Flying poorly (tomorrow) ?

[SENSummer]

So we fly first thing tomorrow on a family holiday (me, hubby and two kids <6).

A week ago I started with cold and have had horrid sinus/general cold symptoms. Went to the doctors got a steroid spray (they were thoroughly disinterested as I didn’t have a temperature) but the sinus pain was so bad I felt sick. The steroid spray did very little, I’ve been struggling all week. Doesn’t seem to be improving and awful post nasal drip (tmi sorry). I just feel rubbish but it’s been a week now usually I shake things off or they at least improve. I’ve spent today in bed covered in Vicks and felt awfully sick.

I said to hubby I didn’t think I’d manage it tomorrow. I struggle with my sinuses on planes at the best of times and it can be really painful. He looked at me like I was nuts because it’s ’just a cold’.

We have insurance but given I’m ’not that unwell’ and the doctors shrugged it off I doubt we’d be able to claim on it. Hubby thinks I’m at the end of it and will start to feel better in the next couple of days so should just push through. I do push through things quite well usually but I just feel grotty and so disappointed that it’s a week in and I’m still this rubbish!

How long is the flight?

2 hours it’s Europe

Send him on his own.

In fairness I’m certain I caught this on a flights a couple of weeks ago. Well, my 5 year old did and then I got it from them. Although they seemed to manage it much better than me 🙄

Son has non speaking autism and can’t manage without me so not an option unfortunately

If it's your sinuses then Vicks will do nothing as it's not in your chest - you need Sudafed. I knew whereof I speak - I had sinus surgery in my early 20s and have an ENT consultant appointment for next month when I bet they are going to tell me they need to redo it. I sympathise because it's miserable.

Oh. In that case I would make the effort to go.

I think I’d be sympathetic but expect you to get on with it - the flight might be painful but you’ll manage - take some painkillers and whatever spray the doctor has given you. If you don’t go they can’t go and you obviously cannot claim on insurance for a bad cold/sinus problems. Sorry - it sounds painful but in your circumstances and for the family I’d suck it up and go,

I vomit really badly on ibuprofen so I’ve been scared to take sudofed as worry same thing would happen. I’d rather have the sinuses than be throwing up but I’m not sure if it’s similar or not??

Why would it be? It's a different medication (decongestant vs NSAID).

It'll be ok - take sudafed max or a decongestant prior to the flight and keep the steroid spray with you. Have hard sweets to suck on and if you get some olbas oil you can put some in a cup over some tissue and get the crew to put some hot water on it to create a steam for inhalation. Im cabin crew and this is what we would do for passengers suffering from this. It seems a same to waste a trip for this though I appreciate it is very sore!

Sudafed isn't anything to do with ibuprofen, they're totally different medications.

Classic Sudafed doesn't have ibuprofen - there's literally about five different types of Sudafed: https://www.sudafed.co.uk/products/decongestant-tablets

I wouldn't want the whole family to miss a holiday if I thought I could manage the journey. Your H is right you may feel better in a couple of days and you can let him take the lead so you rest up til then.

I wouldn't want the whole family to miss a holiday if I thought I could manage the journey. Your H is right you may feel better in a couple of days and you can let him take the lead so you rest up til then.

Whenever I’ve had sinus problems I’ve taken covinia catarrh medicine and painkillers as I can’t take things like sudofed as the decongestant upsets my stomach.
can you get antibiotics from the pharmacy? I had an infected insect bite and went that route rather than docs not sure whether they do for sinus probs though?

Not similar at all, and I'm surprised decongestants weren't suggested by your doctor. Definitely grab some at the airport if you can get any before then.

I flew with a head cold last Christmas, and my ears were in absolute agony for days after it.

I would go to a pharmacy today and see what they suggest.

This is what I’m worried about. I get IBS and am very sensitive with meds I often react badly with upset stomachs. Just about manage paracetamol with food.

I didn’t find the Covinia upset my stomach. Also try those actimel drinky yoghurts I always take them with antibiotics as those upset my stomach too 🙄

If you have to fly follow the advice of @cocochoola

It's not the pain that's really the major problem here, the real issue is you've got to be able to clear your "tubes" because the consequences of not being to able equalise pressure in your sinuses with ambient can be quite nasty (I'm surprised your GP was so casual about it)

Do you have a walk in centre near you?

Or a prescribing pharmacy?

Pharmacists can prescribe for sinicitis and have my ds a steroid spray and told him if it didn’t clear they would give antibiotics.

They are open until 8pm where I live so I expect there’s one near enough you could get to by googling!

I’ve just googled and prescribing pharmacies can do antibiotics for sinus infections so I’d be heading there.

Dispatch your DH to the supermarket or pharmacy for some standard Beconase. Recommended for my husband with awful sinus issues by the ENT consultant. Works like a charm. I take it sometimes (I also get hideous post nasal drip which makes me feel so nauseous) and it’s never failed me.

Well you’d likely be spreading it to every person on the plane to ruin their holidays so from that perspective I wouldn’t go