Medication for fear of flying - over the counter

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I'm hoping people may be able to help me out with this one. My DH is a very nervous flyer, we're doing an 8 hour trip this weekend and his GP has refused to give him diazepam (DH hasn't had any previous issues with it, GP just doesn't want to prescribe it for fear of flying).

Is there anything over the counter that people have had success with?

Anybody?

Pay for a private doctor that will prescribe diazepam. Over the counter meds don’t touch that level of anxiety.

It was a private doctor that wouldn't give it unfortunately (we're not in the UK so not NHS).

It won't help the anxiety but will make him sleepy.

You want the stronger phenergen.

But I would go to private GP.

You can buy propranolol online, you dont need to see anyone. I buy it this way for when Im doing something that I would be panicky about

Where can you buy it from?

I would buy nytol/sleepeze over the counter and just make myself fall asleep. Diazepam wasn’t great for my fear of flying anyway.

www.pharmacy2u.co.uk/propranolol.html

www.medexpress.co.uk/clinics/situational-anxiety/propranolol

Ive bought from these before but if you google online propranolol there are a number of sites

Not sure if it works if you are abroad though?

How does propranolol hold up vs valium?

The UK guidance has all changed v recently all all GPs, private or NHS, have been advised not to prescribe meds for fear of flying. Instead they are recommending phobia courses.

Sooooo helpful for people like me who have tried every course, had hypnotherapy, nothing touches the sides but don't want to be the reason their family can't go anywhere you can't get to by car / boat!

Valium is a sedative but propranolol is a beta blocker so its about your adrenaline.

Its not prescribed in the uk for anxiety per se I think. Its used for heart issues, migraine preventative and can be used for essential tremor.

Get him some antihistamine that will make him drowsy, get him a few vodka and tonics and he'll be well away

Propranolol won't help with the anxiety. They take away the physical symptoms, such as a racing heart that comes with fear or anxiety, but won't stop him feeling anxious.

I take them for anxiety, but I also take diazepam at the same time. Propranolol for the physical, diazepam for the feelings

I dont find this at all. Propranolol has helped me enormously. Because it takes away the physical, it means that I can use my thought blocking and mindfullness strategies more successfully without my body freezing in paralysis due to panic.

What does diazepam actually make you feel like? I haven't been abroad for 15 years due to mild agoraphobia and panic disorder and it's heartbreaking to know my own mind is stopping me doing something I really want

The only thing that worked for me was buy-one-get-one-free neat vodka when the trolley comes round.
Beta blockers didn’t do anything for me. I was too scared to up the dose as my blood pressure is a little on the low side anyway .

Thanks all, will show him the suggestions.

Echo the advice to get a sedating antihistamine (like nytol, but the one you have to ask for OTC, not the herbal version)
It comes in 2 doses, 25mg and 50mg
Do a trial run first, you can take 25mg, then top up with another 25mg.

I was prescribed a months worth of diazepam for the first time ever last month by the mental health nurse at my gp it was to allow me to be able to travel Abroad for a funeral however not for fear of flying it was because I’m agoraphobic but I have to say they didn’t do anything at all for me the propranolol worked far better as I didn’t feel the physical symptoms like dizziness and passing out over heating etc so deffo try that as most gps will happily hand them out

Another one who can vouch for diazepam not working. I have taken 5mgon two long distance flights and can honestly say whisky works better for me. It is sedating but it doesn't get rid of the panicky sensation which is then worse as your panic is trapped in a sedated body. It made me feel even more out of control

I’ve been prescribed propranolol purely for generalised anxiety, and in fact my GP mentioned it for flying when I last raised this issue. It slows your heart down so can help with that particularly unpleasant symptom of anxiety. Can’t say it does a huge amount for me when flying, however, but then nor does Valium. As above, valium can actually make things worse IME as you feel sleepy and then when panic comes (any turbulence in my case) it feels far worse than if you went from already-keyed up to panicky.

Alcohol, unfortunately, is the best for me too. I’m not a big drinker ordinarily but if I drank enough to actually ease my anxiety over a flight I think the crew would refuse to serve me. So I end up getting a drink, keeping it for when turbulence hit and then necking it.

I bloody love diazepam. It's my favourite thing ever, thank god they're quite strict with prescribing it.

I've used it on several long haul flights for claustrophobia and found it great. Like a warm floaty cuddle.

I have a fear of flying and I’d have to be on full knock out drugs for six months before the flight, during the entire holiday (due to having to fly home again) and probably for some time after I got back home.

That's my exact experience too. I need 20mg, not the teeny tiny pills. I feel like I'm all wafty and happy. I look like I'm hiding inside a hoodie with my headphones in.

It's just so hard to get them now. My dear old doctor retired and the youngsters want you to try mindful colouring in.

Same here. About an hour after taking them I feel a sense of my body relaxing and I can then deal with any panic that comes my way throughout the flight.

My old GP would prescribe me enough for the night before, getting to the airport and then for during the flights. He retired and the last go I asked gave me 4 tablets to get me through 2 x 11 hour flights. I asked for a couple more and he he asked if I would consider therapy. So I listed all the stuff I tried and had paid out money for over the years. He still stuck to the prescription of 4 tablets.

I’ve tried valerian root, which I heard was as good as diazepam, but did nothing for me. I think once you’ve had the real stuff nothing is as good. I might ask for propanalol though next time, as if the symptoms are reduced that would be useful.

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