Best Sleeping Tablet For Long Haul Flight

[thommo46]

My doctor recommends not to take strong sleeping tablets as sleeping for along period of time and not moving increases the chance of Deep Vein Thrombosis in your legs greatly especially on plane travel. :jap:

[mikecwm]

I believe the anaesthetic propofol, sometimes referred to as "milk" is very effective, though you may want to preorder an ambulance at your destination.

[BuckarooBanzai]

Take two dramamine and you will be able to sleep through your travels. They are also legal everywhere.

The generic for dramamine is dinehydranate (motion sickness) 50 mg.

Dramamine may be very hard to find here.

[BuckarooBanzai]

XANAX rocks! I buy them where i work (outside of Thailand) over the counter and usually bring a small supply home with me here. Then take two .5 mg pills whenever I am flying more than 3 or 4 hours. Wash down with a G&T and wake up on landing.

You may be able to get one or two pills from a hospital doctor for travel. They in general are very reluctant to prescribe it though. The illegal versions of this drug may be quite harmful and contain additives that cause serious health problems.

Western doctors prefer Xanax over sleeping pills for air travel - if there are per chance problems with the flight you can recover your thought processes to meet changing requirements much quicker with an anti-anxiety drug then with a sleeping pill.

[gamini]

Hi,

My local chemist sells 10mg diazepam for 10B each. I always take two on long haul flights and on overnight bus trips too.

I don't think that this is illegal, just normally a prescription drug in most places. That said, if you are on a stopover in any middle east country, notably Dubai, then do not have anything on your person whatsoever. I entered Dubai with a 10 pack of these little blue pills only to realize later the stupidity of my actions.

cheers

Jim

The Pharmicist and you are in light of recent official crackdowns likely to get 8-10 months-I assure you am not joking.

And at 10 baht they must be fake and very dangerous. Poorly made up without proper control they could kill you as I learnt. I suffered three days in a stupor after taking a

10 bt diapazim

[wabear]

Halcion works best for me. You can get it with a Doctor's prescription. Try half a tablet first. Ambien is a newer prescription but didn't work for me. Either should be good for 4-5 hours of sleep.

Avoid caffiene, alcohol and heavy meals on and before the flight. Walking around the plane is a good idea after sitting so long in your seat.

Keep pills in the original container if you come to US. The little baggies with Thai writing on the outside are not the best choice

My mom just takes a night time cold pill. I find these give more of a "hangover" feeling than Halcion.

[Gerryasia1]

Hi,

My local chemist sells 10mg diazepam for 10B each. I always take two on long haul flights and on overnight bus trips too.

I don't think that this is illegal, just normally a prescription drug in most places. That said, if you are on a stopover in any middle east country, notably Dubai, then do not have anything on your person whatsoever. I entered Dubai with a 10 pack of these little blue pills only to realize later the stupidity of my actions.

cheers

Jim

Diazepam (ie. Valium) is illegal for over-the-counter sale in Thailand without a prescription.

Is it really? I was able to buy it quite freely over the counter in a few places.

Farang can buy it everywhere...it is just illegal for Thais. Half pill GREAT for long flights! Very small and easy to conceal. '_'

[LindsayBKK]

And if the plane has to make an emergency landing who's going to help you?

A few beers or scotch & cokes do it for me. Everybody has an Ipod.

Songs hereDownload

[Soutpeel]

Dramamine may be very hard to find here.

Its availble in just about every pharmacy in Thailand....

[SOTIRIOS]

Melatonin.

Got a box full of it does not help me much but does give me funny dreams

Your best natural option. 'Funny' dreams (enhanced) like when we were children because it DOES NOT interfere with your sleep cycle.

Check the dosage 1.5 mg - 5 mg ought to do it.

Take it a couple of hours before you want to fall asleep

(Do not 'fight it' because it is natural and subtle...if you tell yourself it will work and you want it to, it will)

IT IS IDEAL FOR ADJUSTING TO TIME ZONES

DO NOT TAKE SLEEPING PILLS, THEY WILL CAUSE MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD IN THE LONG RUN AND INTERRUPT YOUR DREAM CYCLE

BOOZE, GOES WITHOUT SAYING.......A BAD OPTION FOR SO MANY REASONS

(Check the expiry date and make sure it is real Melatonin...not sugar tablets...if bought from 'the west' it should be ok)

Sweet dreams!

[kkerry]

My doctor recommends not to take strong sleeping tablets as sleeping for along period of time and not moving increases the chance of Deep Vein Thrombosis in your legs greatly especially on plane travel. :jap:

+1

[Chivas]

I believe the anaesthetic propofol, sometimes referred to as "milk" is very effective, though you may want to preorder an ambulance at your destination.

Is this not the stuff that finished off Micheal Jackson !!

[BuckarooBanzai]

Dramamine may be very hard to find here.

