Will the GP be prepared to prescribe something for me for the flight...and possibly one of my dc's?

[handlemecarefully]

Will have to post and go (due to go out) but will check thread later so apologies for doing an OP and disappearing for a few hours.

I am a very poor flyer - anxious, tense etc. Will GP generally be prepared to prescribe something to help in these circumstances? Alcohol is not a good idea - as well as being very dehydrating it will tend to make my mental state worse not better.

Also, worried about 4 year old ds. He is going to really struggle to do a long trans- Atlantic flight. He's quite full on. Naturally I am taking 'entertainment' for him but he just doesn't do sedentary very well. Again will a GP prescribe something - or is 'drugging' your child considered very unethical.....

Not sure if the GP would prescribe anything but have you tried Rescue Remedy?

And (there follows a plea for understanding and clemency) please don't be tempted to go all censorious about me even suggesting getting something for ds. I am stressed / strung out here about the flight already (and it's not for another 7 days)...

mishymoo - yes I will be taking that. It does seem to help me a little.

Blimey I am currently getting all worked up just thinking about the flight next week. Any how - must go and get dcs from holiday club. Will check in later

Phenergan I believe is very useful for travel sickness.

Recommend trying it out in advance though. SOme smalls get more hyper.

I would be tempted to buy in melatonin from the States if there's time. Your GP won't prescribe it, but the stuff the paediatrician gives us knocks ds1 out within 20 minutes (I think it's double the dose of the health food shop bought US stuff though).

I'd be extremely surprised if a doctor or anyone considered giving sedatives for a healthy child on a flight. He might give you something like beta blockers though. These would probably be better than a sedative as they ease the physical symptoms of anxiety but still leave you alert, and it sounds like you need to be alert if you have a young child with you. Is anyone else flying with you?

It sounds like your worries about your 4 yr old coping are really just another expression of your own worries about the flight. Focus on dealing with those and you'll be able to deal much better with your son's demands. I'm afraid I don't know anything about flight phobias but someone with more knowledge might come along soon with more useful advice. I'm sure there are ways and techniques for helping.

Ooh yes, we used phenergan years ago for dd1. Knocked her out cold. Only gave it her for travel sickness, obviously...

Don't think you can get it now unless on prescrption.

Rescue Remedy would have no chance with me. Haven't flown for ten years because I am so terrified. It would have to be a general aneasthetic or knockout blow, like Mr T from the A Team.

I was worried about dd (aged 3 and a half) on an 8 hour flight because she's normally so full on and like your ds, doesn't really ever sit down for any length of time. However, she was absolutely fine - because we were someone so different from her normal environment, she just accepted that she had to stay put . It was hard work for DH and I as we had to entertain her a lot of the time (except when she was watching a DVD). However, it distracted me from feeling anxious about the flight!

Jimjams = this kind of thing any good?

Probably- we get ours prescribed so I don't really know what's out there to be bought.

My twelve year old daughter was prescribed Phenergen by our GP last week to help her cope with a flight. She has had a fear of flying since the twin towers, and has only flown once . We tend to take the ferry to places instead, but this year she decided she wanted to go to Spain and would like to try flying again. Now it is almost time to go she has become very anxious and scared.I am not sure about the Phenergan route but don't want her distressed and having a panic attack , which is what happened last time she flew. I am hoping that knowing she can take something if she feels overwhelmed, may mean she feels more able to cope and so won't need it.

Your ds might love the flight. Has he flown before? Personally I think it's a bit much to think about sedating him because you're anxious yourself and/or you're afraid he'll be bored. It doesn't send out a good message to him.

i second picking up some melatonin whilst you are there.

it's ACE!

i ask for it every time someone comes across and asks me what i want.

Sedating children isn't considered to be very good practice, BUT it is occasionally done.

For an adult with flight anxiety, I would prescribe a small dose of diazepam (2mg). For children, a small dose of sedating antihistamine (phenergan/piriton).

It is important to take a 'test' dose a few days before you fly to see how it affects you. The last thing you want to discover on a flight is that diazepam makes you comatose and antihistamine makes your child wildly hyperactive!

An don't drink on the flight!

I hate flying. I used to take something for it until i went to australia and was ttc and didn't want to take anything in case I was pg, plus there was lots of flying so didn't want to spend my holiday drugged up to the hilt .

Gp might prescribe something for you, but personally i've found that distraction works equally as well, especially on long-hall flights where you have the time to relax.

Wrt your 4 yo, you may find that the different environment will keep him occupied, just take lots of books/little toys/there's always the in-flight entertainment and mealtimes to keep him distracted as well. Plus depending on the time of day you fly it's also possible that he will have a nap?

I find take-off and turbulance worst. Also now that I have ds I think it's important to make flying a big exciting adventure so as not to transfer my fears on to him. So concentrating on how exciting it is/how fast we're going/how we're flying high high up into the sky does act as a bit of a distraction.

I'm not going to pretend that it's easy but it can be done.

Only 2mg, emma .

We have a S. African friend whose husband really doesn't like flying, and this time round, he's going to have to go from here (Argyll) to Jo'burg on his own as he can't get off work as long as she can.

He's a BIG man, too. 6ft., 4in. bagpipe player with kilt-wearing legs to match.

So the GP gave him two 10mg of diazepam - one for the trip over and one for the trip back.

2mg for diazepam virgins.

10mg!! That's enough to sedate an elephant.

this chap could probably wrestle an elephant!

i can take 5mg myself and still be awake and i'm (when not pregnant) 5ft., 3in. and about 9.5st.

Thanks everyone. I will visit the GP for me, and whilst there will ask about phenergan (and maybe will look out for melatonin whilst in US for return journey).

Yes ds has flown before - last Octobers five hour journey to Dubai was a special kind of hell!