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Flying with vertigo and dizziness

Posted , 4 users are following.

liz11458
liz11458

10 days ago I had to fly to Spain was so worried that air pressure would make me worse. Firstly the car journey to airport made me  unsteady then the crowds lights and shops made it worse. My heart was beating fast and I felt so sick. On the plane I put earplugs in ones I got from Amazon and took beta histamine. My head was thumping as usual . Amazingly I was ok even on decent. No pain. I swallowed water during these times. The journey to the hotel this time I shut my eyes. All ok. My return home today I took travel sickness tablet and it helped. I'd like to hear about your experiences with travel and how you cope it may help each other.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • donna16710
    donna16710 liz11458

    Posted

    I have flown both transatlantic and to South America since getting MD diagnosed. Never had any problem on the plane. It is helpful to premedicate with travel/motion sickness tabs prior to travel if cars are a problem, with me it depends on what my ears are up to. The only mistake I made was not having my diazide with me to take a dose during the plane ride. Once I got back on solid ground, it took me days to get back to my normal because of the missed dose, I could not believe how bad my feet swelled also. Couldn't wear my shoes and took almost the whole week for it to go away. First time that happened and I hope it doesn't do it again.

    • vicky39230
      vicky39230 donna16710

      Posted

      I have suffered awful with water retention since flying this summer, so much so im begining to believe it is something to do with MD. After taking water retention tablets it has subsided..
    • donna16710
      donna16710 vicky39230

      Posted

      Wish they knew more about how MD starts and what causes it. I know prior to getting diagnosed I would gain sometimes 10 pounds overnight from water retention. I was in the military then and went to a doctor. They said I ate to much. Needless to say, I never went back. Since starting the diazide to treat it, I dropped more than 10 pounds in excess fliud.
    • vicky39230
      vicky39230 donna16710

      Posted

      Same here !!! I am yet to be told it 's deffo  MD yet. I have lost 3lb just today after taking another water pill. Spoke to the dr as have had terrible bad head with dizzness all day to which all he said was take some paracetamol and wait for your appointment at London Hospital. I am at a lose as what to do anymore.

    • donna16710
      donna16710 vicky39230

      Posted

      You have to be aware that you can become too dehydrated with dyazide or any diuretic. This can cause one bad headache by itself. You want to pull off the intracellular fluid without pulling off too much of your circulating volume. Be sure to drink enough that you have to go to the bathroom every 4 to 6 hours and your urine should be relatively clear to light colored. There are things like yoga and tai chi that help you relearn balance and I think can help decrease the frequency of the episodes. Things seem to have settled down a lot for me with the medication although it took quite a few months. Hopefully you will find the same for yourself.
    • vicky39230
      vicky39230 donna16710

      Posted

      Do you take water tabs everyday ?? do you think its connected to the ears ? after yesterdays episode i'm not sure what is happening. I feel like i have fluid in my ears but pressure tests have said not..

    • donna16710
      donna16710 vicky39230

      Posted

      I have to take dyazide every day in order to keep the MD under control. Some countries use betahist but I think dyazide is better as I only take it once a day vs three or four with the betahist. Much easier to adhere to the regimine. I am not sure if all the fluid retention I was having is because of the MD (doubtful) or the other way around. They may not even be connected, just coincidence. This probably saved me from developing CHF though. That full feeling is coming from the cochlea in the inner ear. pressure tests look at the middle ear. I almost always feel like a balloon is inflated in my ears, gets worse when pressure fronts are moving. I live in the US and I don't know how betahist works but dyazide may be more aggressive.

    • veronica20125
      veronica20125 donna16710

      Posted

      A doctor in the USA can prescribe Betahist and you'd hsve to order from Canada.

  • NeddyO
    NeddyO liz11458

    Posted

    I hope I have not misunderstood but it sounds as though you only took Betahistine while travelling. It is a drug that needs time (several weeks) to become effective. Also if you are on the standard BNF dose - 16mg tds - that is unlikely to be enough so your consultant should be asked what dose you really need.

    Good luck.

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