Its availble in just about every pharmacy in Thailand....

One wonders what BS is but look no further!

Do you enjoy not in context responses.

Edited October 9, 2011 by BuckarooBanzai

[Scott]

Be careful about taking medication if you don't know how it will affect you. Different people will have different reactions to medication.

I usually see my Dr. and he gives me a few tablets of Valium--I have taken it before, so I know exactly what to expect. It does not put me to sleep, but if I close my eyes and decide to sleep, I can. It is a muscle relaxant and keeps me from getting all those aches and pains from sitting.

It also makes me slightly thirsty, so I drink a fair amount of water, which means occasional trips to the restroom, so I do move around.

I only use it on long hauls because it does have a slight 'hangover' effect and on shorter flights, I feel somewhat weak when I get off the plane.

[marstons]

on the xanax thing i buy over the counter from a pharmacy, wife says its allowed as she has a number 4 rated licence so she can. often a policeman sat in the pharmacy area, as its in large store, never seems a problem. cant read the thai writing but certainly a number 4 prominently featured in it, so maybe some are allowed to sell over the counter. but hospital doctors have no problem dishing them out, one even offered ryhpnol which really suprised me.

[JimSiam]

Take an antihistamine. 2 types, one can make you sleepy, the other is 'non-drowsy'. Freely available and cheap.

There two types of anithishamine, one called Peracitin encourages good sleep, failing that Povanil is good sleeping tablet and you may require a prescription for it.

"Cyproheptadine is a useful alternative to benzodiazepine hypnotics in the treatment of insomnia. Cyproheptadine may be superior to benzodiazepines in the treatment of insomnia because cyproheptadine enhances sleep quality and quantity, whereas benzodiazepines tend to decrease sleep quality" from wikipedia

[el jefe]

I have to say guys, as much as I would like to take something to put me out when doing long haul, (and yes, I do my fair share flying) I just can't do it, nor can I, as seen every time I fly people kicking their shoes off before the plane leave the ground or pop that seat belt the second they hear that 'Bing' after takeoff.

Does anyone read the safety instructions any more, or take note to the safety brief? Or take the time to track their escape route to nearest escape hatch? If you do…..I think you're a rare breed.

I don't berate anyone for doing the above, Pop a pill at the airport, rock of to sleep on take-off, and snooze and cruse till you land…..Sweet! But I just can't do it, just like I won't wear shorts or sandals, (even with fire retardant socks) when I fly.

Not all air accidents are fatal you know and when things go bad, they go bad fast. OK, falling from 50,000ft……..being sober as a judge in a bomb disposal suite is not going to save you. However, so many people turn into Hindus or fatalists when they fly and hand their lives over to the airline.

As said I wish I could let go, pop a pill……or go 1st class! But I can't. Don't misunderstand me, I am not a nervous flyer, I used to jump out planes for a living, and having walked away from one air crash, (helicopter) I can positively say from my experience, sleeping tabs or too much alcohol will play a major factor if you get out alive, (if your crash is survivable)………..Another reason for not drinking too much or crashing out….is drooling…….It's not cool!

This post is about 12h flights, not short haul between two European cities where the plane hardly leaves ground before going down... it is about 35'000 feet in the air, 8 hours nothing to do BUT sleep or read or watch films... and as you said... I rather sleep dead when the plane decides to drop in the middle of nowhere over a sea or over mountains, uncontrolled with no airport around... death comes easier if you're drunk or drousy or asleep....

I hear you ‘Swiss’ and up to a point I would agree, but….Plane goes up and long or short flight…. plane goes down. If I was unable to affect

my exit from this life, I would be happy to leave this world in slumber………If that’s all there was too flying. However,not all who earn their ‘fluffy’ wings when they board an aircraft do it with nochance of escape!

Bottom line, only youwill ultimately affect your escape.

An overnight flight in Biz Class on a true flat-bed seat usually works, but I don't want to pay that fare and don't get upgraded as often as I'd like.

Packing, unpacking, and hauling luggage to and from airports always causes lower back pain for me. I take one cyclobenzaprine/flexeril and I'm out for 12 hours+. Totally legal and solves two problems. I've got a prescription and have never tried to buy it in Thailand.

As for Tonto's paranoia:

1. How many and what percentage of long-haul flights have crashed in the last 10 years?

2. How many of those crashes had any survivors?

3. How many of those would passenger alertness have mattered?

Not only are your odds of winning the lottery better, but if you're really worried about safety, your odds of being hit by a vehicle because you're slightly impaired after having 2 or 3 drinks in a Thai bar are substantially better. I assume you never have an alcoholic beverage, do you, Tonto?

[QED]

Just remembered this thread, and thought I would update with an amusing story.

