Valium for flying anyone?!

[Felic23]

Hi
I would really love to hear from anyone who has taken valium or similar to help with anxiety of flying and to know if it worked?

I dont have a fear of flying I have claustrophobia. So weather its a plane, lift tube the anxiety is the same. I do not use tube, lifts etc however I want desperately to get on a plane as I want to take my Son for a holiday abroad.

Please comment with your experience of anything you have taken that has helped you overcome extreme anxiety in a certain situation.

Thanks :)

I had claustrophobia, which was cured through counselling. Would definitely recommend!

@bluejelly thanks for your comment. Can I ask what kind of counselling you had?

It was regular counselling with some CBT elements. I was terrified of enclosed spaces beforehand. After a few sessions I was basically cured.

I have taken Valium for flying - a very low dose and yes it helps .

I have Valium for flying. I’m not claustrophobic, it’s more fear of take off and landing but it really works for me.
I’ve used it quite a few times (I go away twice a year) but now I mostly just keep them in my pocket and I rarely actually take them. My point is that they work and knowing that I can halt a panic attack by taking one is enough to keep me calm. I avoid taking them very often because they are addictive.

I’m claustrophobic too. Don’t do lifts, was crap at hide n seek as a child as I never wanted to hide in a wardrobe etc and flying petrified me to tears.
I asked the doctor for Valium as after many years of coach/ferry holidays I wanted to fly somewhere further afield for our honeymoon. It worked a treat. I was VERY relaxed and not at all scared.
I did however after a few years seem to get used to it and had to have an alcoholic drink too for it to work, which isn’t recommended of course!
I don’t need it all now though, and absolutely love flying ! Although you’ll still never see me in a lift!

I have taken them too. Depending where you fly to, keep the prescription handy as customs could want to check it. I find it takes the edge off the anxiety for me though but no more than a couple of drinks would.

I took Mogadon on a night flight once, never again, the fear of not being able to evacuate if needed was worse than the fear of the flight it's meant to send you sleep but I was wired. I'd be very careful and try it first to see your reaction.

I find alprazolam (0.5mgs) much more effective. Valium doesn't seem to have the same effect on me (even 10mgs).

@bluejelly wow that's amazing and gives me hope!

@shinynewapple22 thanks I'm going to try some and see if I can get on the tube as a test run!

Thanks all for your comments I'm really hoping I will be able to get on a plane and get myself and my Son somewhere lovely and hot :)

It didn’t work for me unfortunately. In fact it made me worse somehow.

I agree with the above poster about alprazolam (Xanax) - I was prescribed privately (you can only get a private prescription for this in England) and alternated with Lorazepam as recommended by my psychiatrist. One thing that really helped was to start taking it the day before my flight. I'm the same as you, it's the claustrophobia that's the problem for me. But starting taking it the day before meant I wasn't sitting around letting the anxiety build up and that made such a difference.

Tried it once and it made me even worse, still felt just as scared but too chilled to be able to react if I needed to which then made me feel even more scared if that makes sense?