Flying Anxiety

[shan1212]

I know this is a crowd that will understand . . . 

I feel like I've developed full on anxiety about flying. 

I've flown all my life and it was never a problem. I got my first POTS symptoms after flying when my first-born was a year old, but I didn't put two and two together.

Then with my second pregnancy my POTS got so much worse, and since then flying has been very difficult. I get IV fluids before flying, I wear compression socks, I hydrate like crazy, and I usually take a double dose of Midodrine. Usually I am fine while actually in the air, though I'm often queasy with a fast heart at some point. But it seems like all my motion-sickness and sensitivity to sensations has increased with each passing year. Now a 10 minute ride on a shuttle bus can make me ill. Waking up early makes me ill. Put it all together with getting to an airport and onto an airplane and I'm already sick before we even take off. Then the effects of the dehydration and pressure change hits me at some point after arrival. And then I eventually have to turn around the make the return trip home, this time without fluids.

Athis point I'm terrified of getting on an airplane. What if I get sick like I do once or twice a year where my adrenaline is raging and I'm just riding the waves trying not make it worse by vomiting all my fluids out? I have Ativan and may resort to taking that.

Can anyone relate? What works for you? I'm trying to book a cross-country trip for my mom's birthday but just looking at the options is alarming . . . can I survive a five hour flight?

[yogini]

It might be helpful to search other posts as this topic comes up a lot.  It sounds like you are preparing correctly.  Most people - even those with very severe dysautonomia, wheelchair bound, etc. - do OK when they prepare.  I have not heard of too many (if any) emergencies during travel.  But if you are worried, maybe it is better to wait until another time when you are more comfortable.  Stress will not help.