After reading all the replies I decided to try the natural method, as recommended by so many here. The flight was at 1am, so I got to my local bar at 6pm to say goodbye to some friends, and had a few beers. My driver picked me up at 9pm to go to the airport, so we stopped at 7-11 and bought a few beers for the journey. I got to the airport, checked in and cleared immigration, and had a few beers down at the nearest smoking room (not my gate). I woke up at the wrong gate at 3am having missed my flight, and had my luggage offloaded.

I then had to go back through immigration, get my exit stamp cancelled (they stamped over it with Thai writing for cancelled), and got to the Thai office at about 4am. After 6 hours messing around (and another few beers), the allowed me to go on the 12.30pm flight the same day, for an extra 19,000 THB! (My ticket was non-exchangeable and totally inflexible, deliberately so, to avoid work messing with my holiday).

I then had a few more beers, boarded the plane and had a row of 4 seats to myself. I was asleep before take off and woke up at Heathrow.

Had a great sleep, but a bit expensive, and arrived 12 hours late. Next time I will try the 10 baht tablet.....

[autan]

OK, I always take Tamezapam, 1 x 30mg capsule will knock you out for approx 8 hours. Legal to buy in thailand, but a Class C drug in the UK (dont bother). I buy one capsule and take it an hour before leaving for BKK airport, that way you remain legal. There is no legal way to take Tamezepan in the UK. You have take hayfever tablets and drink, which obviously causes problems if using an Arab Airport, they tend to take dim view of passengers falling around the airport blind drunk, with the excuse that they are just trying to get some "shut eye".

I once turned up at BKK ( Don Muang) in 2004, actually convinced I was in Manchester. You see the confusion, drink can cause. Stay sane ... stay sober.

[iian23]

a

Edited December 2, 2011 by iian23

[iian23]

OK, I always take Tamezapam, 1 x 30mg capsule will knock you out for approx 8 hours. Legal to buy in thailand, but a Class C drug in the UK (dont bother). I buy one capsule and take it an hour before leaving for BKK airport, that way you remain legal. There is no legal way to take Tamezepan in the UK. You have take hayfever tablets and drink, which obviously causes problems if using an Arab Airport, they tend to take dim view of passengers falling around the airport blind drunk, with the excuse that they are just trying to get some "shut eye".

I once turned up at BKK ( Don Muang) in 2004, actually convinced I was in Manchester. You see the confusion, drink can cause. Stay sane ... stay sober.

Tamezapam like valium is not legal to buy over the counter in Thailand, phamrmacies simply take the chance selling it to you.

[Captain Chaos]

Haven't read all the pages in this thread so apologies if already covered. Sleeping thru a long hauler, especially in cattle ... err, economy ... class sounds good. But what are the increased chances of a DVT from sitting in a cramped position so long? I'd rather stay awake, or maybe doze intermittently, and deal with the jet lag than veins going pop in my legs!

[nickmanchester2]

just got home from thailand

had 3, 0.5mg xanex that doc prescribed (took the bags with doc name address etc on them just in case of any trouble at customs)

slept pretty well

[mr.buffalo]

Atarax, not sure if they are presc. or not but I got them over the counter in Bkk. Think the box had tranquilizer on it.

[4evermaat]

Have you ever tried cherries? When they are not in season, you can get them in the can or glass bottle 100%. not sure how much it would be here, but I just bought a small can of pitted cherries for 150 baht in tesco. I'm sure villa market or maybe little india would have a better variety? I didn't like the tesco/makro packaging variety as they seem to add sugar to them. Cherries are already sweet. Honestly I haven't tasted them yet, just commening on how they pack them.

[lumply]

I have to say guys, as much as I would like to take something to put me out when doing long haul, (and yes, I do my fair share flying) I just can't do it, nor can I, as seen every time I fly people kicking their shoes off before the plane leave the ground or pop that seat belt the second they hear that 'Bing' after takeoff.

Does anyone read the safety instructions any more, or take note to the safety brief? Or take the time to track their escape route to nearest escape hatch? If you do…..I think you're a rare breed.

I don't berate anyone for doing the above, Pop a pill at the airport, rock of to sleep on take-off, and snooze and cruse till you land…..Sweet! But I just can't do it, just like I won't wear shorts or sandals, (even with fire retardant socks) when I fly.

Now here's a guy who has spoken some sense. I used to fly aircraft and although it's not in any Ops manual, it is common sense not to kick off your shoes during take off until in the cruise. Likewise on the descent and landing always have your shoes on. Being fully alert during the critical phases of flight is essential. Likewise, people who travel by air in flip flops and shorts are idiots, including women. Always be aware of your seat in relation to the emergency exits (count the backs). In any survivable impact accident there will be nil visibilty in the cabin How does this relate to knocking yourself out on long hauls? Well I'll leave that to you to deduce!

