Flying

[angel13]

Hmm, can anyone here share their experiences of travelling by plane?


I'm supposed to be heading to the UK within the next 6 months, at some point, to see relatives - some of whom I've never met! That part of it *really* gets me excited, and same as seeing england...I've never been outside the country before.


Its just I have a total fear of flying, but not for the normal reasosn of crashing or heights orwhatever - I worry SO much about airsickness, and also the feeling of being trapped, and not being able to get out - which is a common sort of thing amongst emets. There always *has* to be an easy exit for me to be able to feel safe, and calm.


Who here has travelled by plane? Can you shed any light on how it feels? I'm so scared that I'll get sick or something - they actually provide airsickness bags, don't they?! lol, to me, that's absolutely terrifying - it like a guaruntee that you WILL do it!


Any stories, tips, anything, would be much appreciated, folks!

[samara's on tv]

I've been on planes MANY MANY MANY times. And I can tell you that only once out of probably 100 times have I seen anyone get sick. Actually I didn't even SEE it I just over heard a flight attendant talking about. My advice is to bring something with you to keep your mind occupied. Read a book or listen to music, or do both at the same time. If you can bring a laptop or a portable DVD player that would help too. If you're worried about getting sick yourself take some dramamine before the flight and it'll probably knock you out for a few hours. I hate flying too almost every time I fly I feel sick during the ride and after, although I have never once been sick to the point of V*ing. If you are traveling with friends/family sit with them and talk. I've been to England before and I can tell you it's WONDERFUL! Look forward to your trip and don't be so worried about people getting sick...I don't think it happens as often as you think.


~Monica

[sage]

I fly a lot now that I'm "cured" of emetophobia. I still get a bit anxious, but once I'm on the plane sitting down I'm fine.


My husband flies almost weekly for the last 30 years, and he has NEVER seen anyone sick on a plane. Honestly, he wouldn't lie about that.


I think the chances of being sick on a plane are about equal to being sick anywhere else for any reason. You're no more likely to see someone sick there than anywhere else you're around people.


Even though you can't get out of the plane, you can always walk around, or take "time out" in a washroom. When the seatbelt sign is on, it's for your safety during turbulence, but no one would stop you getting up anyway. Flight attendants are always busy doing something.


I would suggest asking your doctor for a mild tranquilizer (in Canada we have Ativan) for the trip. I took this on a long flight to Europe, and slept the whole damn way. It was brilliant.


Good luck!

[angel13]

Tranquiliser sounds like a brilliant idea, sage [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]Just go to sleep, and when you wake up, you're there!


Thankyou for the reassurance and advice. I'm so eager to go, but you do hear stories about people getting airsick (whether thats more on the little planes, rather than the big jets that travel overseas or not, I don't know), and that would be the worst for me - knowing you were trapped on there, and you couldn't get out any time you liked. I just have to get it into my mind that I'm just as likely to get motion sick on a bus or in a car or something, as on a plane (and I don't suffer with it, so thats a relief, anyway).


^_^ Thanks again! I'll definitely let you all know if and when I go through with it.

[mjewell]

Angel - I swear I could have written your post. You described to the tee my fear of flying. I hate it when people try to reassure me by saying "flying is safer than driving, planes never crash, etc." I just want to ring their necks and say "it's not that I'm afraid of you idiot!!! It's being trapped in a tiny space with a million gross people and no way out!" lol. I just get so sick of people not understanding.


Anyway, I take Xanax before I fly. I fly about 4 times a year. I get nervous every time and every time it is smooth and easy, and I feel fine every time, and so does everyone else around me. People are way less likely to get airsick than they are to get carsick or seasick, that is something I read on some health site.


I have to fly to mexico in a few weeks for my anniversary. I am nervous but so excited. The trip will go smooth for both of us and it will be well worth it!!

[kleonar]

I have to tell you the same. I have flown for many years at least 8-9 times a year and never seen nor heard anyone v* on a plane. I was recently on a jam packed plane for 12 hours through many bouts of turbulance. Not one person got sick. Me as an emet thought I was but you know we never do even though we feel like we are ALL the time! Just bring a walk man, close your eyes, take a dramamine (it causes drowsiness) and sleep. You will be there before you know it.


I always like to think to myself, "its only a few hours of your life to get there, just think of how time flies when you are busy".

[kel12347]

I just got back from flying to Las Vegas this morning. No one on the plane got sick, including me. I took 1/2 Xanax before getting on the plane, and was able to sleep most of the time. I also took an audiobook with headphones, to cover up any sounds I might hear. I did feel kind of sick at the end of the flight back home, but I think it was anxiety, plus being disoriented (having just woken up and having only a couple hours of sleep). We did get upgraded to first class for the flight back. Yippee!

