Hi all, I had booked an air flight just before I had my āBig Crashā and had to cancel as I was so incapacitated at the time. That was 20 months ago and Iām around about 60% improved. The airlines have extended the ticket date no later than early Feb 08. So weāve tentatively booked the ticket (or lose it!) and also the accommodation. I have much trepidation and anxiety about my likely success as I can really only tolerate a car ride for a couple of hours at this point. Has anyone had any success with flying and are there any tips you might have to get through the ordeal. I thought Iād take a couple of Valium before my trips and hoped that might do the trick?? Iām also a bit scared that I might set myself back, but have travel plans also at the end of the year (my nieceās wedding) that I simply must get to so think this might be a trial for me. Decisions, decisions!
I havenāt flown since all this started. I do know that elevators and amusement park rides cause me problems, so I just fear what a plane trip would be like. I have taken my kids to the amusement park before though, and I do take valium before hand. I have found that with the valium, I can ride the rides, and I know when it wears off as I have to start benching it and watch them instead.
So my only suggestion is that valium may help you with a plane trip.
Valium is the only way I can even tolerate a car ride. But, when it wears off, I suffer more than I would have if I hadnāt gone out that day. In other words, I think the Valium suppresses my symptoms, but only for the time it is working, then I get hit due to all the movement I had that day.
Donāt mean to worry you, thatās just been my experience.
I think that Valium is going to be the only way for me to go. It had also occurred to me that I might have a delayed effect from the air travel once the medication wore off. Iād be lying if I didnāt say that the proposed trip is making me very nervous, but I suppose Iām trying to test the waters a bit to see my limits and Iāve only got about three weeks to cancel the arrangements so I guess Iāll wait and see how Iām feeling as it gets closer. Good news, Iāll be due to see my neuro two weeks after my return so that could be very interesting. It sounds pretty typical of MAV sufferers really, wanting to appear sooo ānormalā and trying to make āitā fit in with your life and not have āitā control yours, whatās the chance of that?? :oops:
Boy you are right on - we try so hard to not look or act as sick as we are. I tell my husband often that he could never imagine whatās actually going on in my head - i probably look very quiet on the outside. And I push myself to function beyond what I can really do.
Re the Valium. I suffer a lot later that same day, but the next day iām back to my norm. Itās not like the trips iāve taken have made my condition worse, itās just that I suffer from all the motion once the Valium wears off. In fact, if I take enough, and when I have an hourās drive I can take as much as 30 mg, I can feel some calming effect (of the dizziness) for at least a week, starting the next day, after the motion dizziness has worn off and Iāve had a good nightās sleep.
I have found that through the use of meds, if I can prevent any problems from to much motion such as an amusment park ride, I am fine afterwards. As long as I quit the motion related experience before the valium wears off. Hopefully the same will work out for you.
Brainā¦consider yourself lucky. About 4-5 years ago i went to Disneylandā¦took etra Xanex thinking i could survive one of the Roller Coaster ridesā¦WRONG! For about 2 months the motion was much more noticeable. So i have decided to stay away from ALL Roller Coasters rides. Even before the dizzy condition began 15 years agoā¦i never fared well with Amusement park ridesā¦particularly ones that go in circles or fast pace coaster rides. I have always suffered from Motion Sicknessā¦never out grew it.
Iāll give the Valium a go and dose myself up enough for the trip with the hope that once the experience is over, Iāll be ok.
Joe, I donāt know whether I ever knowingly knew I was motion intollerant in the past, but I have never ridden on any theme park rides because of a bad motion sickness episode when I was young. Iām not keen to give it a go either, thank goodness my kids are old enough that Iām not invited when they go theme-parking, so itās never going to be an issue .
Canāt say Iām overjoyed at the prospect of the plain travel (am counting the hours and minutes with dread actually!), but have to find out whether the experience is ok, so I can travel on holidays away with my family once again. Hereās hoping
The rides you mention are the same rides that I now avoid. I take the meds so that I can survive the simpler rides and the crowd.
Last time we went to an amusement park my oldest son went on one of those rides that spin REALLY fast and then drop thr floor. I couldnāt even watch it with an extra dose of valium without making my stomach spin. :roll:
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