Migraine

I'm going to ask my doctor at my upcoming appt. about this, but I wanted to know if anyone has suggestions about avoiding migraines when flying.

The last flight I took lead to a debilitating migraine, so I'm apprehensive about taking another trip. I seem to encounter many of my triggers when flying, in addition to the trigger of flying itself.

Liz

My last neuro prescribed Frova for me to take when I fly. I take it twice a day with two ibuprofen, the day before and the day of my flight. It helps a lot with preventing the inevitable fly-graine.

Perhaps you can talk to your doc about using Frova like this. Frova is one of the preferred triptans to use as a short-term preventive, but I would imagine Amerge is an option as well (since it's used that way for menstrual migraines).

Other tricks: I drink lots and lots of water and bring my own snacks with me. Sunglasses for the fluorescents both in the airport and on the plane. Earplugs to help with the noise. Altoids to help with the nausea (and my anti-nausea meds as well).

Hope this helps!

We've had several people in the past that have taken abortives (usually triptans) just before their flight as a preventative measure and had luck with it. Your doctor may already be aware of this, and should be able to put together a dosing schedule for flying that may work for you.

I think MJ's advice to have all the little comfort measures and things to help with nausea and the like is great, too.

Thank you for your responses and suggestions. I feel better going into my appt. next week with some potential solutions to discuss with my HA specialist.

The trip will be nearly a 7 hr. flight with DH and my 4 young children, which is enough to give anyone shivers of stress regardless of migraine. Actually, the kids are good during travel. We just have to keep everyone busy.

Liz

Hi Liz!

My doctor also allows me to take an abortive on the day of my flight. I usually take it before I board the plane. It has worked well for me so far.

I understand traveling with kids, especially when their young. We used to go to the Dollar Store and load up on cheap toys to entertain them with. I used to give them each a new toy every hour or so. Just don't make the same mistake I did, I once got them a toy I didn't realize made noise. Needless to say, that toy didn't last long!

I'm another one who uses the abortive before a long flight. For a short flight, my head can usually manage, but anything over an hour, and it's time to break out the frova before getting on the plane.

I know this question is a bit old (but others may have the same question.) I drink a lot of water beforehand and carry on a big bottle of water to drink during the flight (I bring it empty through security, then fill it up after the checkpoint). I also bring all of my own "safe" food and don't risk eating anything offered on the plane unless I can read the ingredients. Packing a few days in advance also helps so I am not up half the night packing and losing sleep. Finally I just hope like crazy that I am not seated next to someone who feels that wearing a bunch of perfume or cologne on a plane is an okay thing to do. If the plane isn't full and you do find yourself seated next to such a person, a flight attendant may have sympathy and be able to help you find a less aromatic seat elsewhere on the plane.

I am one who travels via air quite frequently. I am also one who take an abortive (Maxalt) prior to my flight. Otherwise, its an automatic migraine about 90% of the time!

I also request a window seat so that I can burrow into the wall if the pain does hit (I'm one who will put enought pressure on my head to crush it because it seems to alieviate the pain). Carry a pillow and/or blanket for comfort (which can also serve as a mask to avoid odors on-board like perfume and cigarette smoke). Drinking plenty of water before and after the flight is a great idea.

Good luck!

When I fly, I take Frova the day before, the day of, and the day after. I also drink TONS of water. I make sure I carry snacks so my blood sugar doesn't fluctuate (that causes migraines for me too). And if possible, I try to get a normal amount of sleep the couple days before. Everything you can think of that causes a migraine . . . try really hard not to do that for 24 hours before you fly.