njxbean

Ok. i was not sure where to post this. But i figured this board would be the best place to ask this, as most of you are frequent flyers. the past few days i have had bad sinus headaches. I have to fly on sunday. I am guessing a few of you have flown with a cold or while congested. Anyone have any recommendations on something to take before my flight? I am guessing(hoping) someone on here has flown with a headcold or sinus headache. again, if this is the wrong place to post this, my apologies. Thanks.

channa

My doctor presribes Entex, which works wonder.

It's a prescription, so talk to your doctor.

cup.of.jo

I had terrible earaches with my sinus cold two weeks ago and was concerned that I might perforate an eardrum. Search on FT turned up a recommendation for 'SkyPlanes'. They look similar to regular earplugs but they have a ceramic filter in them that helps regulate pressure (found them at CVS). SkyPlanes plus Sudafed, plenty of water & gum and I made it without issue.

Best of luck. It's never fun to fly when you are sick.

njshawn

I think this is a great topic and I was searching for this one today on FT and didn't find one. I WILL not fly with a sinus infection as I have busted an eardrum twice on flights. I hate roller coasters or anything that makes me feel like that but nothing in the world gets me more excited then being on an airplane (as far as thrills of course). I love flying more then anything and I hope one day to take lessons for myself. All that being said the only fear in the world I have when flying is my ears. We could be bouncing all over the sky in 50 MPH winds coming into EWR and alls I am worrying about is my ears. My rule of thumb is if I cannot clear my ears before a flight by holding my nose and blowing then I WILL not get on an airplane. I have cancelled 2 trips this year because my head was clogged. I always wanted to ask a pilot what they do to prevent their head from exploding when they have a cold. When I fly I always take a sudafed sinus congestion and I have not had problems with my ears this year (Knock on wood). Since this is without congestion I don't know if it would help with a cold but I know it doesn't when I am not flying.

njshawn

I have tried those SkyPlanes and I am not sure if they really helped or not because I didn't have a cold but I think they are worth a try.

njxbean

where can i find them?

njshawn

I always get them at Walgreens, they are right by the earplugs. I always see this brand and another one called Flints. I would buy both if you are really concerned and see which ones works best.

ContinentalFan

If you haven't flown with such an infection before, you may be in for a surprise. Some people don't react well to traveling under the conditions mentioned in the OP. You might want to consider medication to clear your sinuses--even hot soup!

njxbean

well i flew a week ago. i was all stuffed up. but no sinus headache. took some tylenol sinus which did nothing. the landing killed me!!! Thats why im asking for suggestions, because that tylenol did nothing for me.

hangpilot

Yes - Entex - if you can't get somewhere to get a script written then look for the strongest guaifenesin and phenylephrine type medication you can. (I think sudafed do a 4-hour "non-drying" sinus that comes close, but you gotta remember to keep taking it! Combine that with some Afrin, and hope things calm down enough in time for you to fly.

Nasonex spray for eustacian tube dysfunction if they clog and block completely.

Syzygies

www.nasalrinse.com

A mechanical solution that should be part of everyone's arsenal.

I used to get curl-up-in-fetal-position-while-begging-my-wife-for-her-narcotic-prescription earaches every now and then, from an old dive injury. Somehow, flying 100K a few years resolved the issue. But I take a 12 hour sudafed before flights, and nasalrinse during a shower after arrival, as a precaution.

cup.of.jo

With the change of ingredients in most OTC sinus/flu/cold medications recently, I make sure to buy the one from behind the pharmacy counter & not out on the aisles. The ones behind the counter are the 'old' formula and have always worked better for me.

Also, as Hangpilot mentioned -- Nasonex/Afrin helped a lot too.

Xyzzy

This has nothing to do with Continental Airlines. Please continue the discussion in Travelbuzz!

Xyzzy
CO forum moderator

obscure2k

Welcome to FTnjxbean

You seem to have landed in the right forum

doobierw

Sudafed or Entex. Keep a bottle of 'Afrin' (less than 3 oz. of course....) in your pocket as a backup....if you are still stuffed up just prior to the descent, a few squirts of Afrin will help.