Nerves! Serious question, I,m flying to tenerife friday am and i am worried!?

Question

i have had agoraphobia which has somewhat gone away. but not completely, but I haven't yet been faced with a situation where I can't get out of, i.e. like the airport wait, and the plane journey, I am already working myself up to it, and bar the journey i am really wanting to go, I am afraid that I will get that stressed out that I will start to visibly shake, and my hubby is under the impression that it has gone! I should be really excited but in a way i am absolutely dreading it, it doesnt help living in the isle of man coz I have to get to liverpool and will be four hours early, won't be able to leave the airport even in the event of a panic attack, does anybody suffer from this, it is really discomforting, and if I do have a panic thingy it is going to be horrible, is anybody in liverpool airport on friday!!!!! am...thought not! xxxx i'm going anyway, and to those who say your lucky to be going, it's not quite so with this problem.
they who know would tell youxxx

Answer 1

I am in the same shoes. I take ssri to control mine on a daily basis. I drink at the bar before hand and I take 2 xanax (one 30 min prior to boarding and one once boarded)

You are working yourself up so much before hand that it makes it worse. But I do the same thing. I try to forget about and take it one step at a time.

It's nice because onece I get to the destination I realized I plan for the trip, not the vacation.

Get some sedatives if you don't already have them.

Answer 2

I too suffer from this distressing form of anxiety so I know exactly what you are going through.

After you come back from Tenerife, see your doctor and see about getting some anti-anxiety meds (I am on Zoloft which I take every day to help prevent panic attacks, and also have Xanax which is a tranquilizer for occasional use--it is amazing and really works!) and see about getting some cognitive behavorial therapy so that you can learn some coping skills and "train" your brain to relax.

In the meantime, do everything you can to make yourself comfortable. If you feel a panic attack coming on, try to keep your breathing calm but don't fight the attack. If you let it run its course it will actually go away faster. If you need to, you can sit near the bathroom in the airport and then go sit in a stall to wait it out if you are embarassed by it. Just remember that the panic attack won't hurt you, and once it's run its course you will feel ok again.

Tell your hubby that the best thing that he can do when this happens is to ask you if he can do anything for you. You might want him to talk to you to distract you, or you might want him to leave you alone. You probably won't know what you want him to do until it happens. When I'm right in the middle of a panic attack, it helps me to visualize a safe situation (like to imagine that I'm at my destination and getting off the plane) whereas trying to talk myself out of it does nothing!

Lastly, for the plane trip you can take some Dramamine (motion sickness tablets) or Benadryl (antihistamine) and it will make you sleepy and knock you out.

Try to have a good time, you will be fine. Good luck!

Answer 3

Hello. My name's Paul and I have had exactly what you are talking about. I had a fear of flying (actually I have had long term anxiety all my adult life but that is a wider problem) and it meant that I avoided flying for 10 years. The good news is.... you can get over this. I did - in fact I have just got back from Los Angeles in the USA which is a 10ish hour flight back to London. The reason you feel panicky is because you are 'catastrophising'! What does this mean you might be wondering. Well it means that in your mind you are imagining the sort of things that can go wrong...either with the plane, whether you are going to have a panic attack, how you are going to deal with a panic attack if you have one, what happens if you have one on the plane, etc...and these thoughts are starting to take over. You are imagining all the worst case scenarios and stuck in a battle between trying to reassure yourself and convincing yourself that the worst is going to happen. So step one is to realise that problems you are mainly concerned about are not the things you should be primarily worrying about - it is the 'catastrophising' you are doing which is the main problem. So how do you deal with that? Well the best way I found to deal with it is to educate myself about the things I was worried about. So first off read up on panic attacks...you probably feel like you about them as you have suffered from them. You probably know that an awful lot of people suffer from anxiety about flying or whilst flying including agoraphobic feelings. So you might feel panicky on the flight or even have a panic attack, but you body can only sustain a certain amount of worry before your body automatically calms down. I can't go into all the detail here but you can read about it on the net...so if you do feel panicky and have physical symptoms which themselves can feel scary - It doesn't last. You will be OK because I have done it. If you are worried about the plane itself, you should read some technical stuff about how planes work. A lot of people worry about all the unusual noises from the plane etc. but they are all normal - they are just worrying when you don't know what they are. Turbulence is something that people sometimes find scary, but again, the plane is tested to withstand way beyond the worst physically possible turbulence so it really isn't a problem. With regards to you agoraphobic tendencies, I have also had those feelings on a plane but when you realise how the body deals with panic attacks you realise that the main battle is in your mind. You need to put panic attacks in perspective and see this as a challenge. On my last flight to LA, my sister said that I looked more calm than all the rest of the group... and I was...even though I have felt agoraphobic in the past. I didn't do it by flying lots..I just did it by reading as much as I possibly could about the biology if the body and how a panic attack affects the body. Also by understanding that agoraphobia is much about 'catastrophising' - replaying irrational worst case scenarios in your mind, than it is about feeling like you can't escape. I do think however that you should tell your husband about your concerns, but also tell him that you are treating it like a challenge and that you know is achievable. I'm sure he will be supportive. Remember, I have gone from being terrified of flying because of this, and now I am often the most calm person on a flight! Good luck...you will have a great holiday I'm sure. x

