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.

I get prescribed it a few times a year but I have quite bad anxiety, and I still struggle to get it sometimes even with the mental health team saying I need it on occasion. Doctors do hate prescribing it

Doesn't stop the airlines dishing out free alcohol though, my doctor wouldn't even prescribe me one diazepam to take the day of a surgical procedure so nope, no chance.

This is untrue. I get one prescription per year for flying. Have done for about 15 years

But, no you won’t get it for wanting to sleep. It’s not even a sedative in that sense. I don’t feel sleepy on it at all. Other drugs would be prescribed for sleep. But they won’t prescribe you those for a flight either!

I didn't intend to use the NHS for this, as agree, it wouldn't be appropriate. You can't get an appointment anyway.
I would used an online GP. I don't want to waste my money on an appointment if there's no chance I'd get a prescription though.

I think you can buy to OTC in my destination so only need it for the flight there.

@MissMoneyFairy good point about alcohol!

Different problem..you can usually wake someone up who has drunk alcohol fairly quickly.

I didn’t believed the problem with the likes of diazepam was as bad as described by some colleagues who witnessed the effect on a regular basis until the incident I mentioned upthread.

When you see it taking multiple minutes to rouse someone (by shaking etc) who after the event admitted he’d dosed up with “sleeping pills” you can maybe understand the concerns about their ability to engage in any way shape or form with an evacuation.

Was that recently? A lot of GPs have withdrawn this now. I've been taking low dose diazepam for fear of flying for years and my GP has now stopped prescribing. I'm aware that others had stopped a couple of years ago.

@notimagain

The letter in my GP's website lists all the perceived issues - and it does make sense if people are taking a huge dose. However I take just one 2/2.5 mg dose which just takes the edge off things. I think they also need to look at the impact of people nicking a bottle of Prosecco at the airport and continuing to drink on the flight as I'm pretty sure this will also slow reactions - plus lead to things like people being sick and/or aggressive.

They should also stop people drinking alcohol then.

They won’t even prescribe it for people having an MRI anymore , the rules have changed so I very much doubt it . Are private GPs bound by the same rules though as you’d obviously be paying for a private prescription?

@Floofypuppy have you had a recent prescription, say in the last couple of months? My GP has stopped prescribing from this August.

Well the regulators (NICE? CAA? ) UK side have a different POV, probably informed by what they’ve seen in incident reports rather than anecdata.

But talking of anecdata from what I saw and heard when working on aircraft alcohol taken in moderation doesn’t appear to have anything like the effect some sedatives appear to have,

That's what I wondered. I have no issue with paying whatsoever.

@notimagain

But talking of anecdata from what I saw and heard when working on aircraft alcohol taken in moderation doesn’t appear to have anything like the effect some sedatives appear to have,

I guess it's all about amounts isn't it. And that's what's annoying. People are free to take unlimited amounts of alcohol but I'm no longer permitted one low dose pill.

I get where you are coming from but of course in theory people are definitely not free to literally consume unlimited amounts of alcohol, certainly not on board…and the rules do state they should not be drunk on boarding (and yes I know what sometimes goes on in the real world..).

Isn't diazepam very similar to alcohol though ? It's used for withdrawing alcoholics, something to do with its effect on the brain very similar to alcohol

@notimagain Sorry was supposed to also say, something about "rebalancing"

Say you have a trapped nerve x

No they definitely won't as you won't move around so increased risk of DVT.

I tend to take a couple of night nurse tablets & drink a sleepy tea

It may well be but I suspect the theory is that it’s fairly easy for crew to monitor what’s being drunk rather than what is being popped….though there’s still the pre loading problem. As for the physiology you need to talk to a medic…

I still can’t find either a CAA or NICE master document but if you look on-line just about every practice in the UK seems to be reading from the same script when it comes to this subject so it looks like word has come down from on high. I don’t know about NICE but the CAA tend to be quite evidence driven so I’d speculate if this has come from the CAA they’ve seen something in the incident reports or other data that they really don’t like…

Here’s another example in part of the pretty much standard script from:

www.ormistonmedicalpractice.scot.nhs.uk/2024/08/01/gps-will-no-longer-be-prescribing-diazepam-for-flying/

“Our concerns around using diazepam in patient who are nervous about flying are as follows:
• Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy, more relaxed and can significantly delay your reaction times. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation.
• Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural (non-REM) sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. There is concern this can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung which can be dangerous. This risk is greater if your flight is greater than four hours.
• Whilst most people find sedative medications like diazepam have a relaxing effect, a small number of people can actually feel more agitated or even aggressive after taking it. Diazepam can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally”…

Thank you!
I do actually have a trapped nerve that plays up every 18 months or so. I've never seen a doctor or taken anything for it. I think if I showed up at a private GP wanting diazepam for a trapped nerve, especially if I only wanted one tablet, might not be believed !

Private GP and say it’s for flying anxiety.

@wheo I have reported your post for dangerous information.

Why are you suggesting the OP lie to the Dr in order to get this medication that is not advised for very good reasons in the circumstances she is intending to use it.

@LudlowStreet You have been told clearly why you should not do this and other suggestions have been made. You should not be lying to your Dr in order to get diazepam prescribed.

I'd ask for zopiclone to sleep on the plane
Just ask for 3 or 4 for short term use and don't mention flying

I slept 12 hrs to Thailand 😂