Going abroad again after a flight disaster 8 years ago....

tommysaver

Hi all, bear with me on this one..!

The TL;DR version of this is that I had a bad experience on my last plane trip, fainting for no apparent reason on the way to Turkey, and on the way back I was fine.

It's getting to the point now where it's really affecting my life, and I want for nothing more than to be able to go away like a normal person, and enjoy a relaxing holiday. I just get very worried that it will happen again for no reason what-so-ever. Even worse if I'm with my girlfriend not parents and she has to deal with it all!

Any advice would be AWESOME. I literally have no clue at ALL when it comes to holidays, I feel so overwhelmed by it all. All I'm looking for really is perhaps tales of how you guys overcome random rubbish like this, or some holiday suggestions that have short flights and easy transfers just to give me some peace of mind and ease me into it, I'd love to travel the world one day! I'm hoping once I've tackled it the world will become my oyster! Even if there are any travel agencies you would recommend or companies that I could just call and say look, I want something easy, what you got? I tried Thomas Cook but didn't get very far.

Thanks!

If you want the full details, grab a cuppa and scroll on.

Main story details...

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One area I completely lack any ability in my life is confidence when it comes to going to new places abroad. Put me in my car and I'll drive 3000 miles without a blink of doubt or worry.

Tell me I'm going via a plane however... I get the gremlins appear.

A bit of background; I'm 23 now. Around 8 years ago I went to Turkey on a family holiday, previous to this I had been to Menorca, Ibiza, even Florida which was a very long flight. Naturally, I was pretty nervous but I didn't show it to my parents or family friends, i sort of laughed and joked yeah I'm fine and hid the nerves.

As we took off, I immediately felt too hot. You know that feeling when you sort of come over in a hot flush. I tried to relax but it didn't go to plan, I remember it clear as day. I looked down to my right wrist to see my 14/15 year old veins popping out my skin as I was so hot.

This is what I believe triggered it.

Next thing I know I'm being woken up with a crowd of people around me, and I shouted in half in a daze "We're going down" but I was completely out of it. I fainted on the plane basically.

The pilot asked if anyone medically trained was on board to assist and gave our row / seat number.. my parents were mildy worried!

Luckily for me, a nurse was on board off duty heading away on her holidays. I can't thank her enough to this day! She got a paper bag out and made me breathe in and out of it which helped me immensely... but she was becoming concerned about the red rashes on my back. At one point the plane was going to be redirected to land and get me off due to this rash, but luckily, gradually over time it eased off and the nurse sat with me the entire time.

I can remember just staring at the next seat in front and how it was fixed to the floor, thinking to myself how long every second is taking to go past... that was a long 3 hour flight in that state.

Once we had landed, I was escorted to a toilet where I was projectile sick for about 30 seconds, I'd never seen anything like it in my life. Me and dad still refer to it as the 'Little Britain episode'...


Immediately after I was sick I felt 100% better, and was completely OK to enjoy the holiday. Hell, we even had a Turkish cab driver drive us over 2 hours through the winding mountains overtaking blindly like a lunatic and I didn't feel sick then, I felt more for my life.

Enjoyed the holiday, dredded coming home, stuck my head in a book the entire flight and I lived to tell the tale.

Ever since this one episode has happened, I haven't been on a plane since. Which I'm really really frustrated at. I've put my life on hold since a freak incident aged 15.

So I'm now determined to overcome it, and book myself a nice easy holiday with no frills and no worries that I can give it a go on.

It's worth noting I felt quite similar on the Eurotunnel to France about 2 years ago... I just get like weird anxiety travelling to new places and I don't know what to expect. Maybe I'm just a weirdo! I felt like all the normal people just talking to one another really amplified in my head, like thats all I could hear and focus on. Anyway, I managed to hold it together through the Eurotunnel journey!

I've been saving hard since being employed at 18 years old and have a healthy sum to enjoy before things like houses and mortgages come into play.

I'm scared that if I don't tackle this head on now, I'm going to waste some of the best years of my life. And my how life is too short anyway!

So, anyone got any epic short flight deals / all inclusive / easy transfer / anywhere, hot sunny, pool, beach, exploring with a hire car, perfect.

Cheers all.

