Do you use sleep medication during or after travelling to assist jetlag?

[Walter Plinge]

After reading the thread on jetlag, just wondered how many people use medication to assist in sleeping during or after travel to cope with the effects of jetlag?

I've never used such forms of medication (other than the odd headache tablet, to deal with -usually alcohol induced - headaches), and asking amongst my Australian colleagues who travel a fair bit, most don't seem to either. Yet many of my US based colleagues think nothing of popping an Ambien during a flight or once at the destination.

Normison for me. My doctor writes a scrip without so much as a glance. The first time I asked for a sleeping tablet and he prescribed Normison. Works for me. Fairly short acting and sometimes I take a second after 4 hours.

 

[maureeng]

[
Have you done one of the 'fear of flying' courses. Qantas runs one, and by all accounts it's very helpful. I do understand where you are coming from, but I just consider drugs to be the wrong answer.[/QUOTE]

I bought the qantas DVD fear of flying course but still didnt work.

 

[blueflamenco]

^ Cognitive behavioral therapy?

If the anxiety is easily manageable thats one thing but if it would make your life easier to work through it CBT might be something you would consider.

 

[JohnK]

Anxiety easily manageable!

From memory Nycguy mentioned this recently. Not as simple as some people may think especially when you wake up in the middle of the night hyperventilating. Good luck to you if the solution is that simple....

 

[blueflamenco]

It was purposefully phrased " if " the anxiety is easily manageable.

I am well aware that anxiety disorders can be debilitating for some and can cause minor inconvenience for others.

I'm sorry if the term easily manageable offended you, I merely meant - if an individual can adequately manage their anxiety alone.

 

[JohnK]

Please don't misunderstand me. Not offended at all. Some people think that therapy is the solution to all our problems.

When you live through the hell of anxiety/panic attacks lasting 3-4 days or more then you will understand. And the good thing about anxiety/panic attacks striking is that there is no warning or reason for them. And yes it may well be a chemical imbalance but for some people drugs like Aurorix make it even worse.

I hope that no one has to go through this living hell....

 

[blueflamenco]

Please don't misunderstand me. Not offended at all. Some people think that therapy is the solution to all our problems.

When you live through the hell of anxiety/panic attacks lasting 3-4 days or more then you will understand. And the good thing about anxiety/panic attacks striking is that there is no warning or reason for them. And yes it may well be a chemical imbalance but for some people drugs like Aurorix make it even worse.

I hope that no one has to go through this living hell....

Just out of curiosity, have you tried therapy for your panic attacks?

 

[NYCguy]

Please don't misunderstand me. Not offended at all. Some people think that therapy is the solution to all our problems.

When you live through the hell of anxiety/panic attacks lasting 3-4 days or more then you will understand. And the good thing about anxiety/panic attacks striking is that there is no warning or reason for them. And yes it may well be a chemical imbalance but for some people drugs like Aurorix make it even worse.

I hope that no one has to go through this living hell....

There is abundant, good-quality evidence which clearly demonstrates that CBT is THE most effective way of overcoming panic disorder. CBT does, however, demand that the subject commit to the process, and understand that it doesn't work overnight. I would have thought that giving the therapy a fighting chance would be better than having panic attacks that last for days, or having to take Xanax just to get on a plane? If a course of CBT with a skilled psychologist can control the obsessions of a person whose rituals consumed 15 hours a day for many years - not me, but a close friend in Australia - it can help with panic disorder. It might take a year, or even longer, but surely it's worth a shot if you get your life back?

 

[JohnK]

Just out of curiosity, have you tried therapy for your panic attacks?

Yes I did early on and it did not help. Not meaning to be rude in any way but I do not have too much time for psychiatrists, psychologists, physiologists etc.

One of my favourites is the reaction to adrenalin. I had to have a procedure to remove an infection from an old root canal and decided that I also needed to get 2 wisdom teeth taken out in the process. I specifically told the dental surgeon "NO ADRENALIN" I will worry about the pain after the procedure. Went in for the procedure with anaesthetic around 9:00am and woke up a few hours later with numbness and in the middle of a panic/anxiety attack.

