Should I take antihistamine or decongestant before flying?

Should I take antihistamine or decongestant before flying? Try taking a decongestant or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine before you get on the airplane, particularly if you are suffering from a head cold or swollen sinuses. If you have high blood pressure or heart problems, you should not take decongestants without approval of your healthcare provider.

Are antihistamines good for flying?

Many pilots are unaware that there are wait times after each use of sedating antihistamines. For cetirizine (Zyrtec®) and levocetirizine (Xyzal®), you should not fly for 48 hours after taking the last dose. For diphenhydramine or doxylamine, you should not fly for 60 hours after taking the last dose.

When should I take antihistamine before a flight?

Take this medicine at least 30 minutes or, even better, 1 to 2 hours before you begin to travel.

Which antihistamine is best for traveling?

The most frequently used antihistamines to treat motion sickness include cyclizine, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, and promethazine (oral and suppository); nonsedating antihistamines appear to be less effective.

What is the best medicine to take before a flight?

These drugs are usually taken shortly before a flight. They include: Anti-anxiety medication, such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax). Motion sickness medication, such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine).

How long should I take Sudafed before a flight?

1. About one hour before expected descent, take a decongestant (such as Sudafed- 12hr). 2. About 30 minutes before the flight use a nasal spray (such as Afrin or Neo-Synephrine).

Why do you need Afrin before flying?

A second intervention is topical Afrin nasal spray. Afrin is sold over the counter and contains Oxymetazoline, a chemical which causes blood vessels to constrict and will ultimately reduce swelling to help keep your sinuses and Eustachian tubes open.

Should I take mucinex before a flight?

With a doctor's approval, adults can take a decongestant. “If it's a short flight, take it [the decongestant] before leaving,” House says. If it's a long flight, eight hours or so, you might take it an hour or so before the scheduled landing.

What should you not forget before an airport?

What not to do before flying?

Avoid eating heavy foods, especially spicy foods and foods that you wouldn't even normally eat. Eating something that could really upset your stomach, or give you something worse like food poisoning, isn't fun. It's best to eat healthy foods even if it's just 24 hours before your trip, this could help a lot!

How do I prepare my body for flying?

How do you relieve head pressure on a plane?