Jet leg/fatigue major concerns
Jun 15th, 2005, 03:39 PM
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Jet leg/fatigue major concerns
I am very prone to Migraine headaches and am very concerned with getting overly fatigued due to the time difference when we travel to Italy in about 10 days. (Great fatigue contributes to my problem) Can anyone give me some advice? Has anyone used Melatonin for helping them sleep at night? What about getting up in the morning, etc.?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Jun 15th, 2005, 04:08 PM
#2
Do you have prescription medication from your physician for the migraines? If yes, I would bring that along plus also request a sleep aid (ambien) or an anti-anxiety (valium or xanax). If you are not familiar with them, try them at home before you trip.
Jet lag is nothing for some people but a major difficulty for others. Each person react differently. It hits me very hard and I follow my own advice above.
Jet lag is nothing for some people but a major difficulty for others. Each person react differently. It hits me very hard and I follow my own advice above.
Jun 15th, 2005, 04:17 PM
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What time is your flight? That also affects a lot of people. There are those that prefer daytime flights because for THEM it keeps them on more of a normal type schedule. I like the overnighters personally. Yes, I get tired but I am so exhausted that I get to sleep the first night I'm there and don't have a lot of trouble getting into the time thing, other than waking up too early in the morning. But when I DO wake up, I put some clothes on and go out for a walk, come back to the room, shower, and start the day. I do not, and I feel very lucky, have your Migraine problem. So you are dealing with something else other than just simple jet lag. Perhaps you could start gettin up really early in the morning and going to bed earlier a few days before your trip to help cope with the time change. As suggested, now would be a good time to talk to your doctor and see if sleep aids or other medication may be appropriate for you. I wish you the best and hope you have no problems and a wonderful trip.
Jun 15th, 2005, 04:22 PM
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I am a migraine sufferer and I take either xanax or something called Equigesic before a flight. Just levels out the tension some and relaxes those neck muscles 
You can also perhaps nap or even sleep.
When you get there, take a nap.
That should help the most, but take your meds with you and keep them handy..do you take Imitrex or Fiorinal?
(Meanwhile, I have never gotten a migraine from jetlag)
Hope none of this comes to pass and you are fine! Have a good trip~
You can also perhaps nap or even sleep.
When you get there, take a nap.
That should help the most, but take your meds with you and keep them handy..do you take Imitrex or Fiorinal?
(Meanwhile, I have never gotten a migraine from jetlag)
Hope none of this comes to pass and you are fine! Have a good trip~
Jun 15th, 2005, 04:22 PM
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I have used Melatonin and find it helps perk me up on the two days after arrival, when I get that drained feeling. I have also used "No Jetlag" (there is a large thread here on the subject) which I also believe improves my condition.
As a VERY frequent flyer (over 100,000 miles a year every year for the past 8 years; a trip to Europe every month or so) I would advise you NOT to go without sleep in order to do more sight-seeing. Think of sleep as a debit/credit account: you body will demand you pay back all the hours you lose during travel. Some mornings, I set my alarm for 6am and just feel too exhausted to move. On those mornings, I go back to sleep and let my body take as much time as it wants to recover; sometimes that means sleeping for 12 hours! Sometimes this means that I miss out on activities, but better than than making myself ill.
Pills help to mask the problem, but you can't cheat your body out of sleep and should not try to.
Regards Ger
As a VERY frequent flyer (over 100,000 miles a year every year for the past 8 years; a trip to Europe every month or so) I would advise you NOT to go without sleep in order to do more sight-seeing. Think of sleep as a debit/credit account: you body will demand you pay back all the hours you lose during travel. Some mornings, I set my alarm for 6am and just feel too exhausted to move. On those mornings, I go back to sleep and let my body take as much time as it wants to recover; sometimes that means sleeping for 12 hours! Sometimes this means that I miss out on activities, but better than than making myself ill.
Pills help to mask the problem, but you can't cheat your body out of sleep and should not try to.
Regards Ger
Jun 15th, 2005, 05:46 PM
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We don't have a problem with jet lag on the way to Europe. We take half an ambien- just enough to relax a little and sleep for probably four hours. Then we take a two hour nap after we get to our hotel. We go to bed fairly early that night, and then we are on the European sleep schedule. I have never had a migraine on a trip to Europe although I sometimes have them here.
