Claustrophobia?

I've started to get some very bad symptoms of claustrophobia and I'm not quite sure what to do about it. It started when I had to get an MRI. They had to pull me out of the machine because I got extremely nauseous and felt pure, sheer terror (I thought I was having a heart attack). The same thing has begun happening on the subway, especially when it gets crowded, to the point where I have to get off the train sometimes at an above ground station and calm down and get on the next train. I have to fly in about three weeks and I'm almost to the point of canceling my trip because I am just imagining being inside the plane and what I'm going to feel when the plane door closes. I've always been a reluctant flyer, but this year seems different.

These feelings scare me because they're somewhat new. I don't want to become like my mom who, at age 60 (I'm 37), never goes out of the house and always makes excuses whenever we try to take her.

[Boaster]

The other symptom I'm having that I didn't mention in my original post is horrible, vivid nightmares, to the point where I wake up screaming and sometimes it seems like I begin dreaming at night while I'm still awake but can't shake myself out of it.

P.S. I'm not taking any meds at all except Nasonex 1-2x a week for sinus problems.

[Barbarella]

Go to Google and type in "Nasonex side effects" almost on the top of the page you will see a headline "patients ratings and comments", you will find that some of these people have almost the same side effects as you have, especially about the nightmares.  I only read about four comments, but there are tons of them.

It looks like your mom is suffering from agorophobia.  Sometimes anxiety, as well as depression can be inherited.

[Shannon Wyatt]

I too have a fear of flying -- not from the plane crashing so much as being trapped in the plane with nowhere to go if I get anxious.  As I HAVE to fly for my work, here is what I do.  I face my fear and do it anyway.  But I've learned that distraction from your anxious thoughts works for me.  Here is what works for me:

1.  Bring magazines and a book to read.
2.  Bring your IPod to listen to either music or an affirmation tape.
3.  Bring your laptop or portable DVD player to watch a movie (this helps alot for me).
4.  Talk to the person sitting next to you.  I don't mention my anxiety, but I try to engage in small talk.
5.  Try to meditate or use visualizations.  Sometimes I will set with my eyes closed and think of open fields or forests.
6.  Try to set next to a window.  Looking outside is like a visualization in itself.
7.  I may take an Ativan to "take the edge off" about 30 minutes before the flight.

Here is what I do.  Hope this helps for you too.  I have also learned that exposure to your phobia helps too.  Taking multiple flights like over a period of months tends to help me greatly.

Good Luck,

[Joe T]

I have similar problems when flying.  I am not afraid of being in the air or of crashing.  I am claustrophobic.  As noted by Shannon, frequency of flying helps greatly; however, I am now retired and rarely fly.  I am about to fly cross country to Oregon and discussed my problem with my physician.  He suggested Ativan at the level of 0.5mg.  Someone I know takes this medication at the 1.0 mg level.  I will find out how it works.  Prior to this I used to take a dramamine.  It helped some, but not completely.  Yet it has the advantage of being over the counter.  
I too take on crossword puzzles and reading material to distract my mind from the psychological problem.  It does help.
Finally, I turn on the overhead vent to let in as much fresh air as possible.  This too helps.  There was a study that claustrophobia  is exacerbated by high levels of carbon dioxide.  The CO2 levels in plane cabins can be excessive.  Thus, the benefit of fresh air.

Good luck.

[Boaster]

Thanks for your comments. I am going to see a behavioral counselor to try to work through some of this claustrophobia. I also stopped  using Naxonex though I haven't noticed any effect yet on my claustrophobia, I'm just a congested claustrophobic =).

The doctor prescribed me a few .25 Xanax to take when I fly, but I'm going to try not to have to take them since my sister got addicted to Xanax and I don't want to go down that road.

Maybe my grandparents' generation had the right idea about flying--just get blind drunk (just kidding).