophobia. He also closes his eyes much of the time, probably a coping thing.

Direct flights are really important to minimize his troubles!

Good luck, and I would also suggest taking a prescription. Ativan has made me sleepy in the past, so perhaps something else.

[Nova]

It use to be hard with take off and landings. I now try to either be busy with the Grandkids if they are with us. Making both things into an adventure, and watch their faces as we blast off and come in for a landing making it a game. When they are not with us. I deep breath and visulize myself somewhere else. Like walking thur MK or Epcot getting to the resort etc. It has helped me to be able to fly better.

[aliciabruce]

I have issues with Anxiety (GAD) and see a therapist for it. One of the thugs that I have the hardest time with is flying. I fly relatively often, though not as much as I used to.

While in the long term I think therapy is the best option for me, in the meantime I need something to relax me and control the overwhelming fear and anxiety over flying. I've had panic attacks on planes before and it's not anything I look forward to having again.

I have an Rx for Xanax but its run out and I've yet to refill it. I've flown since then and have used the OTC pill called Simply Sleep by Tylenol PM. It's just a sleeping pill with no acetaminophen. I take half on the way to the airport, half when I arrive, and half when I am getting on the plane. It's not knocking me out cold like the Xanax did so I still have to employ my deep breathing exercises to remain calm, but if I'm having a good day they will keep my relaxed enough to possibly drift off. I'll get to tired and relaxed my body can't fight it with the anxiety and panic attack symptoms.
I did this even for 1 hour flights I took often from New England to Philly. I'm usually good to go once I land, but a nap later in the day never hurts. Usually I don't take one though, and I think it's from taking half pills and spacing them out. In a pinch I've also used Benedryl because of how drowsy it makes me. Until I can resolve the problem through therapy, I'll rely on medication to get me through flying.

[aliciabruce]

I apologize for the typos above. I'm on my iPhone and it loves to autocorrect (thugs?!).

[JerseyDad]

....as someone who was 39 yrs old when he got on a plane for the first time...I absolutely am aware of the stress and anxiety of flying. In my case it's not so much a fear of flying...it's the issue that I'm not in control. I don't even like to sit in the passenger seat of the car when my wife is driving....of course that may not so much be a control issue as it is that my wife's driving...terrifies me. If you can believe it, I actually have a strong interest in taking flying lessons (because I'd be 'in control'.)

I was diagnosed with GAD (several years before I ever flew) and had been prescribed Xanax to deal with that. Only problem...the pills would put me to sleep...so I started breaking them in half.....and then into quarters. I found that I only needed enough to take the "edge" off. But when it came time to fly that first time...I passed on the Xanax. What works for me (and I found out much later is sometimes a part of therapy for anxiety)....is ANGER. It's an attitude of "How dare this anxiety try and control me...I'll not let it ruin my trip". And it works. Now...whenever I fly...I look forward to getting on the plane....having a drink or two...and letting the time pass. The most anxiety I experience is worrying if I'll get to the airport on time.

I still will take the pills with me...but only as a "security blanket" (I'm not sure they'd even work...it's a 90 day supply...I have at least 70 days worth still in the bottle...and the prescription is 5 years old )