SiPie

Have to fly to Stockholm on business on Wednesday and considering that the last time I was on a plane I more or less had to be restrained from trying to leave the plane via the emergency exit so... not really a fan of this flying lark

Anyway... doc has given me a box of 5mg Diazepam (this is for a flight to New Zealand at the end of this year and not for the short hop to Sweden ) and I'm just curious to know if I take one, how long they take to wear off, as I need to be switched on at the other end

Thanks in advance

Cupramax

I too am not the worlds biggest fan of flying... ones I took said effects last 8 hrs. To be honest I felt fine just very relaxed, a word I would never describe myself while in a tube doing 550mph

ajm

How many did he tell you to take? I don't think 5mg is particularly high, certainly not enough to mong you out entirely!

bigsinky

depends on what size you are SiPiE. for a big guy like me i found that 5mg was not enough when i used to suffer from major panic attacks(lots of people, like in supermarkets). 10mg made me feel ok but the effect take some time to wear off. the only way to be sure is to take one and see what sort of effect it has on you. where is Dr Banks when you need him .you might want to take one 3 - 4 hours before you fly.

cheers

big sinky

SiPie

Have to drive myself to the airport I'm afraid, so that rules that one out

Like yourself, I suffered panic attacks (supermarkets also ) for around 11 years but never resorted to Valium etc as knew I would just end up addicted and I knew anti-depressants would just mask the problem

However, I'm fine with taking them on the long haul to New Zealand for a one off kind of thing

I'm 5'9" and 11 and a half stone (pure muscle )

fitzscoob

doc gave me some of this, as I am not partial to flying.

pretty sure I took a tablet about 20 minutes before getting on the plane, by the time it kicked in I was fine, very mellow, even ate the crap food they served up.

it worked for me, enough to take the edge off the fear.

SiPie

Thanks for all the advice guys ...... but

Anyone

KiwiGTI

I use Ativan which is stronger but has the same effect. I take it about 45 mins to 1 hour before a flight.

You have to try it first to see how it affects you. Try half the dose (bite a tablet in half) and see how you feel, also check how others see you.

When I take it I feel a bit lightheaded and mentally sluggish, a bit high almost, I don't know whether this is noticeable to other people or whether it is just my perception. It takes a few hours to wear off.

And definitely avoid alcohol with them if you want to remain alert. Alcohol increases their effectiveness extremely well. As a frequent flyer between Aus?NZ and the UK I know that a tablet plus a couple of glasses of alcohol will knock you out for up to 10 hours. (very useful, but not on short haul flights)

Hoppy

Si, don't worry mate. Diazepam (Valium) is very good stuff. Just don't take it regularly, by which I mean, a couple of tabs every day for a few weeks. You'll become tollerant and dependent. Use it only when you need it.

Dosage varies from person to person, and I don't think it's just body mass. Try it (you won't pass out or fall over). They will kick in after about 30mins, and last for maybe four hours. Do it right, and you'll just feel normal. Avoid alchohol, or take doctor's advice. Booze increases the effect signicantly, which can be good if you want to sleep.

I wouldn't get on a plane without it. Good luck

Richard.

SiPie

Many thanks KiwGTI & Hoppy

Never a fan of tranquilisers etc ... but feel a bit happier now

Thanks

Little Miss WRX

After a car accident the doctor prescribed me 5mg of Valium to help me sleep at night because of the muscle spasms and pain I as experiencing. 2 tablets were enough to relax me enough to sleep.

Buzzer

Take two tablets and you wont give a ****

Brendan Hughes

Spud going for a job interview - <chuckle>

richiewong

I get through several boxes per week






















But I'm a psychiatric nurse

It's all subjective to mass but 5mg 30 minutes before flying may have time to kick in.
As mentioned use this sparingly as it can become highly addictive as your body easily tolerates its effects.
Safe as all medications in prescribed doses

Actually surprised your GP prescribed this, NICE guidelines are suggesting a reduction in the use of Benzodiazapines.
Would have thought a Beta-blocker may have been suggested

SiPie

Tried these in the past and reduced my blood pressure too much

Don't worry... affter managing to get through 11 years of daily panic attacks without self-medicating via either booze or valium, I reckon I'm quite safe now .....

Thanks for the advice though

KiwiGTI

Beta-blockers had absolutely no effect on me whatsoever, as far as I am aware all they do is lower the heart rate and hence alleviate some of the physical symptoms of having anxiety. (as well as a whole lot of other stuff for cardiac uses).

They do nothing to alleviate psychological anxiety or fear.

richiewong

Neither do Benzo's they work on GABA receptors to give a lovely feeling of indifference and "don't care" without addressing the underlying problems

This reminds me of the Simpson's where Marge has a fear of flying due to her dad being a steward

MooseRacer

I must admit I tend to be wiped out for 24hrs or so after taking them (also for fear of flying) but then I do tend to exceed the prescribed dose

Personally, I need more than 5mg to get me on a plane.

thetechnogeek

A 5mg dose, average weight, man, will take ~8hr to reach pharmacologically non-relevant concentrations in blood. Your mileage may vary, but figure on feeling relatively normal after this time. Figure longer for higher doses.

If you find 5mg does the job, you could take a repeat dose after 6-8hr, and figure on being OK 18hr after the first dose.

Alternative is to go for lorazepam (Attivan), which has a shorter half life, or something like Xanax which is even shorter and much more effective at dealing with panic attacks. Really depends on whether you're dealing with moderate to severe anxiety versus out and out phobia.

TG

KiwiGTI

Finding that problem is too much effort for me and I think my mind is too strong to change. I'm not afraid of flying, I've done my private pilots license, I'm not claustrophobic, I know the probabilities involved etc but as soon as you step in to that plane your life is in the hands of others. People do make mistakes, accidents do happen and there is no way of predicting them. The choice is between feeling terrible and stressed out for hours or relaxing by using a tablet a few times a year.

SiPie

To me this is just masking the problem with panic attacks and the only way through them is TOTAL acceptance.

Once you lose 100% of the fear of having panic attacks (combined with the understanding of what's happening to your body), life is a whole lot easier

Also firmly believe that finding the triggers can help but it's not the end of the world if you don't... just don't add second fear to the intitial jolt of panic.... and ACCEPT

I never liked flying even before I started having Panic attacks, so I'm not bothered about them..... it's the being stuck in a metal cigar tube, 30,000 ft above terra firma that gets me

mad_dr

Try to find out what Hannibal used to give Mr T to get him on all those flights the A Team used to make.

"I ain't gettin' on no plane fool!"

ajm

It was a slap round the head with a bit of 4x2 wasn't it?

SiPie

He was way too tough to be knocked out by a mere bash to the head

richiewong

I pity the fool who would hit him on the head.

Probably Ketamin

ajm

The methods varied somewhat, but there was definately at least one episode I remember where they knocked him out with a lump of wood to get him on the plane!

Buzzer

So there you have it SiPie

Consensus is you get someone to hit you over the head with a lump of 3" x 2" or perhaps a lump of 6" x 4" for a more prolonged effect

Brendan Hughes

...and don't forget to spend two hours putting on all your gold necklaces beforehand!

SiPie

LOL

Will be too busy making an armed vehicle out of gas bottles and an old bent chassis found in a barn

Brendan Hughes

It's simple, isn't it? He uses the 3x2 for Stockholm, and the 6x4 for Down Under later this year.