kybourbon, it was a regular Ambien, not a CR.

I had taken one as a 'practice' before that flight, and it worked well. I probably didn't notice how immediately it affected me at home, since I was already in bed, but on the plane it hit me so hard and abruptly that it kind of freaked me out! But it definitely worked - I slept great and felt fine on arrival.

I should note that while I don't seem to have odd reactions to drugs in general (and I survived the '70s) I seldom take any kind of sleeping pills, so maybe I am just not used to how quickly they kick in.

I had tried Tylenol PM on another long flight and just got the jittery effect others have described above.

Guess I will stick to a glass of wine and a boring book...

I rarely sleep at all on flights to Europe and most of the time I take the earlier flight out because I just gotta get there early in the AM to hit the ground running. That is, at least until I run INTO something in my zombie state.

My theory is that by the time you land (6 AM) it's midnight, 1 AM at home and that's barely past bedtime really. Heck, they serve breakfast at 4 AM (10-11 PM) which is snack time at home. So why would you fall asleep on the plane.

For this next trip to London in a few weeks I'm taking the 10 AM flight over, both to minimize time off work and also to test my theory that I might actually try to sleep on a later flight. It lands at 10 AM (5 AM eastern) and I'm usually awake by 630 AM most mornings. I won't be hungry so I'll try to nod off within the hour and maybe, maybe get 3-4 hours of dozing sleep (my wish).

I have done amazingly well at sleeping the past few flights. It probably does help to get little sleep the night before, but I do not recommend it. I don't use any sleep aids, because I hate the idea of being in public and being totally out of it, whether there is an emergency or not. (For example, what if there is a reason to divert the flight, which is not that rare, and you have to disembark and get to a hotel 2 hours after boarding, but you have taken a sleeping pill?)

annabelle - Was if 5mg or 10mg? If it was 10, perhaps you just need 5. Even a 5 can be cut in half (not CR). Ambien is quick-acting, will absorb within minutes and last 4 hours. Your reaction really wasn't strange, it was exactly what the pill was supposed to do - put you to sleep.

I tried Tylenol PM over the weekend and it worked like a charm for me. In fact, the recommended dose (2) probably worked better than I wanted it to. I don't want to still be sleepy when I get there. Just want a few hours to get me through the day. So I'll do one. I may skip the wine too. Lately, alcohol has sometimes kept me awake.

Hi All...

It's 21 hours plus for us Aussies to Europe so I usually manage some sleep en-route however my record was while travelling alone a while back ... I slept 1 hour out of Sydney all the way to Bangkok.. got off the plane for an hour, reboarded and then sleep till 2 hours out of London. A total of 17 hours...

The couple next to me were amazed and asked my secret... they had popped pills and drank wine to no avail... when I revealed I had a colicky six month old baby who was at home with her dad the woman looked at me knowingly and her husband just laughed...

I don't know what the pill size was, kybourbon, since that particular flight was in 2005; don't remember! But you are right - it put me to sleep, and I felt fine upon arrival.

The issue for me wasn't that it didn't work; it was more that I was not used to taking a sleep aid on a plane. After that flight I decided not to use one if I am flying alone; the deepness of the sleep (which I know is what the point is) was too much for me; I am like WillTravel - I don't like being that out of it!

Every flight is the same for me. Whether it's duration is to be 45 minutes or 10 hours, I get drowsy shortly after take-off, my eyelids weigh about 12 pounds, and I fall dead asleep ... for all of 20 minutes. I am then wide awake for the rest of the flight.

I'v tried boozing, not boozing, eating, not eating, listening to music, watching movies, reading, finding someone boring to talk to, taking sleeping medication, doing nothing, counting sheep, etc., etc., etc. Nothing seems to work. After my little nap, I'm done.

The one good thing is that, upon arrival in Europe, I am so wired that I can usually go all day without a problem, then sleep like the dead that night.

Ambien did nothing for me..What mg do the ambien users take? same for Xanax..what mg? I think my MD gave me weak dosage..This wasn't for Europe but a longer flight.

Phillyboy, the best part of the whole issue of sleep going over is that first night there. That is the best sleep!!! I generally do okay during the day...as long as I keep moving. But when the sun goes down I start looking for my bed. Usually in the bed between 8 & 9 that first night. I'm dead to the world for 9 or 10 hours.

Robbie said: <<That's interesting Dr. Jay. How does taking 1/2 a dose knock you out in a bad way? How is that any different than a 200lb person taking the same 1 ambien dose as his 100lb wife?>>

You know nothing about meds I Take it? The math is not simple math... you over simplified my whole post. I'm a nurse, not a Dr (FYI).

