Click this link to read a post I like on the clusterheadaches.com message board...

May 12^th, 2025 at 3:08pm

	Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
	Search box updated Dec 3, 2011... Search ch.com with Google!

New CH.com Forum › Cluster Headache Help and Support › Cluster Headache Specific › Flying During an Episode

(Moderators: Mrs Deej, DJ)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Pages: 1

Flying During an Episode (Read 1776 times)

thatqueerhippie

CH.com Newbie

Offline

Posts: 1
Hangzhou, China

Flying During an Episode
May 28^th, 2014 at 5:16am

I'm in the middle of an episode having been pain free for about a year. I'm just finishing up an overseas posting and will be on a longhaul flight (around 13 hours) coming home next week, and was looking for any management tips you all had for flying. Obviously oxygen is out of the question, and unfortunately meds are too given that I'm living in China at the moment, where any prescription practicly impossible given the time frame.

Which, of course, leaves me backed up against the wall with very few options, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

IP Logged

Click Here to visit the CH.com Facebook page!

maz

CH.com Hall of Famer

Offline

I Love CH.com!

Posts: 1071
Hampshire, England
Gender: female

Re: Flying During an Episode
Reply #1 - May 28^th, 2014 at 7:38am

Nightmare!!!
I once flew back from singapore - 13 hour flight - and had 4 hits. I had not been diagnosed then so had no meds at all.

It might be worth asking the airline if they have medical 02 on board. Don't know if you would get the correct flow rate though. I don't know much about these things, but maybe your own regulator would fit. Might be worth taking it in your hand luggage.

Often an energy drink (red bull) at the very first sign of an attack will knock it back, but I don't know if you can take that on board either with all the regulations and rules they have these days.

Other than that, you will just have to do what I did - suffer through it. I hope some one will come along here and make a better suggestion. Good luck.

IP Logged

Dave_W CH.com Veteran Offline Pain Free Days!!! Posts: 101 Lilburn, Georgia USA Gender:	Re: Flying During an Episode Reply #2 - May 29^th, 2014 at 4:00pm When I have to fly like that (I do Korea and back on occasion), I take 100 mg of prednisone a few hours before the flight. Works every time for me. It was recommended by my neuro long ago.
Back to top	Goober Dave IP Logged

japanzaman CH.com Veteran Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 210 Fukuoka, JAPAN Gender:	Re: Flying During an Episode Reply #3 - May 29^th, 2014 at 7:26pm Prednisone helps some people, but he mentioned not having access to meds, so not sure if that would work for him. Caffeine may be your only real option here. Sometimes life with clusters sucks- hope the beast spares you for that flight.
Back to top	IP Logged

Mike NZ

CH.com Hall of Famer

Offline

Oxygen rocks! D3 too!

Posts: 3785
Auckland, New Zealand
Gender: male

Re: Flying During an Episode
Reply #4 - May 30^th, 2014 at 7:06am

Having flown multiple times with active CH, I rely on having imitrex injections but with red bull or similar for long haul flights and a standby of getting coffee / coke or similar onboard.

With your situation I'd ensure I had energy drinks (make sure you buy them after security or they will be taken off you) and another option is to use pain killers. Whilst this isn't a great option, it is better than nothing. But be very careful about where you fly with narcotic pain killers as some countries do not allow their import with significant penalties.

Other option could be to fly from China to somewhere you can pick up medication on a short flight (Hong Kong, Singapore, etc?) and then do the longer haul flight home.

IP Logged

Guiseppi CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline San Diego to Florida 05-16-2011 Posts: 12063 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA USA Gender:	Re: Flying During an Episode Reply #5 - May 30^th, 2014 at 7:28pm I'd second the attempt at getting a small amount of prednisone, guarantees 100% pain free for me. Otherwise grab a few red bulls once you're through security, good luck. Joe
Back to top	"Somebody had to say it" is usually a piss poor excuse to be mean. IP Logged

Cupper CH.com Junior Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 49 Seagrove Beach FL Gender:	Re: Flying During an Episode Reply #6 - Jun 3^rd, 2014 at 9:51pm I always travel every week with a sumitriptan pill at hand. I hate them, they make the cycle worse IMO but a full blown CH in a public airport vs the pill and I choose the pill.
Back to top	IP Logged

Pages: 1

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Home

‹ Board

Top of this page

©1998-2013 Web Vision Enterprises LLC All rights reserved. All information on this site is protected by international
copyright laws. You may not re-distribute any information from this site without written permission from
Web Vision Enterprises LLC and the webmaster of this site. Violators will be prosecuted.
You may view our privacy policy and financial disclosure statement here

DISCLAIMER: All information contained on this web site is for informational purposes only. It is in no way intended to be used as a replacement for professional medical treatment. clusterheadaches.com makes no claims as to the scientific/clinical validity of the information on this site OR to that of the information linked to from this site. All information taken from the internet should be discussed with a medical professional!