Flying with head pressure??? should I be?

I have thought about this a few times...and I was emailing with someone this evening who is looking for a LLMD - and it has to be within driving distance because the patient has head pressure and can't fly.


Mine isn't really bad...but what will happen? can it be harmful?

I'm probably just being a worry wart.

3 hr is okay, though quite long. I wouldn't imagine myself being able to fly more than that with my head pressure and POTS.

However, i do fine 10 hours in a car.

I've flown several times without any head pressure related problems. The only time I had an issue was when I flew on a day I was having a flare. My head pressure didn't increase, but I had the strangest rushing sensation in my chest wall during take-off. My arm was going up to press the attendant button, but having dealt with the symptoms for about a year at that point, I knew it would pass without me dying. Luckily, I was right.

I’m basically flying across the continent. First flight is 4 1/2 hours and then second leg is 1 1/2 hours (both same day)

I will be off abx for a few weeks prior but I do have head pressure ( behind my eyes) when not treating.

It’s not bad though - not like when I was on Mepron.

Thanks everyone - sounds like I should be okay .

Edit - actually there is a short flight prior to the two I mentioned - getting from my hometown to the 4 1/2 hr flight. It’s about 45 minutes long - so I guess that will be my test.

The short flight will be a good test.

Altitude pressure isn't harmful, but it can be really painful.

It depends on how inflamed you are.

When I first got lyme I had a horrible time going from 4,000 feet to 7,000 feet. It hurt. I tried gum to relieve the pressure in my ears and that was so-so, but for the head I had to use an ice pack.

Once I was up at 7,000 feet (for my doc appt) I was okay after an hour up there. And remarkably, going back down to 4,000 feet wasn't bad at all.

If it is sinus pressure, yawn a lot.

My parents had a plane and they would fly my daughter and I up to see them. She was just a baby and what I had to do with her was make sure she was hungry while we were in the plane. She would eat and swallow and that cleared her ears.

Thanks everyone....I'll just test it out on the first flight, I guess...although it isn't going as high as the second flight.


I can't find anything on the internet - just ear pressure and sinus pressure...and it's not those two.

goshawk said...
I flew when I had head pressure , numbness and vibrations in head and I did Ok. My flight was three hrs.

How long is the flight? If too long is there a way to break it up by having more connections .

Okay - you had head pressure and you were okay...makes me feel better.

TxBart said...
I've flown several times without any head pressure related problems. The only time I had an issue was when I flew on a day I was having a flare. My head pressure didn't increase, but I had the strangest rushing sensation in my chest wall during take-off. My arm was going up to press the attendant button, but having dealt with the symptoms for about a year at that point, I knew it would pass without me dying. Luckily, I was right.

That sounds horrible, TXBart.

k07 said...
Do you think an anti-inflammatory (like motrin) would help? Maybe a cup of ginger tea? I follow a blogger here that will grate fresh ginger in an empty cup and then fill it at starbucks right before she gets on flight. I guess airplane water is not very clean (according to her). Starbucks filters water. When do you go?

Wishing you a safe, uneventful trip!

I tried anti-inflammatories early on and no effect - good or bad. Both pharma and non-pharma.

I did try ginger for awhile - to help with my cold body.

I haven't booked yet, still waiting for passports...targeting end of January...beginning of Feb.