Forget the Ambien and the alcohol. You are not trying to sleep you are trying to alleviate your anxiety.

Xanax every three hours until you feel comfortable. It's the poor man's first class.

I've traveled to London twice from the US and couldn't sleep more than an hour or so. I was pretty miserable! I'm going to Paris in March and have already visited my doctor. I went in asking for Ambien and came out with Valium instead. I was surprised but my doctor recommended this b/c he's had several patients who have had hallucinations with Ambien. He said he would hate for me to be in an enclosed space and wake up with that to deal with. So, he wrote an Rx for Valium and said to try it out at home first. I started with 1/2 a pill one night and felt no problems the next day. I waited until I had a night I couldn't sleep well and tried again--a full pill this time. It worked quickly and I felt great the next morning. So, that's my plan for the plane--eat dinner and take a whole pill. I have never used any anti-anxiety meds in my life, but I'm willing to do this to get some sleep. Just another idea to discuss with your doctor.

Hi S,

Bring along a very boring book.

It will put you to sleep.

PS,

Good for you for overcoming your phobia.

shuttlebuggy:

First off welcome to Fodor's.

I'll second the suggestion to wear comfortable clothing, drink plenty of fluids (water, juice).

On your international flight you will be served dinner and breakfast so this will use up some of the time. The attendants also come thru with duty free items and usually a drink run.

Once you decide that you will try and sleep pull the window shade, put on your eye mask, recline and relax. Even if you don't go into a deep sleep you will be resting. Keep that eye mask on until you are ready to wake up for the day.

Best wishes for a wonderful visit with your child. You will be fine.

I'd love to see you post a short trip report when you return and tell us where you went.

Sandy

Is anxiety still an issue?
shuttlebuggy did a very smart thing and exposed herself to the anxiety by taking several domestic flights.
People who have fear of flying usually do not discriminate between short- and long-haul flights.
There are many ways of making even an intercontinental flight pleasant - well, at least not painful - without hauling a whole pharmacy with you.

Since you will be probably be a bit stressed, try to prepare for a smooth transfer to the airport, and an adequate arrival time at the airport. Usually your flight will leave in the late afternoon, so you could go to the airport early, go thru security, and have a light meal or snack at one of the restaurants. Get used to the situation, and it will soon lose its appeal of being something special or exciting.

On board, a blanket may be useful. The danger of freezing to death in economy class outnumbers most other dangers.

Serious turbulances are not common experiences on the North Atlantic tracks. They can sometimes be a <b>bit</b> more bumpy, since the planes going to the East are riding on the jet stream, so to speak. That's why it takes you less time to go East than later to go back home West. So that bit of &quot;rough air&quot; is chosen on purpose. Usually you won't even notice any rough air.

If you were able to fly Chicago-JFK, you will be able to fly Chicago-London (or elsewhere).

Let me make an additional suggestion.

From several US cities - New York, Boston, Chicago, maybe Washington DC (not sure) there are daytime flights heading east, all to London. You leave in the morning and arrive around dinner time. If you book a hotel near the arriving airport (usually London Heathrow) you can sleep in a bed, rather than trying to sit in a cramped airline seat and &quot;sleeping.&quot; This is our preferred way of getting over the water, and it's amazing how it reduces the effects of jetlag in subsequent days.

Coming back, the vast majority of flights travel during daylight as it is.

Almost all planes over the Atlantic now offer in-seat video entertainment, and between breakfast, a movie, a book, and another meal or snack before landing, the day passes very quickly.

Traveling in the daytime seems to be easier for many passengers who are nervous about flying. Although your brain knows that everybody that matters (people in the cockpit and on the ground) are awake and alert anyway, the darkness can make the planes a little claustrophobic for some people. Flying in the daytime helps reduce those anxieties in some people.

The morning flights are often less full than the later ones, which is another advantage.

If you have an iPod, you might try downloading a book or two in addition to any music you have on it. I find it's very relaxing to sit back, close your eyes, and be read to.

Fra Diavolo was probably being funny.... but his Queen Mary suggestion was not bad! We've done that, too.
Sure beats flying if you have the time. -

Once, again, I suggest checking out Ask The Pilot on Salon.com

Happy Landings!

Wow! I am so glad I wrote in about this - you all have given me a lot of &quot;food for thought&quot;.
The only thing I can say I won't heed is not going...my dd has asked we come and tickets are bought and itinerary paid up.
She is not flying home when the semester ends but back out to school for - more school and we won't see her until somewhere around June.
I am going to speak with my doc - she is really great. I am one who doesn't react very quickly to meds...but still whatever is prescribed I will try to check the reaction, don't worry.
My dd said that the airline (we are taking the same one) was a very hot trip - so wear short sleeves, so I am not sure I will need a blanket but the Eddie Bauer one sounds like a plan. And that nice mask that someone else recommended.
I have to wear a lymphaedema sleeve on my right arm and a special fingerless glove and that is the only tight garment I will have on.
Oh and I have another question - My flight to my destination in Europe is 8hr :55 min, returning flight is 10 hr:10 min - how come?? I thought the reverse would be true.
Also the day we return (or day before) is the time change in the US of springing ahead an hour...we looked at that and the long layover between the overseas flight and connector home and called it a day - booked a hotel overnight and will connect the next day - do you think that was a good call???

