Xanax and Dramamine

[joyling]

Hello,

I am a 51-yr old female with a mild case of asthma.  I get panic attacks when on a boat and will be embarking on one soon to scatter my mother's ashes.  Someone gave me 5 mg of Xanax to help with the panic.  I have a couple questions:

If I embark on the boat on 1pm, Thursday, when do I take the Xanax to have it start taking effect?

I've heard different things as to whether or not the Xanax will make my asthma worse.  Can you clarify?

Can I take the Xanax with Dramamine?  7 years ago, I took Valium with Dramamine for the same purpose (at sea for my father's ashes) and it worked well.

Thank you,
Joyling

[ranen2]

I have extreme flying phobia and get motion sick easy. I took dramamine and xanax  and it kept me from getting sick or panicing. I took quite a bit of each just to keep settled and can't imagine flying without both now. When anxiety would creep up I just took half a dramamine and it would go away.

[CassHoops]

Hi. I have MAJOR flying anxiety to the point where i'm thinking of cancelling my flight. I flew for my first time 10 years ago & told myself I would never fly again. Wel now I have to fly for work. My doctor gave me xanax & I will also be taking dramamine. How much of each would you reccomend? I HATE the feeling of the take off and thats where I panic. I don't like that stomach drop/rollercoaster feeling whatsoever. Please help. I fly Saturday and really thinking of cancelling my flight due to my take off on flights phobia.

[TragicShaun]

I just wanted to say that last night I was having a horrible anxiety attack, with all the fear of dying, barely able to breathe, and chest pains. I've never been prescribed anything but its getting to the point where I
WILL HAVE to see a doctor. So during the attack I took a 50mg Dramamine and even though I was really groggy, the attack subsided. Within an hour I could think and function MUCH better. My wife saw that for the first time in years I was able to control an attack. She literally said, "It worked, that's f***ing crazy!!" I don't know that it's right for everyone but for me, a 175lb. male, it worked great!!

[Paxiled]

There was a book written several years ago by a psychiatrist who believed many if not most anxiety problems were actually caused by inner ear problems.  He used to use dramamine to treat anxiety, and claimed it worked, though apparently his theory didn't catch on and as far as I know was never validated by other research.  But it could be the case for you, and it's even possible the dramamine alone would be enough, though you'd have to use yourself as a guinea pig to find out.  It's very sedating by itself, and if the problem is a balance problem causing you to associate it with anxiety as opposed to an anxiety problem, maybe it's the dramamine that helped you last time.

[Brenndy]

Hi Joy,

I would not recommend taking the Xanax that someone gave you.  Five mg, even in divided doses is extreme and, in combination with the Dramamine, will put you fast asleep.

You stated that in the past Valium in combination with Dramamine worked well for you.  Why not go that same route again?  Please check with your physician before embarking on this course, as if you are taking any other medications, the 'boat-anxiety' combo could be detrimental.