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View Full Version : Diazepam on a 21hr flight... How can i do this?



RSU27
23-02-12, 21:40
Hello everyone,

This is a very supportive forum and i want to thank everybody for helping me so far, and i have another question about my upcoming flight about 18 months away.

I suffer from an agoraphobic or claustraphobic like fear that i cant leave a situation so for example, traffic jams when i need the toilet or a drink would make me panic. Even buses, etc so a plane is hard because when that door shuts, you cant get off..

In 18 months im going to fly to australia on a 21hr flight. And so i will need to be pretty drugged up on diazpeam IF i havent managed to change my way of thinking.

I have tried CBT, GP, Hypno, all that for the past 3 years and made great progress out and about but not with flying. So im guessing i may need diazepam for a flight.

Q: if i take diazepam, i have to take it so im calm/asleep the whole flight but max dose i was told was 20MG but 5MG lasts me just 3 hours... This is my dilema, so i was wondering how can i knock myself out for long enough or find a way to manage diazepam for 21 hours?

Thanks everyone.

-RSU

haz
23-02-12, 21:44
You can take 5mg every four hours. That's assuming you're GP will give you it.

The maximum dose is higher than 20mg but if you're not used to taking it you shouldn't need it.

Regards.
Haz

RSU27
23-02-12, 21:50
Thanks haz, i thought it was 20MG in 24 hours so thanks for clearing that up for me. i have about 100MG total in 5MG tablets which lasts me about a year, i very very rarely take it =)

Thanks

nicola1980
23-02-12, 21:57
I know someone that got prescribed temazapam for a flight to australia as hes petrified of flying and it worked a treat for him x x

eight days a week
23-02-12, 22:05
...

In 18 months im going to fly to australia on a 21hr flight. And so i will need to be pretty drugged up on diazpeam IF i havent managed to change my way of thinking.

I have tried CBT, GP, Hypno, all that for the past 3 years and made great progress out and about but not with flying. So im guessing i may need diazepam for a flight.

Q: if i take diazepam, i have to take it so im calm/asleep the whole flight...<snip>

Sorry for snipping your post at start and finish, but how do you KNOW the bits I have put in bold?

RSU27
23-02-12, 22:08
I know someone that got prescribed temazapam for a flight to australia as hes petrified of flying and it worked a treat for him x x

Thank you so much, your signiture was very encouraging! :yesyes:

---------- Post added at 21:08 ---------- Previous post was at 21:07 ----------


Sorry for snipping your post at start and finish, but how do you know all this?

I dont but thats why i said "IF" because i will try to do everything i possibly can befre that flight and continue with therapy but IF i still cant make it then i may consider taking diazepam. :)

eight days a week
23-02-12, 22:19
Well I understand you're planning for a worse-case scenario, but I think your attitude is not helping yourself. You say IF you have to take it then you WILL have to be pretty drugged up, and asleep the whole flight etc.

You're making it out to be an all or nothing, black and white situation when it's not. I'm amazed you say you've had all this help/therapy but haven't come across that concept, and how self-defeating it can be. And the point of CBT is to change your thoughts and challenge yourself :shrug:

Plan for the worst (with how much diazepam you might need) and then take as little as possible all the way along, probably you will be pretty calm and enjoy the flight, and then, for example, work out you only ended up taking half the diazepam in the end!! Your confidence will be raised, and you'll be more happy about flying in the future. If the worst comes to the worst you can take the rest of your meds.

The alternative is to totally knock yourself out without trying (if you can get enough prescribed) and not get anywhere with your fear of flying - in fact in the future you'll think to need to do that to fly :shrug:

Mcched
23-02-12, 22:23
Hi RSU

I would advise you to speak to your GP nearer the flight. Last year I was given diazepam for my flying anxiety. He told me not to take them unless I really needed them as they are highly addictive. I took them with me but didn't use them as wanted to be in control of myself. Flight going out was fine thanks to rescue remedy. Flight coming back I had a panic attack and felt awful but didn't take the meds.

As soon as we touched down I was determined to seek help for my fear, I loved flying when I was a kid. I signed up to a flying without fear course!!! It is the best money I have ever paid!!!! I met 100 other people who also fear flying and I took the flight at the end of the course without closing my eyes or taking rescue remedy!!!

I found the course invaluable and we took a flight on a jet together. Only 2 people didn't actually manage to take the flight but I learnt some valuable relaxation techniques!!! I am flying soon and the flight relaxation cd we were given is helping. I haven't started any countdowns to the dreaded day I have to fly and actual looking forward to it!!! I have been educated on how the plane works, pilot training and cabin crew training. They are trained to help anxious passengers and those who have panic attacks. It is more common on board a plane than we think.

Strange but true, I am better on a long haul flight than short haul. I do not know why apart from the fact that we upgrade from economy so perhaps I have an economy class anxiety :winks:

I hope you find some help to you fear and please pm me if you have any questions.

dan1234
24-02-12, 17:53
Ignore the diazepam is highly addictive comments. Yes it is addictive taken long term, but its safe to take a couple of diazepams for the flight without problem. GP's are overly cautious, they only prescribe me 7 each time i ask for them. My pysch prescribes 30 in one go.
Normal dose is 2mg x3 daily. 15-30mg if necessary. If you dont take diazepam often 2 x 2mg should see you through the flight.