MAV & Flying Advice needed

Hi All

I have not long been diagnosed with MAV and am still settling in with my medication, though early indications are positive.

However in just over 3 weeks I am due to fly from the UK to Kolkata in India for work and I am nervous about how flying is going to effect me.

Iā€™m also a bit worried about coping with the heat when I land, it is not warm here at the mo and when I fly it will be high summer in India.

Please any advice guys. I need to be on top form pretty much as soon as I land, canā€™t be wobbling into the office and forgetting my own name :?

Any help???

Thanks

Jo

Hi Jo,

Advice for flying - try and be well rested (sleep on the plane if you can). Drink plenty of water. Most important of all - Valium!

In India in the heat - also drink plenty of water, avoid walking around during the heat of the day if you can and if you do, wear a hat and sunglasses. And try not to get gastro. I was in Kolkatta about 15 years ago and got it sooooo bad I ended up in hospital in Singapore. Put me off going back to Indiaā€¦

Good luck!

I just took a short trip to Florida. I loaded up on Ativan every day I was there (including travel days). I also wore sunglasses and closed my eyes during much of my time in the airport. My BF led my through the maze of security, check in etc. It worked well for me because the visual overload is one of my biggest trigger and it will knock my on my a** for days. Eliminating this component made for a much easier experience.
Good luck!
Sarah

Valium, valium, valium. I was so darn scared to fly with MAV that I didnā€™t do it for years. Just these past few months, Iā€™ve started flying again. In fact, Iā€™m in France right now after flying from the US. I slept as much as I could on the plane (not easy with a 12 month old with us), and again slept on the train to our destination. I ended up taking a little bit more valium after we arrived here, because I was getting that rocking on a boat feeling, but after getting a good nightā€™s sleep I felt pretty much normal (well, as normal as I get). Iā€™m so happy I can travel again.

Jo,

  1. Valium
  2. Well rested before flight
  3. Valium
  4. ear plugs to remove annoying hiss of the engines and air rushing over the cabin at 1000 km/h
  5. Valium

Be prepared to take it easy at your destination while you adapt to the changes in time zone ā€“ i.e. jet lag

Iā€™m jealous about your trip to India. I was there in 2001 and loved it.

Scott

I had to fly from Ohio to NY twice in the past month to visit my dying mother. I too was really worried how I would do. Did not want to be completely out of it while taking care of my mother. I stuck with my meds, eliminating triggers that I could and wore earplugs on the plane (i found as a must!). To my surprise, I did just fine. Thank God! Good luck I hope your travels go well.

Thanks All.

I am getting more nervous as it gets closer, not only about the MAV but also leaving my two 8 year old boys, yikes never left them before.

Am trying to focus on keeping calm and not getting worked up as the stress seems to make me more unsteady, is that the same with all.

Will let you all know how it goes, I hope itā€™s not too bad, as I have to do it every few months :shock:

can i ask what the average valium perscription is you take for a flight and how many times you take it? i might be taking a flight here too soon and am nervousā€¦

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œilovesalemā€

can i ask what the average valium perscription is you take for a flight and how many times you take it? i might be taking a flight here too soon and am nervousā€¦

ā€” End quote

I take 2mg, but I know thatā€™s on the low side (still nursing too, so Iā€™m careful and take the minimum I need). I think most take around 5mg? I might take 1-2mg more when I get there if I start feeling bad (did that after my recent long flight to Europe).

Well I did it, there and back!!

and Scott you were right Kolkata was amazing.

Stupidly my vertigo seemed ok while flying but was bad afterwards, and my meds seemed to re-act badly with my malaria tablets.

Just got to psych myself up for the next one now lol.

Hope everyone else has got on ok with their flights

xxx

Hi Jo and Hi Everyone else,

Jo:
CONGRATS on making the flight!
Did you take any Valium?? And do you have any other tips you can give me?
So sorry you felt bad after the flight. How long did it last?

Iā€™m flying to Cuba from the UK in 2 weeks timeā€¦ My dizziness isnā€™t completely under control at the minute- I do ok on Nortriptyline, Topamax, and keep to the strict diet and therefore generally stay at 6 or 7 out of 10, but if I waver whatsoever in terms of lack of sleep, lack of food, any stress or getting drunk, I crash big time- which seems to be most of the time at the momentā€¦ EDIT: Not that Iā€™m DRUNK most of the time!! , well, itā€™s debateableā€¦ :oops:

Iā€™m visiting my GP on Friday to ask for some Valium as I read on this site that other MAVers found relief with it for flyingā€¦ Iā€™m thinking itā€™s going to be a battle to get him to prescribe it for me.

QUESTIONS: Any other UK based folks have any luck getting this on prescription from their GP for the same reason?
Can anyone else recommend any other drugs for flying?