[aguerra29]

I have been an emet my whole life, but flying has never been a problem for me. I tend to get motion sickness pretty easily, but I never feel ill on a plane. Out of the 100+ flights I have been on, noone has ever gotten sick. Bring you IPOD (if you have one) Bring a good book. It is one of my rituals to buy a book at the airport. Now, the one part I would be scared of id flying over the pond. I have only flown over a large expanse of water once and I had a horrible head cold, so I didn't care. I do not like being over open water. But no fear of being sick or off anyone else being sick.

[gumdropper1]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. In-flight vomiting is quite rare. Emets are very unlikely to vomit at all, and I've never heard of an emet vomiting on a plane. If it really bothers you, take a pill beforehand. The best one sold in this country is called Bonine, and the active ingredient is meclezine hydrochloride. Look at the backs of the packages and see if that ingredient is available in Oz. It doesn't cause drowsiness like the more popular one called Dramamine (Active ingredient: dimenhydrinate) can do.


THIS NEXT PART IS GRAPHIC


The one time I saw someone get airsick was on a flight with a group of high school students, many of whom had never flown before. One of the girls got sick and puked, and the students seemed to enjoy passing her bag around and having a look inside. I was horrified by this (I didn't look), but I was envious of the cavalier attitude toward vomiting that others in the group had.

[sillygirl]

I have flown tons of times and I only saw someone v* once. It was a little kid, probably 2 or 3 years old, and he was v* long before the plane ever took off - obviously NOT from the flight. The poor kid was soooo sick. During a 3 hour flight he probably v*d about 4 or 5 times. It was right before my vacation too, which didn't help, but as soon as I got to my destination (Disney World - yay!!) I totally forgot about it. I'm sure your flight will be jsut fine!

[bexcelica]

i get nervous flying too. but once youre in the air, its alllll gravy baby



i only saw one person v* on a plane, and it was my freidn (sitting behind me YUCK YUCK YUCK) because she was so hung over.



take a dramamine.. they make you sleep and you wone even be able to worry before youre already in the UK.



good luck.



ps. just like sillygirl said, this girl v* before the plane even took
off, actually she was v* on the way in the carf and in the iarport

[stef]

i am also freaking about flying as im flying to melbourne next week
(only from brisbane tho so its only two hours) and hav beensaying to
mum 'i realy dont wana get on that plane' and she knows why. i am going
to take a valium (which i hav for my anxiety) and a stemitil before i
go just to ease my mind that i definately wont get sick wit the
stemitil... thats the aussie brand for dramamine n al those other ones
ppl keep tlaking about... it works wonders believe me... it is an
anti-emetic, very good for motion sickness and nausea and also helps
wit that vertigo, nauseous feeling u get in ur head sometimes... but
yer, my mum also said she has never encountered anyone being sick on a
plane.. so u dont hav to wory... just take some headphones and maybe
see ur doc to get a prescription for stemitil... tel him ur worried ul
get airsick (which i promise u u wont, ur an emet!) but just
knowing that uv taken an anti-emetic will put ur worries at ease...
enjoy the flight make the most of it!<!--
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[sage]

Even the stories of the rare times someone is sick on a plane are really no different than if they were about people -at school; - in church; - in the mall, etc. Planes are no different than anywhere else. There is some risk, because that's just life. But it's pretty small.


And I've learned you're not actually trapped on the plane. There are always other seats to sit in, walking around, going to the bathroom, etc. In the end, someone would help you if you explained what your real problem was.


I'm off to Toronto (5 hour flight) on Sunday - woo hoo! [btw I WILL take Ativan and sleep most of the way or be in a drugged stupor - it's just easier - lol]

[angel13]

You guys are the best, thanks so much for replying! I'm curious about the pills mentioned - I don't think I'd be able to relax unless I took something as reassurance. Can anyone enlighten me as to what Xanax is? I have a feeling I've seen it in chemists, the name rings a bell. Whats it for?


The other thing I take comfort in, is that although its a 24 hour flight from australia to the UK, planes stop every few hours in different countries, so you'd onlybe actuallyin the air for a few hours at a time, right? So is there any chance to get out and stretch your legs, even if only in the airport terminal? Or do you generally stay on the plane the whole time? I've never flown anywhere, see, so have no idea about any of it.[img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]


And to you guys who saw people v*ing on planes, its such a massive relief to know that in most cases, their sickness wasn't even due to flying anyway. Like you said, sage, its just like being anywhere else - you're just as likely to see someone do it in the city, at an amusement park, in a bar, etc.

[mjewell]

angel -


Xanax is a prescription tranquilizing medicine. It makes you feel calm, even tired. If you can get to your doctor before your trip, you might tell him or her your fear of flying and ask if there is something they can give you for the trip. In al likelihood they will prescribe you Xanax or something similar. There are lots of similar meds out there that are commonly prescribed.


I'm not sure if you can get out when you stop, probably not a quick stop, but if it is a few hours stop you generally get out.