posted
My last experience with flying ended in Jan. 2004. My family flew from TX to NM for my brother's wedding. It was supposed to be wonderful.
I had started feeling awful during our 4-day trip towards the end of the 2nd day. I thought I was going to die during our flight home.
I was bed-ridden from Jan. 4th through the beginning of April. Long story, but many, many doctors/hospitals later, I slowly got a little better.
Then worse, then better, etc. You know the drill. Not trying to freak you out about flying, but I WON'T fly again. Period. My doctor won't LET me, and neither will anyone in my family.
I know everyone is different and there are a lot of variables to any given situation. As far as car drives, etc., I have to take everything into consideration before I do it.
It depends on how far, how long, how I'm feeling, etc. Personally, I find it hard to plan much of anything. My friends and family understand, thank goodness. I'm VERY lucky in that regard.
I'm not saying that a plane ride will put you in bed for 3 months, I'm just sharing my past experience. Be cautious and listen to your body. It knows what it's saying!
Take care and pace yourself,
terri3boys
Posts: 268 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Hi, I fly about every 2 or 3 month between florida and germany. The worst thing about this is to walk around in the airports, change flights and all those things. Flying by itself usually isnt the big problem, its more the stress connected to it. If I manage to sleep on the long flights I dont feel so bad afterwards. The jetlag then is a different story, but I try to stay in US time even if not there.
Short flights never were a problem at all, I had to fly (1h) to my LLMD appointments for half a year, I almost passed out in the airport once, but flying itself was fine.
For me the big problem always were all those visual stimuli at airports and supermarkets and so on.
Only after my last flight right now Im still in bed for almost a week, but its probably because of the new medication.
So for me: -- Flying ok, airport stress not --
Arne
Posts: 6 | From Florida, US / Saxony, Germany | Registered: Oct 2007
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Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
I felt the same as Arne, it's the stress, not the flight.
I took clonazapam on a recent trip overseas and it did help with the anxiety.
Part of the trip back was a 9 hour flight and the worst of it was sitting with neck pain and knee pain for so long.
I don't think any of it made me worse overall.
I took ambien on the way over, but on way back didn't because it was daylight all the way. Probably should have.
Posts: 1302 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
I initially flew when I'd been on abx for about 5 months. I had both neuro and joint symptoms and was still very ill. The flight itself didn't seem too taxing, but the next day, I didn't leave the couch at my destination.
Since then, I've flown several times without any problem at all--once on a longish trip across country and another time on a 3-hour flight.
I'm flying again in a month.
For me, the trick is staying hydrated. And calm. Flying these days in the states is taxing for everyone, and that's all exacerbated when you have Lyme. I did my best to just take everything in stride, and that seemed to help.
I spent a week in Canada this summer but drove up rather than flying. Mostly just because of all the trouble with the airlines, not because I feared any adverse reaction.
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
I too have found that it's just too hard to predict. One time, it may be fine and then the next, I wound up so darn ill, I couldn't see straight.
Not sure of the difference between the two flights and it may just be where I was in my lyme cycle.
It's really a tough call and my doctors response was always, "if you feel up to it, go for it", but predicting even a week ahead is a tough one for me.
Don't want to continue the rest of my life isolated, but don't want to make it worse either. My only experience says, "IT DEPENDS". Sorry.
I just don't know what it depends on.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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lymeladyinNY
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10235
posted
I flew to Orlando this past spring to Disney World I could walk before I got on the plane, but all the while I was at Disney I could not.
I think perhaps the decreased air pressure worsened my symptom of hip weakness.
I still had fun in my wheelchair!
-------------------- I want to be free Posts: 1170 | From Endicott, NY | Registered: Sep 2006
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