jgmc

Has this ever happened to anyone? On four Cathay flights in the past year (either JFK-HKG or the reverse), I've gotten terribly ill. It has to do with the flight, as I'm fine once I'm on the ground. Motion sickness? Something they clean the plane with? I assume I am the problem, as no one else is sick, but I honestly don't know. When they start bringing the food out, the smell means I'm done for. I usually fly economy but have (thank goodness) an exit row seat.

This is a new and unpleasant wrinkle in my life as I fly between Asia and the States about three times a year. If some remedies for motion sickness have worked for you, I'd love to hear. Thanks.

qwovadis

transdermscop.com my fav

for Mal De Mar in the Air

see a good ENT MD if symptoms persist

a good work up would be indicated...

www.webmd.com nausea/vertgo good info.

qwovadis

If you have motion sickness on a plane, try these tips:
•Avoid big, greasy meals and alcohol the night before air travel.
•Eat light meals or snacks that are low in calories in the 24 hours before air travel.
•Avoid salty foods and dairy products before air travel.
•Sit toward the front of the aircraft or in a seat over the wing.
•Turn the air vent flow toward your face.

If you have motion sickness on a boat, try these tips:
•Ask for a cabin on the upper deck or toward the front of the ship.
•When on deck, keep your eyes fixed on the horizon or land.


Treatment:

You can use medication to control your symptoms, but people who travel often may want to learn to control -- and prevent -- symptoms. Mind-body practices, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and biofeedback can all be helpful.

No booze and sleep a lot and light low salt bland food for me.

kybourbon

Sounds more like a panic attack than motion sickness.

wally34949

Cathay uses peanuts in many of the foods according to their website.

jgmc

I will try to see an ENT when I'm back in the States at Christmas. I don't have a peanut allergy, and though I often get nervous on take off, I don't think this is a panic attack. I no longer eat on the plane, but that doesn't seem to help. I am wondering if there is something I'm allergic to that they use in the New York kitchen -- I sure react to the smell of the food. Does ginger really help motion sickness?

mowmow

Ginger helps some people with nausea, the motion sickness bands are supposed to be really helpful.

Are you only bothered on this particular flight, or is it the same on other flights as well? I wonder if it's altitude sickness. The planes should be pressurized to mimic 8,000 ft. but some people have symptoms.

It could be a sensitivity to a cleaning product, carpet chemicals, etc. The food is probably just the last straw.

AnthonyGA

It sounds like you might have mild motion sickness, which can make you very sensitive to smells (good or bad smells) and food.

You can get medication to calm a queasy stomach, and you can take some measures to reduce problems with motion sickness, such as reclining the seat, keeping your head still, watching the horizon out the window, turning on the the little air vent above you to get cool air flowing on your face, and avoiding any in-seat activities like reading or watching video.

Motion sickness eventually goes away if you constantly repeat the situation that caused it, so frequent flying reduces the chances of motion sickness. Only about one in 1000 airline passengers gets sick from motion sickness, but that doesn't help if you're the one.

It's unlikely to be altitude sickness, which has different symptoms. While cabin altitude never exceeds 8000 feet (roughly the equivalent of Telluride, Colorado), it is usually much lower than that, far too low to cause any kind of altitude sickness in people who are otherwise healthy. Sometimes people with heart or respiratory problems (diagnosed or not) may have issues. The main symptoms are fatigue and headache, and they take a while to appear, often longer than an airplane trip may last.

Another possibility is insecticide in the airplane. Some airlines spray insecticides in the airplane on (or before or after) some flights to reduce the chances of a foreign insect species entering a country. These insecticides can make some people feel ill.

clevelandbrown

Try another airline. Then you will know if it is something about the airline, or you.

jgmc

All very helpful suggestions. The flights themselves have not had any turbulence, and although I've been known in my long ago youth to get carsick from reading, I have never, until this year, had problems flying, and I fly from Asia to the States several times a year. I was afraid someone would suggest not watching the movies...such a horribly long flight with nothing else to do, but perhaps that is the answer. My travel agent suggested that cleaning products could be the problem.

I'll look for a face mask (in case it's chemicals?), ginger and wrist bands here in Jakarta. No real reason to look forward to a looong flight, but this really makes me dread it!

suze

xanax or valium would help with the anxiety, if not get to the root of the mystery problem.

TC

Is it possible that you have BPPV? Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This is a very common condition. I sailed my whole life without problem, but have recently developed this condition and now have to use a transderm patch when sailing. BPPV comes and goes, so it's a bit hard to recognize at first.

Have a read:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vertigo/DS00534