Apparently he gave me a double dose of adrenalin after I was out from the anaesthetic (I specifically told him "NO ADRENALIN") and I was agitated and had panic/anxiety attacks during the procedure. Is that conscious mind or the sub-conscious mind at work?

Perhaps obsessive compulsive disorder, claustrophobia, anxiety are all related in one way or another.I have had claustrophobia and OCD since early childhood and panic/anxiety suddenly appeared around 16 years ago. I have come to accept panic/anxiety attacks as part of my life for the last 16 years and if that means taking medicine to help then so be it. Small price to pay for peace of mind.

Do I want to get rid of them? Sure I do, but it won't be through therapy.

 

[blueflamenco]

Yes I did early on and it did not help. Not meaning to be rude in any way but I do not have too much time for psychiatrists, psychologists, physiologists etc.

One of my favourites is the reaction to adrenalin. I had to have a procedure to remove an infection from an old root canal and decided that I also needed to get 2 wisdom teeth taken out in the process. I specifically told the dental surgeon "NO ADRENALIN" I will worry about the pain after the procedure. Went in for the procedure with anaesthetic around 9:00am and woke up a few hours later with numbness and in the middle of a panic/anxiety attack.

Apparently he gave me a double dose of adrenalin after I was out from the anaesthetic (I specifically told him "NO ADRENALIN") and I was agitated and had panic/anxiety attacks during the procedure. Is that conscious mind or the sub-conscious mind at work?

Perhaps obsessive compulsive disorder, claustrophobia, anxiety are all related in one way or another.I have had claustrophobia and OCD since early childhood and panic/anxiety suddenly appeared around 16 years ago. I have come to accept panic/anxiety attacks as part of my life for the last 16 years and if that means taking medicine to help then so be it. Small price to pay for peace of mind.

Do I want to get rid of them? Sure I do, but it won't be through therapy.

Like you I don't mean to be rude, but - is this not a very defeatist attitude to have? To get rid of the symptoms you need to be prepared to put in the work. I'm not suggesting that your not motivated to do so but it certainly seems like you are shutting out a very valuable and effective resource.

You say that medicine helps and it's a small price to pay for peace of mind, but a few posts back you mentioned the experience of waking up hyperventilating? If your medication was effective and gave peace of mind I'm not sure why you would be hyperventilating. Medication is quite a poor long term solution for anxiety disorders which are highly treatable.

Yes, OCD and claustrophobia are both anxiety disorders and are related.

 

[Suncoaster]

I've never used sleeping pills on flights, I find a good book or movie will help pass the time if I cannot sleep. Stimuli such as crying babes I can easily tune out, in fact I don't notice children unless my partner points them out...

 

[maureeng]

It was purposefully phrased " if " the anxiety is easily manageable.

I am well aware that anxiety disorders can be debilitating for some and can cause minor inconvenience for others.

I'm sorry if the term easily manageable offended you, I merely meant - if an individual can adequately manage their anxiety alone.

I actually went to see a psychologist to see if it would help and he said I have a fear of mechanical failure due to an incident and that the more I fly the easier it will get!!!! Hmmmm not working. I only ever panic when i'm flying. I dont suffer panic attacks its a straight out fear of flying after the incident when we lost cabin pressure and had to have oxygen. I thought we were going to crash.
How do others on here cope with this?

 

[blueflamenco]

I actually went to see a psychologist to see if it would help and he said I have a fear of mechanical failure due to an incident and that the more I fly the easier it will get!!!! Hmmmm not working. I only ever panic when i'm flying. I dont suffer panic attacks its a straight out fear of flying after the incident when we lost cabin pressure and had to have oxygen. I thought we were going to crash.
How do others on here cope with this?

Would you consider going to another psychologist? It's unfortunate that the one you saw didn't really do much to address your problem.