Not all air accidents are fatal you know and when things go bad, they go bad fast. OK, falling from 50,000ft……..being sober as a judge in a bomb disposal suite is not going to save you. However, so many people turn into Hindus or fatalists when they fly and hand their lives over to the airline.

As said I wish I could let go, pop a pill……or go 1st class! But I can't. Don't misunderstand me, I am not a nervous flyer, I used to jump out planes for a living, and having walked away from one air crash, (helicopter) I can positively say from my experience, sleeping tabs or too much alcohol will play a major factor if you get out alive, (if your crash is survivable)………..Another reason for not drinking too much or crashing out….is drooling…….It's not cool!

[Shaktam]

Swiss sleep. Natural with no antihistamine groggy effect. Valium and Xanax are controlled substance in Thailand and do show up in a urine test of you were unlucky enough to be tested. Watsons may sell Swiss products.

[gk10002000]

a few years ago, I went to the little clinic at the top of Soi 13 I think it was. Just wanted some cold medicine and it was on my walking path that day. Lady gave me the usual throat lozenges then some aspirin, and some little very small white pills she said was for nose. I didn't use them because I didn't really have much of a running nose. I got back to the USA. Visiting a buddy of mine who had a bad cold and couldn't sleep. I said try one of the little white pills. He fell asleep and the next day was raving about the darn things. He looked like he had never been sick. The darn things were probably heroin or some other magical ingredient!

[Tonto21]

I have to say guys, as much as I would like to take something to put me out when doing long haul, (and yes, I do my fair share flying) I just can't do it, nor can I, as seen every time I fly people kicking their shoes off before the plane leave the ground or pop that seat belt the second they hear that 'Bing' after takeoff.

Does anyone read the safety instructions any more, or take note to the safety brief? Or take the time to track their escape route to nearest escape hatch? If you do…..I think you're a rare breed.

I don't berate anyone for doing the above, Pop a pill at the airport, rock of to sleep on take-off, and snooze and cruse till you land…..Sweet! But I just can't do it, just like I won't wear shorts or sandals, (even with fire retardant socks) when I fly.

Not all air accidents are fatal you know and when things go bad, they go bad fast. OK, falling from 50,000ft……..being sober as a judge in a bomb disposal suite is not going to save you. However, so many people turn into Hindus or fatalists when they fly and hand their lives over to the airline.

As said I wish I could let go, pop a pill……or go 1st class! But I can't. Don't misunderstand me, I am not a nervous flyer, I used to jump out planes for a living, and having walked away from one air crash, (helicopter) I can positively say from my experience, sleeping tabs or too much alcohol will play a major factor if you get out alive, (if your crash is survivable)………..Another reason for not drinking too much or crashing out….is drooling…….It's not cool!

This post is about 12h flights, not short haul between two European cities where the plane hardly leaves ground before going down... it is about 35'000 feet in the air, 8 hours nothing to do BUT sleep or read or watch films... and as you said... I rather sleep dead when the plane decides to drop in the middle of nowhere over a sea or over mountains, uncontrolled with no airport around... death comes easier if you're drunk or drousy or asleep....

I hear you 'Swiss' and up to a point I would agree, but….Plane goes up and long or short flight…. plane goes down. If I was unable to affect

my exit from this life, I would be happy to leave this world in slumber………If that's all there was too flying. However,not all who earn their 'fluffy' wings when they board an aircraft do it with nochance of escape!

Bottom line, only youwill ultimately affect your escape.

An overnight flight in Biz Class on a true flat-bed seat usually works, but I don't want to pay that fare and don't get upgraded as often as I'd like.

Packing, unpacking, and hauling luggage to and from airports always causes lower back pain for me. I take one cyclobenzaprine/flexeril and I'm out for 12 hours+. Totally legal and solves two problems. I've got a prescription and have never tried to buy it in Thailand.

As for Tonto's paranoia:

1. How many and what percentage of long-haul flights have crashed in the last 10 years?

2. How many of those crashes had any survivors?

3. How many of those would passenger alertness have mattered?

Not only are your odds of winning the lottery better, but if you're really worried about safety, your odds of being hit by a vehicle because you're slightly impaired after having 2 or 3 drinks in a Thai bar are substantially better. I assume you never have an alcoholic beverage, do you, Tonto?

el jefe’ you should read my post again…..primarily the bit about survivable crash.

As for my alleged paranoia, I find your comments quite funny; you post them as if we all start and end our journeys at 35000ft and that is the only time things go wrong.

Do you honestly think you cannot affect your own survival in a survivable situation and as such slags anyone else off who goes against your thinking…..Because you’re wrong….So wrong!

You take pills to fly…..So what, I don’t care, it’s your choice, so why are you swinging your handbag at me? I’m simply saying I don’t, and gave my reasons………

As for people popping pills to sleep……Up to them, I’ve no issue with them.

…………………..Why do so many people who make comments on a post do so out of contexts with what was written………………………