Where we do have a problem with jet lag is after we get home from a trip. I think it is due to the extra sleep deprivation. We left London a week ago, getting up at 8:30 London time. We did not really sleep on the plane because it was day time for the whole flight. Then we sat in the Atlanta airport for SIX hours. What a time to have a three hour delayed flight! The crew was still in Detroit or some other place. So we got back home at 1:30 am US time (8:30 am London time). We had been traveling for twenty four hours. And it certainly took three or four days before we felt energetic again! My least favorite part of a trip, but still no migraine!
I took an occasional low dose xanax to try to get caught up on sleep this week- Scarlett suggested that, too. My advice is if you do get really tired, take naps to help you get over that. Then you will probably get back on a normal schedule more easily.
Where we do have a problem with jet lag is after we get home from a trip. I think it is due to the extra sleep deprivation. We left London a week ago, getting up at 8:30 London time. We did not really sleep on the plane because it was day time for the whole flight. Then we sat in the Atlanta airport for SIX hours. What a time to have a three hour delayed flight! The crew was still in Detroit or some other place. So we got back home at 1:30 am US time (8:30 am London time). We had been traveling for twenty four hours. And it certainly took three or four days before we felt energetic again! My least favorite part of a trip, but still no migraine!
I took an occasional low dose xanax to try to get caught up on sleep this week- Scarlett suggested that, too. My advice is if you do get really tired, take naps to help you get over that. Then you will probably get back on a normal schedule more easily.
Jun 15th, 2005, 06:17 PM
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I get migraines and travel a lot. Melatonin plus a short nap (60-90 minutes) on the day of arrival in Europe (sometimes as soon as I get to the hotel; sometimes after a couple of hours, depending on how tired I feel). If I don't take a nap, I end up with a killer headache.
I take 2 melatonin, usually when I board the flight, and I find that it makes me sleepy without making me feel groggy. I've taken over-the-counter sleeping pills before (eg Sleep-Eze) and I found that I sometimes I got a rebound headache. With melatonin, I get some sleep (4-5 hours, depending on the length of the flight), which is enough to get me to my hotel.
On the evening of your arrival, take another melatonin at bed time. It should help you sleep that night.
Limit caffeine and drink enough liquid either before or during the flight, and this should also help.
I take 2 melatonin, usually when I board the flight, and I find that it makes me sleepy without making me feel groggy. I've taken over-the-counter sleeping pills before (eg Sleep-Eze) and I found that I sometimes I got a rebound headache. With melatonin, I get some sleep (4-5 hours, depending on the length of the flight), which is enough to get me to my hotel.
On the evening of your arrival, take another melatonin at bed time. It should help you sleep that night.
Limit caffeine and drink enough liquid either before or during the flight, and this should also help.
Jun 15th, 2005, 07:02 PM
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I am an anxious traveler and have definitely suffered from jet jag too. I have some health issues and cannot take any medication. The doc says ibuprofen if I HAVE to.
I am not very good with sleeping on the plane, either. I am prone to migraines (occular ones, with the flashing lights and all) they are awful.
I also get dizzy. Flying does something to my inner ears, I guess.
I did not do so bad this last trip a couple of weeks ago. I tested out for when I go back to Europe next year. (just flew to florida)
I bought a neck pillow, took 2 ibuprofen and drank plenty of water. I was actually able to cat nap on the plane. That is amazing for me. I am not a nap taker and usually too nervous to fall asleep in public. I took the ibuprofen sort of before the fact, and did not get one. That is a first.
I am flying out to Vegas on Monday for three days. I have hellish 6am flights. I am hoping to nap on the plane. We took the red eye back last time and we all did not sleep. I was horrible I slept for 15 hours when I got home and I was ill two days later.
I am a little nervous this return trip as well, as I won't be getting much sleep again. (need to be heading out for airport @ 3:45am) With my neck pillow, I am hoping that I will sleep on the plane this time.
Last year when I went to England I traveled for 24 hours to get there. I left my house at 8:45am sunday and was walking into the hotel at 9:15 am GMT Monday morn. I forced myself to stay up as long as I could and was going to try to go to bed at a reasonable early hour. I did have to take a little nap though. I felt like I was going to pass out. I kept it short, and went to sleep early sleeping through the night. After that I was fine.
I am not very good with sleeping on the plane, either. I am prone to migraines (occular ones, with the flashing lights and all) they are awful.
I also get dizzy. Flying does something to my inner ears, I guess.