Tom :beer:

peachyprice

Why not have a road trip to the South of France, Italy, Switzerland, or Spain? You'll have a lovely holiday travelling in a way you'll feel comfortable.

tommysaver

peachyprice wrote: »

Why not have a road trip to the South of France, Italy, Switzerland, or Spain? You'll have a lovely holiday travelling in a way you'll feel comfortable.

I am planning on doing this, incorporating the Nurburgring (I'm a petrolhead)

But ideally I want to tackle flying to open up more options, as well as normality!

CM66

This happened to me too, for no reason(from what I can tell)

Fainted in the toilets on the way to NYC - had the 'is there a nurse or doctor on board' call and sat with an oxygen tank on my lap for the rest of the flight. Went to the docs and they couldn't find anything wrong.

Same thing happened a few years later on a flight to Iceland, I'd flown since the last incident and had been fine.

Since then I've probably take 50 flights and it's never happened again! I always find keeping myself mega hydrated and staying away from alcohol before / during the flight has helped.

warehouse

Saw people doing this on a TV program once, it transformed them.

https://www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk/

martindow

Some airlines offer schemes which apparently have a lot of success dealing with nervousness and phobia of flying. Here are a couple of examples

https://fearlessflyer.easyjet.com/

https://www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk/

May be worth seeing if there is one near you.

Becles

I get panic attacks like that for no apparent reason whatsoever. I think a plane brings them on as you're sort of trapped in a confined space and can't escape if you start to panic.

I have Crohn's disease as well and for some reason I get this fear that I'm going to poo myself in front of everyone even though I've only had the very occasional accident with it and they've all been at home when I've been off work poorly as the symptoms are playing up!

I've found sitting on the end of a row helps and sitting near the toilets so I do have an easy bolt hole if necessary. There's always a stewardess area at the front and back of the plane you could go to as well.

Have you got a coping strategy? Focus on your breathing keeping it deep and slow. This sounds daft but a song we used to sing at Sunday school called Be Bold Be Strong helps me a lot. I mentally sing it in my head and I focus on the words and tell myself I'm being bold and strong and I'm not afraid and that helps it pass. I give myself pep talks all the way through like "go on you can do this" and then congratulate myself for getting through it. I probably sound like a right nutter now but it helps!

It seems to get worse if I'm bored or worried about something like if there is a delay. Take plenty to do with you such as a good book or travel games if others will play with you. Keeping yourself occupied helps a lot.

Go and talk to the GP as well. They might be able to put you in touch with services in your area that can help as well.

peachyprice

tommysaver wrote: »

I am planning on doing this, incorporating the Nurburgring (I'm a petrolhead)

But ideally I want to tackle flying to open up more options, as well as normality!

Perhaps book a few cheap Ryan Air flights to nowhere in particular, that would take the pressure off you potentially ruining a holiday. Just short day trips to Germany/Scandinavia/Scotland to get back into the swing of the whole airport/plane experience and will give you an idea of where you feel most comfortable on the plane.

I had a claustrophobic attack at the back of a plane a few years ago, I now pay the extra to sit at the front of the plane, just the thought of all those people jammed in behind me gets me jittery. I get on first, don't look back, and don't ever get up for the loo. Now if I can't get a seat in the first 3 rows I take a different flight.:o

tommysaver

Thanks so much for the replies so far everyone, seems I am not alone!

I may well purchase one of these books that supposedly help.

I'm also trying to book a short flight for a small getaway just as a tester!

Thanks
Tom

Voyager2002

Just read the OP... is it possible that you were ill because of something in your stomach?

You might try a flight in First class: some European airlines still offer true first class for short-haul flights. That way, you would be sheltered from most of the things about flying that cause stress and if things started to go wrong there would be plenty of cabin crew to take care of you.

rome1067

I used to have a real fear of flying which came out of nowhere and we were unable to go abroad for about 5 years. I knew I had to do something about it as my kids were missing out and I felt really bad about it.
I used the Paul McKenna app for fear of flying, think it cost about £5, best fiver I ever spent. I used to listen to it as I was falling asleep, and the first year I flew I listened to it on the flight too. It sounds over the top but the result is amazing. I am very relaxed on flights now, right in the back of my mind I know there is still a bit of fear but it's almost like it can't get in, it's a strange feeling!
I definitely recommend the app just make sure you listen to it enough.