Hello, anyone know any good over the counter pills that my husband and I could utilize on our long flight from LA to Sydney? Or, something to suggest to get from our Dr? I've heard there's such a thing as jet lag pills? Is that true? I don't think I'll have trouble falling asleep, but I might have trouble staying asleep....my husband will just have problems sleeping period. Since we leave at 10:30pm and arrive 6:00am, I'd really like to get a good amount of sleeping done on the plane. I look at it as not losing a day, but having a 14 hour night! ;-D Hoping I can sleep at least half of them....Thanks for any suggestions.

Ambien is a good prescription sleeping pill that most doctors will give you if you tell them you are going on a long flight. It makes you sleepy and yet you wake up without that fuzzy feeling you sometimes get from over the counter medications like Tylenol PM.

Hey JLynn,<BR><BR>my husband and I are also flying to Sydney from LA (via Vanvouver & Honolulu - don't ask - it was cheaper!), but something called "no jet lag" came highly recommended to me by a good friend who is a travel agent for air singapore (so often struggles with the malady!) - i know you can purchase it online at www.magellans.com (the travel store). she swears by it, and has tried everything. i just bought some for myself & husband a few weeks ago. i don't want to be a zombie for the entire trip!!!! anywho, good luck to you - if you do try and get back before october - let me know what you thought! <BR><BR>p.s. here's the link right to it: http://www.magellans.com/shopping/pr...emType=PRODUCT

"No Jet Lag" ...<BR>I used this on a long haul flight, Auckland To LA.<BR>Arriving in LA at 6:30 am, it had been a long journey.<BR>Apart from general tiredness after the flight ( a couple of hours sleep sorted that out), on waking at noon we had absolutely no trouble adjusting to the new time zone.<BR>Spent the rest of day 1 sightseeing then fell into bed around 9pm, slept well all night and woke fresh and raring to go day 2. <BR><BR>These pills are readilly available in New Zealand at health shops and some pharmacies.<BR>Try doing a search on the net if you are having trouble sourcing some, they are worth giving a go and totally natural to boot.

Those "no jet lag" pills are a farce IMO. I have tried them on 3 or 4 international flights and they did nothing to ease my jet lag.

Mike,<BR>I have to disagree as I found they worked well.<BR>Mind you,I have only used them the once.

We used the No Jetlag pills on flights from Australia to Rome and back. They are called Jet Ease in Australia and some pharmacies sell them, but not all. We thought they worked on the way over but not the way back, so who knows? On the way over we were careful to drink lots of water as I read that dehydration is a major factor in jetlag so maybe that had something to do with it.<BR>A neck pillow will come in handy if you are planning on trying to sleep on the plane, I always feel a little silly wearing one, but it sure beats a sore neck from sleeping crookedly.<BR>Take it easy the first day in Australia, don't plan on doing too much, stay up all day if you can and have an early night. <BR>Kay

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've put a phone call into my dr, and if he doesn't have many different suggestions, I may try this Jet Lag stuff! Thanks everyone!<BR>Jlynn

sleeping pills are not recommended for long trips. The main reason is you are supposed to walk around every so often to prevent deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism caused by immobility.

Re:nojetlag<BR><BR>The no-jetlag pills are not sleeping pills. They are a herbal concoction that supposedly help the body adjust naturally.<BR>

Look at the ingredients in you non sleeping pills, no jet lag. It contains ipecac which causes drowsiness. Remember, these so call natural concotions are not regulated by the FDA. Which means if you experienced fatal adverse drug reactions directly or indirectly from drug-drug interactions, the company holds no liability for it. I am a pharmacist and I have seen so many patients with fatal liver toxicity from taking one of these "natural concotions"!

Dear [email protected]<BR><BR>I was interested and concerned when I read your post about homeopathic remedies and about the Nojetlag pills containing Ipecac which you maintain causes drowsiness. I've just purchased some Nojetlag pills for my flight from the UK to Australia thinking that these were preferrable to taking sleeping pills. I read all the information I could find about these pills before purchasing them and as I have used homeopathic remedies before when I was pregnant and whilst breast feeding didn't see any real reason for concern. Now I'm worried. Pharmacies over here seem to promote homeopathic remedies.<BR><BR>I must admit I thought that using potions made from plant extracts in rather small doses would be harmless. I also felt kind of reassured when I saw on the manufacturer's website that this product was listed with the FDA for over the counter sales in the USA and has a National Drug Code (059 672-0130-4) and barcode etc. So what does this mean? Why don't they regulate homeopathic remedies if they can cause the side effects that you suggest?<BR><BR>I hope this doesn't appear as though I am challenging you because I'm not(I'm no pharmacist) I'm just genuinely interested in what you perceive to be the possible adverse effects of this product and its contraindications. I'd like to think I do my best to make informed choices and am worried that I don't have the whole picture here.<BR>

I am not sure what the possible side effects from this product are since it contains many ingredients which is listed on this website http://www.jfainc.com/jetlag.html<BR>The problem with herbal product is they usually do not specify the amount of each ingredient so you really don't know how much you are taking. for instance dongquai used to be very popular for women because it was supposed to re-energized them. Those who took it noticed that they have an usually tendency to bleed. That's because it contain a long acting blood thinner similar to coumadin. <BR>There's a lot of politics involved in terms of why the FDA doesn't regulate these products. They are considered health food supplements. I would be very cautious when taking these products. Some of them such as St John's wort and glucosamine, now do have good controlled trials to show the efficacy and toxicities. For the most part, the herbal products are not well tested.<BR><BR>I hope this helps.

Thanks [email protected] for your response. I might visit my local pharmacist and pick their brains I think. I was just a little alarmed because I had always been led to believe homeopathic remedies were completely safe and that is why I used things like Arnica after my baby was born and other homeopathic remedies for hayfever etc. Boots Pharmacies even have their own homeopathic products and when I have been in looking for hayfever relief during my pregnancy they have always suggested their homeopathic range. To date I have found benefit in these products.<BR><BR>It appears "Nojetlag" pills are actually listed with the FDA. What can the average consumer assume from this? Do the FDA do some kind of checks before they list the product and allow it to be imported and sold into the USA? Surely the fact that this product has a National Drug Code means something. Once again I'd welcome your response...if you don't mind.<BR>

This product is listed in the national drug code directory not with FDA. If you read the statement by the FDA,<BR>"THE INCLUSION OF A FIRM OR ITS PRODUCTS IN THE NATIONAL DRUG CODE DIRECTORY DOES NOT IN ANY WAY DENOTE APPROVAL BY THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION OF THE FIRM OR ANY OF ITS MARKETED PRODUCTS.", it is NOT approved by the FDA. If you want more infomation on FDA regulations check their website www.fda.gov<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Wal-Mart has generic dramamine for less than $5.00 for one hundred pills. Take one or two dramamine and you will sleep well on the flight. It also keeps you from getting airsick.

my two cents worth....<BR>I just have to mention that I only used the Nojetlag pills on one leg of the journey..<BR>I didn't sleep a wink the entire 12 hour flight to the states.<BR>On the home leg, I took NO nojetlag pills and drifted in and out of sleep.<BR><BR>I don't think the "drowsiness " will be and issue.