Will a doctor prescribe diazepam for a long haul flight?

[LudlowStreet]

Not scared for flying or anything. Just have a long overnight flight, arrives at destination in the morning, and I'm sat in economy. If I take some diazepam I should be able to sleep, if I don't, I won't.

Yes. My dh told our Gp he was suffering panic attacks when he flew. He gave him valium

Op just fancies a snooze. GPs arent gonna dish out Class Cs for that.

Something like promethazine can be bought OTC and is better if all you need is a snooze. I find it better for sleep than diazepam anyway, which does absolutely nothing to me.

You think it's ridiculous that doctors won't prescribe medicines for people who aren't ill?? Just so that they can fly long haul with a bit less discomfort? Even if diazepam wasn't addictive that would be a stonkingly over-entitled expectation.

I have been prescribed them for flying in the past, also for going to the dentist. It seems like the ideal use for them. I guess it’s just another one of those peculiar policies that makes peoples lives more difficult for no reason

I'd take a promethazine tablet.

You could try asking for Temazepam, my GP will give it for Jetlag (as long as you aren't giving off Benzo addict vibes)

Just because OP gets a script doesn't mean she'll get hooked. They usually only give you a small amount to lower that risk. I'm sure OP isn't going to end up hooked on meth over this.

Phenergan will help you sleep. It knocked me flat. Some passenger gave me some when I was having a panic attack before we took off. Although when I say it knocked me flat. I mean it knocked me flat to the point I felt like I had zero control over my body. I did sleep pretty much the entire 9 hour Flight though

Paying for a private prescription is fine, assuming they’ll do it, but expecting the NHS to waste scarce resources on drugs to facilitate entirely optional choices is entirely unreasonable. And if they enable it then it’s easy to see why the system is broken

Get some Ashwaghanda (sp?)

It's a herbal tablet, but it works a charm for sleep! I take one and it helps me doze off within 40 mins,

You don't wake up groggy or anything either. Just refreshed.

The stuff is life changing honestly. You can get it from Holland and Barrett,

Travel sickness tablets make you sleepy

The NHS does not exist to facilitate peoples lifestyle choices. Buy some OTC promethazine or melatonin or get a private script for diazepam. Vaccinations for long haul travel are a chargeable service why should this be any different?

@ThePure you can’t get melatonin OTC in the uk. Or if you can please do tell me where! I get mine when I’m in the US and bring it back.

my gp has prescribed tiny amount (like 2) tablets of zopiclone in the past to help adjust to jet lag - flying 24 hours for the unexpected death of a close family member, I wouldn’t have thought that would work if I just said I didn’t like flying economy.

... and fuels people desperate enough that they buy online and end up getting dodgy drugs like we saw in the papers recently. There's no balance in the NHS. Drives me spare.

Thank you for all the posts, will read through properly later, just in work now.

There are several reasons, as I understand it the medics in the UK at least are in part acting on advice from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The CAA have several objections, the main one probably being if you pop a pill on boarding or just beforebit may cause problems if, shortly thereafter, you have to leave the aircraft again, either in the normal manner because the flight is cancelled or in more of a hurry if there is an emergency..

I’ve certainly seen a couple of instances of passengers so dosed up with ??? that it took the cabin crew 10-15 minutes to rouse them at the end of a sector….

I can’t find a CAA source document at the moment but there’s a list of objections to diazepam use in this NHS notice here:

https://www.loganpractice.scot.nhs.uk/fear-of-flying/

Diazepam is prescribed for the dentist or for flying, for extreme anxiety, not for comfort or recreational purposes, and this is exactly as it should be.

You do realise that if you are in a drug or alcohol-induced sleep, your chances of being able to act to save your life in an emergency is seriously compromised, as is the safety of others if they have to try and step over a heavily-sleeping person.
Also, what a complete waste of NHS time; such daft requests cause waiting lists to lengthen and the inappropriate prescription and uses of drugs to be reviewed

They will give you anti histamines.

I sort of agree but Nytol and suchlike never seem to work for me or anyone I know. If it was that easy there would be no need for the real stuff!

I suffer terribly from jet lag and dont sleep at all for the first few days. My Doctor gave me for sleeping pills but she told me not to take them on the plane as there have been issues with waking people up, getting them to put their seat belts on etc because they are conked out at their seat. Economy is the pits and is getting worse and worse with people sprawling into my seat, smelling to high heaven or constantly getting up and down to take something from their bags in the overhead lockers. Thank you especially to the couple who kept geting up and fiddling about with their overhead bags and knocking a bottle of gin onto my head.

OP didn't ask for a lecture from the Protect the NHS North Korean Pan Bashers, she asked if a Doctor would, and they might. Depends on the reason and the doctor. But it looks like we have found a great triage system on this thread for everyone's health questions.

Are you always racist in your responses?

Buy over the counter promethazine. Great stuff!

(And take double the recommended dose)

One of the main reasons for not giving diazepam when flying is the reason you want it for. Ie sedation. In the case of an emergency, they don’t want you sedated but alert and able to cope with the situation.