Gordon R, perhaps you are right, however, in my case I only use Ambien when I travel annually to Britain. Never at home as my two shots of whiskey does wonders.

It isn't the kind of thing I do, take prescription drugs casually, and I am surprised at how many folks do that. Or who take Tylenol PM for sleeping (recent news reports highlighted the number of ER admissions due to overdosing on Tylenol and how it affects your liver). Taking ambien with alcohol is another thing you shouldn't do. It's surprising to me more people don't have bad physical effects from drugs.

I don't think the risk is of addiction so much as simply bad physical effects which can vary a lot from stomach or liver problems to heart/respiratory issues. I guess one thing that also surprises me a lot is how many people take drugs regularly and somehow have sedatives on-hand so readily. These are prescription drugs, you have to go to a doctor to get them (unless buying illegally, of course). I would never go to a doctor and pay for an office visit just to get a couple hours sleep on a plane, but I don't go to a doctor routinely for other reasons that it would be no additional cost to do that. I also don't take sedatives at all so don't have any on hand.

"Here in the UK, there's an excellent natural product available in the supermarkets and chemists called Nytol Herbal which I find very effective for long-haul flights. No risk of nasty side effects from the powerful prescription drugs some people reach for."

Stuff and nonsense. Do not assume that a product that works for you will work for somebody else, and do not assume that there's no risk of nasty side effects. Naturally occuring substances can be quite powerful and can have quite strong side effects. Valerian and melatonin, for instance, are both touted as "natural" and both can cause nightmares/hallucinations in susceptible individuals.

I don't use a "sleeping pill" per se, because my doctor doesn't think that's a great idea. He's not a fan of ambien. But I do use an "anti-anxiety" like Valium or Xanax. They mellow you out but don't knock you out. Never fly without it. Also use it the first few nights in Europe to help adjust to the jetlag/timechange.

So let's see Therese, prescription drugs such as Ambien (Zolpidem), Xanax (Alprazolam) and Valium (Diazepam) are all equivalent to an over-the-counter mild sedating antihystamine such as Nytol Herbal are they? If you truly can't see the difference in the potential harm they could do to your body, then that's a telling reflection on your personal judgement and sense of perspective.

As evidence that prescription abuse is a growing social problem in the US, don't take my word for it. Here's what the US Government no less has to say on the matter:-
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/health...smedicated.htm

Too many pharmacological ingredients in your system will turn you into Michael Jackson. If you are taking a sleeping aid, take it on the plane. If you find that tylenol PM makes you sleepy, take it on the plane. If you take draminine and it
makes you tired, take it on the plane. If the suggestion about having a hot bowl of soup and a glass of red wine sounds that it will work, go for it. Personally, I think a double G and T, without the T, will do the job.

I didn't say the drugs or their risks are equivalent, GordonR, I said that you should not assume that the ingredients in over the counter products like Nytol Herbal are risk-free. I need to look up the ingredients in Nytol Herbal again---a quick look earlier today didn't reveal an obvious antihistamine. Antihistamines, by the way, aren't a particularly great means of putting yourself to sleep on a plane as they tend be dehydrating and don't work for some people (instead keeping them awake and jumpy).

Of course, if an individual finds that an antihistamine helps, then that's an option for that individual.

My husband takes 2 panadol night, and he usually sleeps for 5 hours maybe more. I get air sick, so I take motion sickness tablets and they make me very drowsy for just a couple of hours.

I ONLY use Ambien when I travel. Taking a sleeping pill two nights in a row, once or twice a year, isn't going to hurt me. I'm not a prescription drug user overall. However, I am currently on a Reglan pump that constantly drips the anti-nausea meds into my body all day. I am pregnant and, unfortunately, very very sick. Without the pump I cannot even get out of bed without vomiting. So call me an addict, but if it allows me to actual live my life (and go back to work, as I was on disability) then I'm all for it. To each their own, and frankly I don't think it's anyone else's business.

For what it's worth, Ambien never puts me in such a drug-induced sleep that I am not aware of my surroundings. If someone next to me needed to get around me, I would be able to stand up so that he/she could. I think that it may put some people out, but for me it just doesn't work that way, perhaps because it's just plain uncomfortable sleeping in coach and I'm always shifting around.

Tracy

Take Lunesta. Much cleaner than Ambien. Make sure you try whatever you are going to take prior to the trip to see how your body reacts to it.

FYI - Xanax, Valium, Ambien and Lunesta are all classified the same - Schedule IV - which means they are essentially the same under the addictive criteria.

The following characteristics apply to the schedules indicated:

1. Schedule I
(a) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
(b) The drug or other substances has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(c) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

2. Schedule II
(a) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
(b) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted use with severe restrictions.
(c) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

3. Schedule III
(a) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in Schedules I and II.
(b) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(c) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

4. Schedule IV
(a) The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III.
(b) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(c) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III.

5. Schedule V
(a) The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule IV.
(b) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(c) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule IV.

gordonr, I too think it would be interesting to "know how many Europeans would be knocking back hypnotic drugs just to catch a few hours sleep on a plane - any even more curious to hear of any European doctors who would prescribe for this purpose unless in really extreme cases."

I'm so sure Europeans health systems are far superior than that of the U.S., but if we are lucky, we'll soon have socialized medicine too.

Oh boy.....can hardly wait.

About taking meds - herbal or otherwise - that are bought in foreign countries: I've had two very bad experiences and for those reasons will never again take anything I haven't been familiar with, and purchased, at home (in the US). The first was in Paris, where I came down with a severe bladder infection (the most painful I'd ever had). A visit to the pharmacist netted me an OTC treatment - which worked, thank goodness. However, when I took it again a few months later for a recurrence, I broke out with a horrible case of all-over hives So, no more sulfa-based drugs for me - ever. The second time, I developed a bad cold in London and bought an OTC decongestant/antihistamine. First, it drugged me into a stupor (not a bad thing when you are otherwise completely miserable), but then - I woke with my throat as tightly closed as if it were Velcro'd. I simply could not swallow. Near panic ensued until finally, I managed to aaaack out some air. One of the most frightening experiences I've ever had.

Bottom-line, it's a good idea to take what you know and buy it where you're used to buying it.

And all the finger-wagging preaching on this thread completely overlooks that some people are trying to conk themselves out not just for 'a few hours of sleep,' but because those wakeful hours on an overnite flight are absolute misery, fraught with RLS at the very least.

Colleen mentioned recent menopause. I don't think anyone who hasn't experienced this understands that sometimes a sleep pill is necessary. Not all the time, but sometimes it helps shut out the noise in the brain. A sleep-deprived menopausal woman is not a pretty sight. You certainly wouldn't want to be standing behind one in line at the check out counter.

Thank-you everyone for your input! there seems to be a lot of opinions regarding prescription sedatives-certainly not my intention to stir up so much controversy. Yes surfergirl menopause is a MAJOR factor in my sleepless-ness.Gordon I do not "casually pop powerful prescription drugs" nor do I casually ingest any substance with potential side-effects without fully weighing risks versus benefits. I greatly appreciate your concern but I can assure you it is not necessary. However if you have taken sleeping pills on a prolonged overseas flight and have experienced any side-effects that are different than what you would normally expect I would appreciate hearing about that.
Thanks-Colleen