Answer 4

When at the airport if you let the airline staff know about your phobia they should do all they can to help you in the event of a panic attack. Not experiencing anything like this i'm no expert.
As for on the aircraft all i can recommend is you ask for front seats as you are then near the cabin crew area if you require assistance (added bonus extra leg room)!!
I hope everything goes well for you and you have a lovely holiday.

Answer 5

Hi, Yes I am the same, and last year when I was ill with something else, my BF said if you can get through that you can fly!!!! And he booked us a holiday for the first time in about 15 years. I was really worried about having a panic attack on the plane as I am petrified of flying, but do you know what as I got on the plane I realised that he was right. It took till then but it clicked, you need to focus on something you have achieved in the past that you never thought you would do and that helps your confidence in things you never thought you could do. Go for it hun get your nerves out the way now, get on that plane and have a fab holiday. I also had a couple of brandies,but hey I was on holiday!

Hey it's Friday now and you will be in Tenerife sipping cocktails.......you lucky thing. Well done!

Answer 6

Go to your doctor and ask for a light seditive that you can take just before you leave for the airport.

Tell your husband so he can prepare to help you. Also tell the cabin crew, and call the airport and ask them if they have anyone there that has helped someone in this situation before. They might have an area that is small and discreet for you to wait in.

Take things with you that you know will soothe you - like a walkman or a book or a favourite possesion

I am terrified of planes, and have flown 3 times this past year. It was very very hard - but if you are prepared for it - you can do it.

I commend you for your effort! Goodluck!

Answer 7

If you haven't got time to get to the doctor, buy some Kwells or other travel sickness pills containing Hyoscine Hydrobromide & take one about an hour before the flight. This will have a slight sedative effect. You could also take a sedative antihistamine such as Piriton the night before your flight. This will help you to sleep. Take some sweets such as glacier mints or barley sugar to suck during takeoff. If you feel frightened, hold your husband's hand. Remember, the fear of something is usually worse than the actuality. You might be surprised at what you can actually achieve if you "feel the fear and do it anyway", and you will feel so proud of yourself. Enjoy your holiday.

Answer 8

I suffer panic attacks too. I always said i'd never fly but i have been 4 times now its not been easy, but i've had my fabulous husband there for me, if i want his help i will ask he doesn't pressure me, but because i have a 5 year old daughter i seem to get through it because i don't want to worry her. When i'm on the plane i tend to just busy myself with magazines and puzzles to keep my mind occupied i also take beta blockers they just take the edge of the stress.
We will be flying to tenerife in july yes i'm panicing already but i tell myself i know i can do it and if i do feel the start of an attack i will just busy my mind with whatever i can at that time i also take a paperbag every where with me if i feel an attack coming on i breathe in and out of it, it calms me down no end.
I wish you all the best jsut keep telling yourself you can do it and have an armful of magazines to keep you busy.

Answer 9

You are better than me. I won't even go on a plane. I can't even know when relatives are going on one cause I have breakdowns. If I were you I would go to the doc. I was told that they give you something for these symptoms and that you are fine. Just tell him you have a fear of flying and explain exactly the same way you just did. It's not a biggie and they have stuff for it. Good luck and enjoy your visit. Hope this helps.

Answer 10

Talk to your hubby. Cancel the trip and bugger the loss of money. There is no point in doping yourself with prozac etc (I've been on it). Tenerife can wait. You have obviously not reovered fully from the agarophobia, and the holiday could well turn out to be a disaster (remember, you still have to get back).

Use the time out to discuss your situation and feelings with your hubby, and get out a bit around your Manx homeland. It will be awful for you if you are stuck in Tenerife and cannot get back - medical care can be very expensive outside of the UK.