Terrified of flying 😩

[Jojotodd]

Hi lovely mums,
I’m due to fly to Spain on Monday with my OH and my 2 kids. I am freaking out. I’m so anxious and am working myself up into a right state and it’s only Wednesday!

I’ve always suffered from anxiety especially linked to being trapped/locked in. I get a racing heart and panic on trains as well as recently freaking out stuck in traffic in an Uber. I almost jumped out.

The bit that gets to me is the bit where the doors close and knowing that I can’t get off/out if I panic. I know it’s ridiculous and I feel silly for feeling this way. I just don’t want to have a panic attack on the plane 🙈

So, having not flown for 2 years, I am now meant to fly on Monday. I’m not scared that the plane will crash, I’m scared that I’ll have a panic attack when the doors close. I’ve taken propranolol (beta blockers) in the past for public speaking which help to slow my racing heart/flight or fight response but my doc has said that diazepam will be better and has prescribed me 4 x 2mg. She says take 1 at the gate and then maybe another in the air. Has anyone had experience of this? Does it stop your heart racing/the feeling that you want to run off the plane? I’m worried that it won’t work for me and that I should just take the beta blockers (although they do nothing for the psychological anxiety).

Any help would be greatly appreciated - I know medication is not the solution and I am looking to do a CBT course but they can’t fit me in until October 😂
Jo x

They take the edge off your nerves.
Somewhere on Manchester Airports website is an online course for nervous flyers.
It wasn’t free (couple of years ago) but you paid and could download the audio files soon after. I’ll see if I can find a link.

www.manchesterairport.co.uk/help/passenger-guides/fear-of-flying/

Thanks so much tanstaafi - I’ll def look into the course. Did you take diazepam for a flight?

Yes.
Though first one the night before ( both to help sleep and it was a morning flight ) , the second about an hour before departure time.

I took diazepam to help me through a very difficult funeral. My memory is that I felt very relaxed, chilled out and just 'nice'. I only took half a tablet!

I take both

Book a hypnotherapy session or two. I had mine - 2 x 1 hour in the few days before I went. Amazing difference.

From never being able to do anything on a flight, certainly never eat, I was out the day before merrily choosing sweets and magazines for the flight...I knew as I was doing it that this 'just wasn't like me'...
Flight was amazing, I settled and read, I ate my sweets, I didn't grip my DH's hand at all. Unbelievable!

I'd tried assorts prior, travel meds, drink, games/apps.

I get diazepam for flying. I'm terrified of the whole experience though not just being locked in. I take one as soon as i'm through security (if the flight is on time) and one halfway through. The only suggestion i'd make is take it earlier than at the gate. That way its definitely had time to get to work. I hope it goes well for you

I have diazepam for flying. They work quite quickly so I'd echo her advice to take at the gate not before. Yes they do help! X

I hate flying and had hypnotherapy - it definitely helped reduce the anxiety when coupled with a diazepam.

Didn't remove the anxiety entirely but made it manageable enough to get on the plane and do the flight.

I get some top up hypnotherapy sessions before every flight.

The diazepam will def help take the edge off and make it less intense. I also put noise cancelling headphones on and kind of retreat within myself blocking everything out, tricky w kids unless your DH can look after them for the flight.

I'm a nervous flyer too and to be honest just reading this is making me feel anxious 🙈

That’s good - I think I will take half when I wake up and then a full one when I’m about to board - I’m just worried the dose won’t be strong enough! I’ve heard some people take 5mg x 2 and I’ve only got 2mg

I feel your pain @TulipVictory - it makes me nervous too reading about what to do 🙈 x

@Lnix sounds like it worked well for you! X

@FourteenthDoctor you take diazepam and propranolol? What dosage? For some reason my doc didn’t want me to - but which is better for stopping a panic attack? Or do you need both to do it?

I'm terrified of flying - think the passenger who gets off loaded before take off because they're hysterical.
I've done all the courses but nothing worked until I took diazepam. It calms me down enough that my rational brain kicks in and I can remember everything I learnt on the courses. I've gone from someone who spends the whole flight (when I actually stayed on it) to someone who, in 2019, flew to the Indian Ocean.
Biggest other thing you can do is tell the crew. They're used to it and will support you. You can do it.

@ByersGreen - I will def look into that - anything to help!
@FredAndChips - do you take 2 or 5mg tablets? Did it stop you wanting to panic/get off the flight? I always get a racing heart and want to bolt 😂
@Northernsoullover - did you have 5mg? I’m worried mine aren’t strong enough!
@AustinPowerful @SidekickSally what dosage did you take? 1 or 2 tablets? X

Sorry I’m really asking loads of questions here! 😂😂😂🙈🙈

@ThreeB ah thanks for that hun - I totally sympathise - I almost jumped out of an Uber last week when we were stuck in traffic! 😂
Did you take the 5 or 2mg - I’ve heard the 2mg is not strong enough so I’m worried it won’t be enough for me - my doc has only prescribed 4 x 2mg so I don’t have loads x

And I think I definitely will mention it to the crew

My doc prescribes me diazepam when I fly, 2mg. I take lots more than 2 tablets though! Haven’t flown for a while but without checking I thought 12mg was dose? 4mg is a very small dose and might not do anything especially if adrenaline is pumping. My advice would be take the 2mg then no joy after like 30 minutes another and one more 30 later. You need to start taking them well before you go to your gate.
You will be fine! Think of all the millions of people travelling on a plane all the time. What is your worst case scenario? Panic attack? Xx

I took 2x tablets before, one of them at the airport. Pretty sure they were the lower 2mg dose and it really did help. I didn’t tell the crew because I didn’t want to draw attention to it, it would have made me worse for me personally , but I can understand those who do. A friend takes beta blockers and they helped her too.

Reading the other posts am wondering whether I had a good response to just 2 tablets because I had never taken diazepam before? Think you can become used to it.

To add, I actually always tell the crew when I board. Makes a massive difference for me, I don’t feel so alone in my fear and always insist on seeing pilot before take off - tbf different fear, mine is of flying. But seriously, whatever the crew, they are trained to help! Just tell them! You will never see them again so what’s the harm?! X