Thanks Seamus for catching that response and educating the poster... I was away for a few days.

~Jay

So please explain Nurse Ratchet. Your post was pretty simple - "it'll wipe you out in a bad way". For those of us who aren't Rx experts like you, can you please explain how a 1/2 does of non-CR ambien wipes you out in a bad way?

I see that seamus explained the very important difference between CR and regular Ambien. I missed that very important Rx difference in your post - maybe you figured in your medical professional experience it was irrelevant, or else you just forgot. If you're going to claim to be a medical expert then refrain from giving 1/2 correct info.

WillTravel~ That's why a good number of posters always answer this question that they use Valium or Xanax something in the -pam family of drugs. Those are anti-anxiety, not a sleeping pill, so don't knock you out, just make you reeelaaaxed... should there be some reason you need to have your wits about you suddenly... you could/would.

Robbie, is the snarky attitude really necessary? Jay gave a good piece of advice that might not occur to many people and could get someone in trouble. As Seamus explained, messing with control release pills can change how fast your body absorbs the active ingredient and that's always something to be careful with, especially with sleeping pills.

It was pretty obvious that Jay was referring to Ambien CR and not non-CR Ambien so your sarcasm and name calling is completely uncalled for. Maybe you need some Ambien for a nap to put you in a better mood?

Another take on the difference between Xanax (anti-anxiety) and Ambien (or other help-to-sleep meds). I was the fearful flyer in the family and asked my doctor for something to help me on the overnight flight over. He always gave me 4 pills, one for my husband and me, flight there and back. I don't have trouble sleeping as a rule, so the Xanax helped keep me calm and gave me a decent flight, and some sleep. My husband, on the other hand, had really NO effect from the Xanax. His trouble is being a VERY light sleeper, having a tough time getting back to sleep, etc. We still tried the Xanax for him a few times before I realized that it was doing no good. So he is the one who takes Ambien. He is never completely out - he'll waken to get up and go the bathroom for instance, but then come back and fall right back asleep - something he has trouble with under normal circumstances.

Bottom line on all of these meds - even the OTC ones - talk to your own doctor about what you are trying to do, which "problem" you are trying to solve. And try out the meds ahead of time at home, if possible with someone else there with you. I found out the hard way that things like Nyquil, Tylenol PM, etc. make me REALLY wired.

AtlTravelr, off topic of overnight travel.... But, you mentioned Nyquil. I have found that if I take Nyquil just to try to sleep...not sick...it has the opposite effect. I'm wipe awake!! When I'm sick though, it knocks me out!!! No idea why the difference. Tylenol PM I have no problem with. Of course, I've never used it except for overnight air travel. I did take some last week just to make sure there was no change in my reaction to it. It's been a long time since I've traveled to Europe.

Nyquil has an ingredient that many people are allergic to and that causes them to be "wired" .. I am one of those people. I cannot take any over the counter cold medicines..

The reason I take Xanax when flying is that I am Anxious when I fly and that is what the drug is for. I sometimes only take half of one and that takes the edge off.

I still feel fine so even if I did not sleep the entire flight, I would not be a zombie the next day.

I used to fly and be awake most of the flight, arriving in Europe excited and wide awake but around 2 in the afternoon, I would be falling down in the street tired.. I hate that.. so sleeping on an overnight flight is perfect for me.

This was confirmed when we flew here, to Argentina from Portland/Houston ... 17 hours of flying but I took the Xanax when we got on the plane to Argentina. . . 10 hours later I was able to get off the plane and be aware and felt fine.

Sooosally - yes, what I meant by finding out the hard way was I used to take Nyquil when I really was sick and needed a good nights sleep, but the last time I did this (when I was sick) - I was SO wired, combined with still feeling sick - so whatever the ingredient is I guess I have developed the reaction over time. So you are smart to try it again if it had been a while since using it.

And though this is not the topic - I'll put in another plug for Xanax for fearful flyers. I truly have found this to be a wonder drug and the most amazing thing is that after 10 years of flying WITH Xanax, I can now fly without it, at least for shorter or daytime only flights. So anyone who is still "white knuckling" it - talk to your doctor and consider getting something to help make your flight part of the enjoyable experience of traveling.

I use Tylenol Pm. A regular dose is 2 tablets, but for me that makes me jittery. I cut one tablet in half, and that is perfect for me. Makes me relaxed enough to go to sleep, but I don't get that hung over feeling later. I also tend to get restless leg syndrome on long flights and this works wonders when that happens.