To think I physically can’t do this flight?

[panicky7]

I have no worries about flying itself, but I’m going to NZ in a few weeks to visit a friend.

The longest flight I’ve ever done is 4.5 hours. This time I’m doing a 7 hour flight, stopover, then a 13.5 hour flight.

I am someone who physically can’t sit still and I get so fidgety. I also can’t sleep on planes or any kind of transport. I’m honestly dreading it, I know I’ll have films and music and food but i get restless even in cinemas. I have assessment for ADHD soon.

Does anyone have any tips because it’s gonna be unbearable !!

Melatonin gummies.

@suckrifice I find it makes a big difference if I keep spraying my face every few hours - seems to perk me up .

Me too. It’s the fine mist that does it. Some of body shops face mists are also nice because they smell nice, but Evian is always the best one.

I would second this.
DS has ADHD and meds.
During the assessment process we realized DH has it and uses huge amounts of coffee to do the same thing as meds would.

I find a Xanax fantastic, takes the edge off by relaxing muscles and decreases anxiety.

Excellent advice re safety not to take a sleeping pill.....advice I have ignored on occasion.

We hit horrific turbulence flying from Indonesia, on Air China🙄like being in a washing machine, and if I hadn't been only semi conscious I probably would have made a right show of myself.

As it was I was calm and prepared to die.

The one and only time my stoic husband thought we might be in difficulty.

When I fully came around the smell of vomit hovered.

Alternativel a Xanax and 4 G&T's does the job.😉

I enjoyed NZ, lovely holiday when we were already based in Asia.

I was thinking that. I assumed the OP wasn't based in UK. 8 hour hop gets you to Dubai but then it's err 16/17 hours to NZ!

East coast US/Canada to west coast US and then the 13 hr? Hmm.

Another vote for Valium

I'll just chuck in an unlikely LAX-AKL............🤔

I’ve done that route and it still doesn’t add up.

I assumed the OP wasn't based in UK

I hadn’t considered that.

LAX to AKL is 13.5 hours. So first leg must be from the US mid east or east coast or Canada?

Please don’t take sleeping tablets if you book the aisle seat! I watched a young woman do this on my last flight back to nz, and the poor people in the middle were stuck as she’d fallen asleep with her head on her tray table.

as long as the seatbelt sign isn’t on, you can walk around. There’s always a group of people in the galley/toilets, having a stretch and a chat.

I have restless legs syndrome so i have meds for that, they help but even so flying can be torture.
I don't drink because it can make things worse for the RLS. So i take diazepam, prescribed by my GP for anxiety and claustrophobia when flyng.
If you have any niggling aches and pains or stiffness take a couple of cocodamol, the codeine will help you sleep. I wouldn't mix either the diazepam or the cocodamol with alcohol, though.
The absolute best solution for me is business class. So much more space, even flat beds on long haul and just so much more relaxing all round. I know it's difficult to afford but i have maxed out my credit cards in the past for it, and have no regrets doing so.

It's a nightmare. I've done Auckland to London and the other way several times and it never fails to break me. Got to knock yourself out. Next Saturday I am flying Auckland to KL to Kathmandu with 13 hours in KL. It'll be dreadful. On the upside it's spring here in NZ.

Those timings are not a London to Auckland flight, your shorter flight will be longer than 7 hours. Besides the point, it's not great in economy but it passes, take sleeping pills.

Sorry, just realised others have commented on the flight length and I didn't think about the OP not being in the UK.

Question for the crocheters - I'd have thought bamboo or plastic crochet hooks would be okay, but metal ones not?

Do you like reading ? Download a bunch of books on a kindle or kindle app. Some of my favourite flights are longhaul… relaxing with a nice drink and a book undisturbed…

I have adhd. I simply wouldn't cope with such a long flight. I also cannot sleep on any kind of transport and id get so overwhelmed and stressed. As part of my diagnosis I've had to learn that sometimes there are things id like to do, but i just simply can't. Super long haul flights is one of them.

If it was life or death and i really had to do it, id take lots of different activities, ie. Phone with lots and lots of short episodes of my comfort TV shows, Kindle, paper and pen etc, plenty of music downloaded and some really good headphones/ear plugs to block out sensory input. For me it would be about not letting myself get bored and preventing sensory overwhelm which can lead to panic.

My friend takes anti histamines.

I’d do a test run first though if you’re going to do this.
this typical happens in adhd people but you don’t want to be that one it doesn’t work for and find out on a stressful flight

Just be a bit careful OP because there are a lot of suggestions here for medication like Valium/diazepam/cbd etc. From your flight times I’m guessing that your stopover is either Dubai or Qatar. They have really strict rules on these medications (you’re probably fine if you stay in the airport for transfer but could have problems if you have a longer stopover and go through security etc). Also, as someone else mentioned it’s not really safe/fair to have an aisle seat if you’re medicated.

My suggestion would be to try and get a longer layover in between the 2 flights (if one can be moved). So you have time to go out, have a night in a hotel, explore the city, do some exercise and have a couple of proper meals. It’ll make the journey feel like 2 shorter flights rather than one massive one.

I also have ADHD and find flying long haul difficult. If I’m flying childfree then I find that the best strategy is to have multiple short activities so I can switch to something else if I start to get bored (I don’t do anything for a set amount of time though- I’m very prone to clock watching and being unable to focus/get into something if I know I’m going to be doing something else at a set time).
Some of my suggestions would include:

• Making and downloading a music playlist from Spotify (I either have this as background noise or use it to listen to and relax).
• Downloading a mix of films and shorter TV programmes (try and save up a few that you’ve actually been looking forward to watching as well as some old favourites that you know you’ll like).
• Drawing or sketching (it doesn’t have to be something you’re good at, it just keeps your hands busy).
• Take a paper guide book and notebook so you can plan your trip (I always leave this to give me something to do on the plane).
• Use an eye mask and noise cancelling headphones to do a guided meditation (although this definitely works better if you’ve done them before and have some practice- it’s not something I thought I’d like because I’m fidgety too but I find concentrating on being still/relaxed gives me something to do and does eventually work).
• Save up loads of episodes of your favourite podcasts so you have something familiar but new that you know you’ll enjoy.
• Take a really good blackout eye mask, noise cancelling headphones, some snacks, water, a blanket/large jumper and socks, and a decent memory foam flight pillow. I find I have more sensory issues on a plane so trying to reduce the things that make me uncomfortable helps to stop me being quite so fidgety.
• You can buy melatonin in Dubai airport pharmacies if you do feel that you need something for the longer second flight (which I suspect will be closer to 17-18 hours). It doesn’t completely knock you out but should help you get a bit of sleep.

Xanax 😴 And an exit row seat.

If you are taking anything to knock yourself out, make sure you are wearing medical compression socks/stockings. Do it anyway even if you are low risk of thrombosis.

Lots of water, a sleep aid or a Xanax. NC headphones, neck pillow, sleep mask, sleep music. Aisle seat.

Had to do 4 long haul flights this year and I managed with the above.