Westbound flights are longer than eastbound because the prevailing high-altitude winds blow from the west, hence the plane is fighting &quot;headwinds&quot; on the return.

Every transatlantic flight I have ever had has been freezing.

It's not clear: you say &quot;asked we come&quot; and &quot;tickets&quot; plural, so it sounds like you'll have your husband or at least a sympathetic friend whose hand you can squeeze occasionally. That's the best help there is. You can remind them what to tell you to calm you down.

I would definitely advise you to get an AISLE seat. It sounds like you have enough medical issues to demand this at booking time, or at the gate. It's a little less noisy, enclosed and &quot;plane-y&quot; toward the center, and you can walk around without disturbing people every time you want to get up.

Nowadays, the sides of the headpiece on most seats flips up, so you can rest your head against it. Depending on your size, you can lean your head against the back of the seat in front of you, or even on the fold-down tray.

Drugs prescribed by your doctor are very good. Mixing alcohol -- bad.

A variety of entertainments is good too. A book on tape, podcasts or NPR downloads in addition to music is great, as it takes more of your attention, and you can listen with your eyes closed. My eyes dry out after awhile. They do make relaxation recordings specifically for people afraid of flying. Anything that distracts you is good. Be like a child, with your little backpack of entertainments and cookies!

I hate takeoffs and landings. But cruising altitude is fine. So for the price of about 15 minutes of my irrational fears per trip, I get the huge payoff of travel.

And it is a GREAT message for your daughter, that you are not letting your fears stand in the way of something you both want. Imagine if you had &quot;chosen&quot; your phobia over her? (I know, you don't choose. It's a disease. But this can be the way it feels. I guarantee she'll admire and remember your courage some day when things are tough for her.)

You sound so motivated, and you've had success with the short flights, it sounds like you can definitely do this trip.

Just remember that even if a flight isn't perfectly smooth sailing, it doesn't mean it's not safe.

I don't want to make you give more personal information than you want, but you mention flying back to the Northeast. Are you flying back into Logan?

Just got back from flight to Caribbean...4 1/2 hrs..Was not looking forward to it..Got Xanax from my dr..Trip there, I took 1/2 dose..didn't really notice much effect...Did sleep a tiny bit...
On the way home, I was already sleepy because it was a very early flight and took the whole dose..Slept the ENTIRE flight...Woke up when we were about to land...now that was awesome! ; )

shuttlebuggy~

I have never slept on a plane in my life, I doubt I ever will. I take Xanax from my doctor, which helps keep the anxiety down.

My best advice is try not to think, &quot;what will I do after 4 hours...&quot; or look at your watch every two seconds.

I watch every movie that is shown, participate in every food and beverage service offered, I listen to the various music and audio programs on headphones, I have an easy-reading paperback of some sort, a couple magazines, and a few healthy snacks. Guidebooks for your destination are a good distraction too.

If it is an overnight flight, when they dim the cabin lights for &quot;night&quot; time... I put on slippers, pull up a blanket, close my eyes, and pretend to sleep for a couple hours. I find this works MUCH better than in past trips when I figited around for all that time, being envious of my fellow passengers who were sleeping -lol!

Overall, you just have to kind of put yourself into a trance and not dwell on the cramped space, how long you've got left, etc. Daydream about what you'll be doing the next day in Europe, helps alot!

oh yes, i need to strongly agree with the suggestion above... make sure you have an AISLE seat. that really helps make me feel less claustrophobic.

it would be next to impossible for me to do an overseas flight in a middle or window seat!

A few years ago I started sitting in an aisle seat rather than the window, and enjoy it much more. Leaning up against the window or side of the plane was cold, hard, and bumpy, and I could never get my pillow to stay put. Plus, like others have said, I can get up and walk around as much as I like without climbing over, waking up, or otherwise disturbing someone else (even if it is &quot;only&quot; my husband!). We both request aisle seats now, plus it gives my husband a little bit more more stretch room for his legs.

&quot;participate in every food and beverage service offered&quot;

Suze, that is so funny, I do the same. I anticipate the lousy meals and the little snacks and the water. One of the reasons I like Swissair is for the ice cream and chocolate they offer at various times. It give me something immediately to look forward to.

I think of the Seinfeld episode when they are serving hot cookies in first class and Elaine can't have any. I know the feeling!

Bluehour beat me to a couple of my favourite tips: aisle seat and something warm to wear. But I have not seen some advice that was given to me by a flight attendant some years ago: do not drink pop, soda or any other variation on carbonated beverages, including fizzy water.According to my source, something about the carbonation is troubling to sensitive tummies upin the air.

There, now have a great time!

Good for you!
You've got all the tips, so I'll just tell how you how I prevent nerves: I never look out the window--that way I never feel dizzy, and it helps me pretend I am just on a train or a bus.
Any little bump I feel is just a &quot;bump in the road.&quot;
Also, the neck pillows that cradle your entire neck are brilliant.

Hi SB,
Aisle seats occasionally have the drawback of people and/or food carts knocking against you.

What I do, I start by adjusting my internal &quot;time clock&quot; to where I am going. So I'll start going to bed earlier, getting up earlier in the week before going. This helps with jet lag, and...when I do get on the plane, I'm already feeling tired. So I'll eat the dinner, then put on head set, tuned to one of the channels on the netertainment console, and drift off. No coffee, no wine with meal. It works fairly well for me.