I agree that a doctor's advice is preferable to ours. For the various drugs you are asking about, a quick "google" will find you fact sheets with preliminary information.

Xanax, no sleepiness but life is good.

Xanax, no sleepiness but life is good.
Rescue and Valerian root.
Rescue in spray seems like it relaxes me but I think it is more feeling that 'I took something it'll be ok now...' but it doesn't hurt, herbal!

Xanax as needed. That doesn't stop me from active prayer, books, and chamomille tea. Nothing will stop me from travel, including panic attacks!

After several cross-Atlantic trips, I've found that one is sleepy enough without the added effect of drugs or alcohol (I have yet to be able to fall asleep on an airplane), which is why I would discourage the use of same. As noted above, if something terrible is happening to your plane, there's nothing you can do about it anyway (apart from praying).

Since it is a "slight nervousness" maybe it would be a good idea to head this off at the pass now.
Meditation might be an answer for you, there are some great techniques or cds, plus it gives you something to do while your flying.

As a pharmacist, I can tell you that Xanax (alprazolam) is the benzodiazepam of choice for anxiety. I would not recomend other drugs in this class ( oxazepam is more for sleep disorder, diazepam and clonazepam are more for seizure control ). Check with your physician for the corect dose b/c xanax is availible in 4 different doses and you don't want to take the wrong one. Also, make sure you are not taking any other drugs that can interact with Xanax and also NO alcohol.
Another solution that seems to work for me - at any nervous moment start counting from 100 backwards by 3 ( 100, 97, 94... ) or by 7 ( 100, 93, 86...)
Good luck

What do you mean no alcohol? Isn't 'Xanax and booze' a kit?

Ziggy--is .25 mg alprazolam stronger than 1 mg oxazepam?

I also have anxiety flying and have a prescription for xanax. My prescription is for .25mg and when I've taken it in the past, it hasn't really helped. Is it safe to take .50mg.

.25 is my perscritpion. I only take it when really on the edge (you know when you're about to have a panic attack). If it hits fast and strong (on occasion) I've taken two - my doctor's recommendation. I think as with all percriptions it depends on the body weight and the doctor's advice. A true panic attack feels very much like a heart attck (for me) I sweat, my heart races, I can't catch my breath, I get instant intestinal problems, my chest tightens, and I want to be left entirely alone (preferably in my bath at home with a good book). I can't concentrate on the book but who cares?

This is very different from anxiety. I regularly fight anxiety. Flying does not make me anxious anymore because I do it so often.

Check with your doctor for best advice.

BDGT, is your anxiety about flying in general? Or is it the feeling of being strapped into a confined area for a period of time?

Either way, I seriously think a little trip to the therapist/psychologist would be most helpful in working out your issues. And this goes for everyone who has flying anxiety.

Pills only help deal with just the physical chemistry of your anxiety, not the mental part, therefore it's not a cure-all.

I never drink when flying, as I find that having all my faculties in tact at 30 thousand feet is a good thing! I suffer from panic attacks but have found that an engaging novel does wonders to keep me relaxed when flying.
Safe travels:-)

mcnyc--thank you for your concern. I was a psych major and know all about issues with anxiety, etc. It is just the flying part that makes me nervous....

xannax and valium work for me. But Swiss Air seats are so small I am thinking a morphine drip for my next flight in August. That should relieve the torture.

Hello,
As a few others have said, I believe that the best thing is to nip the anxiety in the bud by addressing your fear of flying. I used to hate flying (irrational fear that came out of nowhere after many years of flying) but managed to get over it by taking one of those online fear of flying courses (www.fearofflyinghelp.com). Now I actually enjoy flying and don't need to worry about taking pills or drinking to relax. A couple of bad celebrity magazines (my sinful secret when travelling) and a good book and I'm all set!

Obviously, those courses probably don't work for everyone but they are a good way of understanding certain aspects of flying phobias and learning to relax.

As an aside, I was prescribed xanax a few years ago for a stress-related problem and absolutely loathed the way it made me feel. Totally spaced out (in an unpleasant way) but still completely stressed. Yuck.

Xanax works like a champ.

kr- excellent idea about the drip. i have always thought airplanes would be a happier place if they sent some nitrous oxide thru those air vents at the beginning of each flight!

I feel they about to do this to keep those of us 'standing up' happy...

I have fear of not flying, that is, fear of being loaded on a plane whose departure has been delayed indefinitely. Nothing like being crammed into steerage, going nowhere. But my fear goes away as soon as we take off. I take propranolol for this, occasionally. (Depends on how complex and time-dependent my plans are upon arrival.)