Iā€™m also pretty concerned about my ears as since the ā€˜big bangā€™ I have had constant tinnitus, and ear squelshing every time I swallow.

Majorly worried about flying but youā€™ve got to live a life right?

Lou xx

Not sure if anyone mentioned Valium to you? The other folk on here probably forgotā€¦ :lol:

Jokes.

Yes you have to LIVE your life and no it wont be easy, but every time you achieve that little bit more, you will feel empowered!

And of course, there is Valium. :twisted:

Not suggesting that anyone else would have the same experience but I had no trouble flying when I went to the UK last year (2mg valium each way - they give kids that dose here LOL) - but the weird thing was my symptoms etc were MUCH better while I was away - in spite of the jet-lag, messed u routine, different foods, long days (it was a worktrip) and less exercise

you might be lucky that way too

my GP in ox was brilliant - no issue with the valium, asked me if I wanted sleeping tablets as well :lol: . But she did give me a lecture about fear of flying and how it was safe etc etc etc (I asked for the Valium for the flying not the mav) - turns out her dad invented the black box flight recorder!

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œlorcalonā€

But she did give me a lecture about fear of flying and how it was safe etc etc etc (I asked for the Valium for the flying not the mav) - turns out her dad invented the black box flight recorder!

ā€” End quote

Hmmm. While she and her Dad are obviously smart (doctor and inventor) her internal logic is screwy. If flying is so safe then why do we need the Black Box??? You have to question the wisdom of life jackets on planes too - by that logic weā€™d have parachutes on boats. :lol:

V.A.L.I.U.M

Hi ya

I couldnā€™t get valium form my doctor, I think they are more reluctant in the UK to prescribe Valium than in other countries, but I couldnā€™t have taken them anyway really as flying by myself, i would have felt too vulnerable

I was in a stable place when flying and I guess you need to know youā€™re own triggers, but for me:

Plenty of sleep in the run up to the flight (days before)
Getting everything organised well in advance so no stress on the day
Trying to keep my head still when taking off and landing (when I moved around, even just looking out of the window at these times, I could feel the spinning start)
Keeping my ears covered (headphones or earplugs) donā€™t know if it made any real difference.

Silly one but I didnā€™t let myself go to sleep, I know this is the opposite to everybody elseā€™s advice, but I am at my worst if I am awoken suddenly, and I knew turbulance, seatbelt sign beep, announcement, would jar me awake.

I had a couple of drinks, as I was flying business class and intended to enjoy it, but not many, and drank gallons of water.

Biggest thing though was trying to stay relaxed, even in the airports going through security etc, the waiting usually gets me worked up, I had to make a concious effort not to let it wind me up.

I felt ok when I was there, it has hit me worst after i got back, I think coupled with a bit of jet lag. I had break through episodes for about a week after.

Good luck with your flight, let me know how you get on!

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œVictoriaā€

If flying is so safe then why do we need the Black Box??? You have to question the wisdom of life jackets on planes too - by that logic weā€™d have parachutes on boats. :lol:

ā€” End quote

the life jackets are really just to make finding the bodies easier :lol:

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œlorcalonā€

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œVictoriaā€

If flying is so safe then why do we need the Black Box??? You have to question the wisdom of life jackets on planes too - by that logic weā€™d have parachutes on boats. :lol:

ā€” End quote

the life jackets are really just to make finding the bodies easier :lol:

ā€” End quote

So really, they should be called death jackets :lol: Reminds me of when I was at uni there was a subject called ā€˜Peace Studiesā€™. It had the exact same curriculum of what had previously been called ā€˜War Studiesā€™.

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œVictoriaā€

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œlorcalonā€

But she did give me a lecture about fear of flying and how it was safe etc etc etc (I asked for the Valium for the flying not the mav) - turns out her dad invented the black box flight recorder!

ā€” End quote

Hmmm. While she and her Dad are obviously smart (doctor and inventor) her internal logic is screwy. If flying is so safe then why do we need the Black Box??? You have to question the wisdom of life jackets on planes too - by that logic weā€™d have parachutes on boats. :lol:

V.A.L.I.U.M

ā€” End quote

You crack me the hell up. Iā€™m literally wetting my pants! :lol:

Hey guys n gals,

I got a prescription for 14 x 2mg of Valiumā€¦ Pretty low dose right, but this was the best I could get out of the doc who at first tried to suggest I buy some anti sea sickness pills from the chemistā€¦ :roll:

Anyway, been feeling pretty good in the last few days and my flight is tomorrow. My question to you is, do you recommend I take one before boarding or hold off and see how I feel during the flight? Lastly, what dose usually is best for you?

merci :smiley: x

Donā€™t know about the valium, but good luck with the flight!!