I did not do so bad this last trip a couple of weeks ago. I tested out for when I go back to Europe next year. (just flew to florida)
I bought a neck pillow, took 2 ibuprofen and drank plenty of water. I was actually able to cat nap on the plane. That is amazing for me. I am not a nap taker and usually too nervous to fall asleep in public. I took the ibuprofen sort of before the fact, and did not get one. That is a first.
I am flying out to Vegas on Monday for three days. I have hellish 6am flights. I am hoping to nap on the plane. We took the red eye back last time and we all did not sleep. I was horrible I slept for 15 hours when I got home and I was ill two days later.
I am a little nervous this return trip as well, as I won't be getting much sleep again. (need to be heading out for airport @ 3:45am) With my neck pillow, I am hoping that I will sleep on the plane this time.
Last year when I went to England I traveled for 24 hours to get there. I left my house at 8:45am sunday and was walking into the hotel at 9:15 am GMT Monday morn. I forced myself to stay up as long as I could and was going to try to go to bed at a reasonable early hour. I did have to take a little nap though. I felt like I was going to pass out. I kept it short, and went to sleep early sleeping through the night. After that I was fine.
Jun 15th, 2005, 09:58 PM
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I've had migrains all of my life and I find that I get them on a trip if I become dehydrated. Be sure and drink liquids on the plane, about one glass of water for every hour.
Another thing I learned is not to put myself into a dead sleep the first night I arrive but I do stay in bed in the morning if I need it, w/o setting an alarm.
Another thing I learned is not to put myself into a dead sleep the first night I arrive but I do stay in bed in the morning if I need it, w/o setting an alarm.
Jun 16th, 2005, 01:00 AM
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I have had migraines ever since childhood as well as chronic insomnia. Most of my overseas trips end up being around 24 hours door-to-door; even on shorter trips I end up being awake for around 24 hours, either because it's a red eye and I have been up all night, or an early flight and I can't get to sleep the night before. Since I am rarely able to sleep on planes, I am usually pretty whipped by the time I arrive. Jet lag, sleep deprivation, and fatigue almost always bring on a migraine.
I don't take prescription migraine meds (haven't had much luck with them), so I usually take Extra Strength Excedrin or Excedrin PM my first day, and as necessary thereafter. Melatonin did nothing for me, but you might want to try it before you leave; it seems to work for some people. Many people have also had success with No Jet Lag, but I can't comment because I have never used it.
There have been a lot of interesting threads on this forum about jet lag. Some people have few if any symptoms, and others, like me, feel it no matter how much we travel. Likewise, people have different ways of responding to it.
I let my body be my guide as to whether I sleep upon arrival. Usually I am psyched up enough that I walk around the area for at least a couple of hours to orient myself, hit a grocery store, pick up a bus schedule,etc. I don't try to "push through" the fatigue, partially because I wouldn't enjoy it, and partially because I don't think it's safe. I travel alone, I'm in strange place, sleep deprived, and certainly not at my most alert. So if I feel like crashing, I crash. I am usually able to get on schedule in a day or two.
I also second the opinion about drinking plenty of water. It really seems to help.
Only experience and trial and error can determine the best strategy for you. You may find that you are little affected by the time change and that your jet lag symptoms are minimal. Either way, jet lag is a small price to pay for the joy of being able to travel around the world. Have a wonderful time in Italy.
I don't take prescription migraine meds (haven't had much luck with them), so I usually take Extra Strength Excedrin or Excedrin PM my first day, and as necessary thereafter. Melatonin did nothing for me, but you might want to try it before you leave; it seems to work for some people. Many people have also had success with No Jet Lag, but I can't comment because I have never used it.
There have been a lot of interesting threads on this forum about jet lag. Some people have few if any symptoms, and others, like me, feel it no matter how much we travel. Likewise, people have different ways of responding to it.
I let my body be my guide as to whether I sleep upon arrival. Usually I am psyched up enough that I walk around the area for at least a couple of hours to orient myself, hit a grocery store, pick up a bus schedule,etc. I don't try to "push through" the fatigue, partially because I wouldn't enjoy it, and partially because I don't think it's safe. I travel alone, I'm in strange place, sleep deprived, and certainly not at my most alert. So if I feel like crashing, I crash. I am usually able to get on schedule in a day or two.
I also second the opinion about drinking plenty of water. It really seems to help.
Only experience and trial and error can determine the best strategy for you. You may find that you are little affected by the time change and that your jet lag symptoms are minimal. Either way, jet lag is a small price to pay for the joy of being able to travel around the world. Have a wonderful time in Italy.
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