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Tips for Air Travel?

SSekouB

Senior Member
Messages
1,082
Location
Seattle
Say...,

Does anyone have any helpful tips on air travel that you’ve found reduces likelihood of suffering from ME symptoms? In particular — nausea, internal jitters, extremes in temperature sensitivity, crashing for a month when it’s all over? Anything? Anyone?
 

BeADocToGoTo1

Senior Member
Messages
536
Lower the dosage of stress, virus and bacteria as much as is possible.

These things helped me:
  • Plan ahead and leave plenty of time so you never have to rush
  • Do not eat or drink anything from the plane, but bring your own healthy, primal, low carb food and snacks.
  • Eat a healthy, nutrtitious, easily digestible home made meal before the trip
  • Bring and drink plenty of water before and during. Only drink bottled water from the airline if available. Do not trust hot beverages either on the plane; awful water quality.
  • Lower stress through yoga breathing or meditation before and during the trip.
  • Bring earplugs and noise-cancelling earphones. The sound is an intense drain of energy.
  • Bring comfy eye mask to block all light to try to nap or meditate.
  • Bring kindle or book for distraction if needed
  • Before setling in, use antibacterial wipes to clean all the surfaces in your area: armrest, headrest, window, airvent, all buttons, table, screen
  • Use mouthspray (Halo) and handspray ( Nano Pure) for protective layer before the airport
  • Take and bring Zicam (zinc helps boost the immune system)
  • Bring some type of a pillow and hoody for comfort
  • Bring a few surgery style face masks in case you sit close (2-3 rows in either direction or in queues) to snottering, coughing, sick people. Do not worry about feeling silly or comments from fellow passengers.
  • Point vent to your chest for airflow and buffer
  • Do not touch your face
  • Do not touch anything unecessarily, including other seats, airline magazines, etc. It truly is a disgusting environment that is never cleaned
  • Bring wipes or alcohol sanitizer for bathroom trips since the bathroom water is filthy
Probably missing a few, but it is a start.
 
Messages
82
Ask for a wheelchair from the airline. Remind the flight attendant when they announce descent.

Bring electrolyte capsules (or powder) to take with your bottled water.

For nausea, that'll depend on your symptom set. Some people may find the following helpful (some of these might exacerbate other symptoms):
  • Peppermint (tea, lozenges, etc.)
  • Ginger
  • Marshmallow root
  • Scopolamine patch (Rx)
  • Fruit juice (but not orange or grapefruit, which may be too acidic)
  • Crackers, bread, or rice cakes (or some other safe starch; most people will like a bland, low-fat starch for this but I once lived on shortbread, so do what works for you)
  • Electrolyte powder or capsules (this is a good general tip anyway)

There may be others.

(Fennel seed tea is good for nausea, too, but seems impractical for traveling.)