Well, I'll certainly take the good advice and try the drug of choice BEFORE I ever set foot on that plane! Also, I'm going to be READY FOR SLEEP at that very moment and be prepared to behave in a totally freakish way if I get interrupted and have discourse with anyone or asked to perform some task!!!
I'll also remember to take less than a tablet the first time or two to see how it treats me. Benadryl puts me to sleep in @ an hour if I haven't taken it for awhile. If I've been having allergy symptoms and taking it regularly, I get the opposite effect...I get edgy. Wouldn't that just the the worst thing in the world to take something like ambien and hoping to get a little sleep - when all of a sudden I'm so nervous, all I can do is run the aisles? Lordy, FAs and air marshalls would have me in cuffs straightaway!!!

Thanks so much for your input. I went back and read earlier posts on this subject, but you guys just gave me the lowdown and I appreciate it.

I don't think anything short of general anesthesia could keep me asleep for 8 hours on a plane. Being a nervous flyer, Ambien didn't do much for me... I dozed for about 2 hours or less. I always take Xanax when flying. If I'm lucky, I get a little bit of sleep with that.

Xanax definitely works for me. So many pharmaceuticals really upset my stomach preventing sleep that way. Xanax doesn't do that. And Xanax and a beer or two and not only do you sleep like a log, but you won't remember the painful Y experience. A note, though - this method is only for the long-haul flights. Okay, it's probably just a bad idea.

My family physician says that early anecdotal evidence from her patients who tried Ambien CR is that it doesn't last any longer than regular Ambien, but it costs more.

I took Xanax many years ago for a short while after one of my parents died and it got me to sleep within 30 minutes but it did leave a groggy feeling for me the next morning. I was calm and that helped me get to sleep - no thoughts constantly interfering with getting to sleep, but I'd have to take a lot of that to GET me to sleep.

If what I've been reading on here about ambien putting you out really fast, that's exactly what I need. I don't expect to get 8 hours of sleep or anything. Heck, I'll probably want to be awake for a few hours of the flight anyway, but I do wish to get at least 2 hours and would really prefer 4 or 6. Last trip to London, last summer when the bombings occurred over there, I just dozed for maybe 15 minutes and felt like C R A P when I got there. Sure would love to avoid that.

Deal is, I'll be travelling cross-continent from Charlotte, NC that same day but early in the morning, so I'm in for quite a long haul. Think the first leg would be one to take a little ambien, too? I mean, this one only lasts about 4 1/2 hours, but it'd be nice to get a little shuteye on it too. I'd hate to feel weirded out at SFO, though. Wouldn't be prudent!!

Free trial offer for Ambien CR
 

Because of the "CR" inner tablet part, some of the dose is released a few hours later, so in theory, its like taking two smaller doses a few hours apart. Not sure it makes that much difference in real life, and yes, it does cost more.

But, you can get a 7 day free trial if you download this form from the Ambien website <https://www.ambiencr.com/default.aspx?s=info&c=FTO>, your M.D. writes you a 7 dose Rx, and you bring both of them to any pharmacy. You don't have to use your real e-mail or any private info or sign up for their "newsletter" when you download the form, but you should put in your real first initial and last name (eg " J. Bond", etc) so the pharmacy will actually be able to match it to the Rx so they can get reimbursed.

Give it a try at home (great advice) before you go on your trip.

BTW, I use regular Ambien, let it dissolve under my tongue for faster absorption, am usually 'out' in 10 min, and stay asleep for 4 hours or so.









.

Thanks Kman! :D

Yea, Kman, thanks for the info about the free sample. My problem is I still have to see the dr. for the prescription to get it. I am so tired of going to the dr. for one little thing or another. I remember those days when I could call my doc and say I had a sinus infection and he called in some antiobiotic. Those days are soooo over! Guess insurance has made sure of that and the doc makes NO moolah without my visit. Ah well, gotta go for a physical in April, so that's the time to make a list and check it twice and get those refills/prescriptions from him. A little off-topic, but needed to vent a bit!

Those of you having posted on this thread - are you normally people who can sleep on a plane without meds but just not very well or are you more like me - can't sleep...merely doze? And, for me, all the little things that happen on a plane keep me "up" - like turbulance, lights on around me for reading, people shifting about to go to the lavatory, so I'm hoping the ambien will nix that kind of interference!! I guess a lot of that is lessened by the 1A/J seats we have. Gotta be quiet up there.

I've also taken Ambien for Transatlantic flights and it never worked well. It would take me 1-2 hours after taking it to finally kick in. They I'd only sleep for 2-4 hours. I just wanted something to knock me out the whole flight.

So now I use Xanax and I sleep shortly after taking it and stay asleep for countless hours. I love it!

In my experience, Ambien knocks me down in 15 minutes but doesn't keep me asleep. I've tried Lunesta and it did absolutely nothing for me. Unisom keeps me asleep for several hours but gives me a groggy feeling for the rest of the day. Sigh!

I too vote:

Ambien for 7+ hour flights
Xanax for 2.5+ hour flights
NEVER over the counter...it will make you very droggy

Does anyone ever find it hard to get your doctor to write a script for ambien or xanax? I've never tried to get this stuff before and sometimes, in the US anyway, some doctors are suspicious of your need for these kinds of meds. I haven't tried yet, so maybe I'm just projecting. Sure hope it isn't a problem.

This has already been discussed a little, but do many of you actually enjoy a cocktail and wine with dinner before taking these meds? What's been your experience? Is this something to avoid? I'm sure it's better not to drink, but I hate to turn down the nice f class service.

Hope not for the pilot.

I can't really sleep on airplanes, never have been able to, little cat naps here and there, doesn't matter if it was trans pacific or atlantic.

A fellow FT'er bud gave me two Ambien to take for my recent flight from NRT-SFO.

Had dinner, glass of wine, took the two ambien, woke up 40 minutes outside of SFO.

A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE !! I had my doc write me a small prescription for Ambien as I have some long haul flights coming up.

--

Try the Ambien first!!

I take it a few times a month, and love the sleep I get from it - at least 8 hours, tired 10 minutes after taking it.

The problem is, about 10 minutes into the drug, I hallucinate, and become very talkative. If I can just shut my mouth and eyes, I am fine. However, I have a hard time resisting disovering what this night's hallucination will be. (I have never used any other kinds of drugs recreationally.)

I asked my doctor about this, and he has the same problem, but likes the sleep enough to keep taking it. I have noticed that I can beuild up a tolerance to it. If I take it for a few nights in a row, the hallucinations seem to go away.

I also spoke to a FA about this once, and he said they appreciate knowing when you are taking something - in case you hallucinate, or just need to sleep.

Another important note, my husband can't sleep on Ambien, but sleeps well on Sonata. I can't sleep on Sonata.