Trouble Flying?

[LilyCeliac]

Hey Everyone!

I've been gluten free now since summer and I'm happy to say I have been feeling quite a bit better. I have good days and bad days but the bad days are now alot less.

I have noticed that I still have really bad anxiety at times. The last couple times I was on a plane I have had panic attacks and my anxiety has been insane. I am not scared of flying, I have never had a problem with flying before. But, for some reason now that I have Celiac I can't handle being on a plane.

I want to go on another trip at the end of January but I know I can't unless I get some sort of medication. I'm going to go to the Doctors but they haven't been much help to me since I've been diagnosed so I thought I would come here first and see if any of you have had the same problem and if something has helped you.

Thanks!!!

[Lisa]

Hey Everyone!

I've been gluten free now since summer and I'm happy to say I have been feeling quite a bit better. I have good days and bad days but the bad days are now alot less.

I have noticed that I still have really bad anxiety at times. The last couple times I was on a plane I have had panic attacks and my anxiety has been insane. I am not scared of flying, I have never had a problem with flying before. But, for some reason now that I have Celiac I can't handle being on a plane.

I want to go on another trip at the end of January but I know I can't unless I get some sort of medication. I'm going to go to the Doctors but they haven't been much help to me since I've been diagnosed so I thought I would come here first and see if any of you have had the same problem and if something has helped you.

Thanks!!!

I am glad that you feel that you are doing better on the gluten free diet. I think as you continue you will feel better and your anxiety will slowly fade. The odd thing about anxiety is that the the fear of being anxious will cause the anxiety. Perhaps a minor relaxant may be helpful.

I had the same reaction to bridges. We live in a land with many bridges. We have high ones, skinny ones, low ones and long ones. I had to put my head down (not driving ) and I could feel my heart race and my palms sweat. I think a lot of it had to do with my husband multi-tasking at the highest point of the bridge. Ugg

My bridge anxiety has faded and it's almost gone. Don't know why.

Regarding airplanes. I am married to an airline pilot and he wants to get back to his family just as much as his passengers do. His butt is on that airplane too. You will be safe.

[alamaz]

Before going gluten-free I experienced the same things. I literally would be ready to jump out of my seat after the door closed to ask the flight attendant to let me off (My husband wouldn't let me though). I found that as soon as I got to my seat, I'd have to sit down with my IPod and close my eyes and block out what was going on around me. Once we got in the air I really was okay. The worst was when we got on the plane and then sat on the runway for TWO hours on a delay. I didn't think my heart would hold out it was thumping so hard!

Now that I've been gluten-free for a year it's much better. I still get nervous but I get nervous when I have to take a road trip so that's just me. Definitely no where near as nervous as my gluten days. Your anxiety could be another manifestation of celiac disease or other food allergy. There is a really good website, I think fearofflying.com that is by a former pilot and he talks about how to overcome the fear of flying and techniques you can use to get through it.

My old co-worker would pass out in the middle of the flight from anxiety. She would get on the plane, tell the flight attendent she would be passing out at some point and then halfway into the flight, boom! Totally pass out. She was checked out by drs. up and down and no one could find anything wrong with her (shocking I know ) and concluded it was anxiety. The last time she flew she took a meditation tape with her and listened to it the whole way - and didn't pass out! Maybe you could try that route? And I know it's probably bad to say, but a nice relaxant might help a little bit too