You could see a psychiatrist for medication which would calm you and prevent the physical anxiety but this won't stop your negative thoughts.

 

[maureeng]

Would you consider going to another psychologist? It's unfortunate that the one you saw didn't really do much to address your problem.

You could see a psychiatrist for medication which would calm you and prevent the physical anxiety but this won't stop your negative thoughts.

I only use medication on a long flight as I can deal with the fear on a short trip but to have my blood pressure rising for 14hours or more on an international flight is not so good. I never take sleeping medication at any other time.

Psychologists etc look at underlying problems that cause the fear. I dont have that. I know what caused my fear. I loved flying till we had that incident. Usually psychologists try to find something deep rooted that caused it. This is not so in my case. I wont let it stop me flying though as there is no ther way to travel the world considering we live on an island lol.

 

[blueflamenco]

I only use medication on a long flight as I can deal with the fear on a short trip but to have my blood pressure rising for 14hours or more on an international flight is not so good. I never take sleeping medication at any other time.

Psychologists etc look at underlying problems that cause the fear. I dont have that. I know what caused my fear. I loved flying till we had that incident. Usually psychologists try to find something deep rooted that caused it. This is not so in my case. I wont let it stop me flying though as there is no ther way to travel the world considering we live on an island lol.

Well the positive thing for you is that you are not letting it prevent you from doing what you want and need to do (fly!).

Psychologists recognize specific events causing problems like yours with the diagnosis of PTSD and ASD. Without knowing your full situation it appears as though you don't meet the criteria for either of these because you fly even though it causes you anxiety and when you don't fly you don't have the symptoms of anxiety. Either way it would do you no harm to see another psychologist and get a second opinion especially if you are concerned about taking medication on long flights.

 

[maureeng]

Well the positive thing for you is that you are not letting it prevent you from doing what you want and need to do (fly!).

Psychologists recognize specific events causing problems like yours with the diagnosis of PTSD and ASD. Without knowing your full situation it appears as though you don't meet the criteria for either of these because you fly even though it causes you anxiety and when you don't fly you don't have the symptoms of anxiety. Either way it would do you no harm to see another psychologist and get a second opinion especially if you are concerned about taking medication on long flights.

I would rather enjoy my flight than be asleep for most of it but it doesnt bother me taking them as at the most I go overseas twice a year. The anxiety dissapears the minute I touch down. Im not too bad when the flight is smooth its take off, landing and turbulence I hate. I like to be in the front row so I can watch the crew lol.

 

[significance]

I usually cannot sleep at all in an economy seat (believe it or not, mostly because I am short and there's no comfortable position with your legs unsupported). On my last trip to Europe, I was suffering from allergies anyway, so I decided to take an old-fashioned, drowsy antihistamine, sold as a sleep aid, rather than a modern, non-drowsy antihistamine. It got me a good 6 hours' sleep with no side-effects, so I won't hesitate next time.

 

[BVT]

I have only ever taken sleep medication a few times (not for jetlag) and it does not appear to work for me or I need a higher dose.

I have a theory on jetlag and it goes along these lines. Jetlag is simply a myth. When I start my holidays (does not matter which direction I travel) I am full of adrenalin and I am full of energy at my destination. When I come back home (does not matter which dierection I travel or how long I have been away) it usually takes me anywhere from 2-7 days to recover. I think this is more to do with the lack of adrenalin and reality rather than the effects of jetlag.

But that is just my theory and for now no need to change anything....

There is alot of common sense in what you say and I quoite agree. However, I do take a pill to sleep on the flight and on the first night (only) away and at home. Otherwise, I deal with it.

 

[drron]

Well this lady didnt need anything-
Woman left asleep on plane for hours | News.com.au

AIRLINE staff amazingly failed to spot a snoozing passenger for more than three hours after a flight touched down at Philadelphia International Airport.

 

[maureeng]

Well this lady didnt need anything-
Woman left asleep on plane for hours | News.com.au

Probably me ;-) lol