VM and air travel

[Barnettoz]

Hi I’m new here, I have had VM 3 mths now with slow improvement. Still suffer noise, movement, photophobia, dizziness and fatigue but can last 2 hrs “ normal” function before energy flattens. GP hopes I will be well in 3 mths at this rate, but as I had ME years ago which took 3/12 yrs to recover from, I have some scepticism. I would like to travel overseas in 9 mths time and was wondering if anyone has experience as to how this affected them. It would be 6 hr flight time.

[Sunny308]

I am curious to the responses to this. I had VM and ME It has taken me a year to recover from all the symptoms you mentioned and much more. I am able to go outdoors and exercise, socialize etc I want to fly at the end of the month and I'm a bit frightened. It's a 3 hour flight

[Chri5ti]

I have had VM several times now and find that flying sets off some pretty bad headache cycles for me. I believe it is the change in air pressure that is the culprit. I should explain that the longest I've gone in-between VM attacks is 36 months and I average about every 24months. No clue yet as to my cause. I have lingering headaches, nausea, vertigo and cycles of extreme fatigue that come an go with no warning. I take a daily migraine medicine (Trokendi XR) and have Fioricet and Zofran for when I get a headache. When I fly I take a Fioricet and a Zofran as I'm boarding. If it is a longer flight I take another of each if I feel ANY pressure at all in my head. This seems to work for me. Sometimes just to be safe I will take another of each about 30minutes before the landing. That way I am being proactive towards any affects of the change in air pressure for the landing process. I also drink a TON of water on the plane to stay hydrated. When I fly to Europe I make sure my first day if light and try to rest and again I stay hydrated. I find this helps a lot. I really don't have problems on shorter flights but some of the longer ones do leave me really drained and can set off a cycle of fatigue. But I don't let it stop me. I'd still rather be someplace and just do a light schedule than not going at all. I hope this helps!

[Vmzoster]

As you have probably read in all the forums, 3 months is still a short time. Recovery is slow meaning 9 months to year or even longer for some. Hard to plan too far ahead. I’d say see how you feel closer to that time. Do the normal things to be as healthy as possible and make sure you are in peak condition when travel happens. The main way to avoid viral contagion is lots of hand washing and hydration.

[BabsK]

I did two nine 9 hour flights 8 weeks after being hospitalised with VM in 2017. I was still very tired and had all the after effects but the flights did not make anything worse. I would not have chosen to travel so soon after but we were relocating to the USA so had to go then to find a house. It took approx 18 months to recover my energy levels from the VM and I still get migraines and days when I feel tired but I have flown frequently within the last 2 years and don’t feel the flights make any adverse impact.

[CharlyM]

I’d suggest to get some noise cancelling headphones for the flight. I use them for planes and trains, as the loud noise make everything worse. I think it helped me, altough with these after effects that come and go, I never know if it’s “just a bad day”

[Barnettoz]

Thank you to everyone that has commented. It it has been really helpful!

[Debcorn]

Hi 👋🏼 I traveled 2 hour flight 3 months after VM and was still suffering with earaches , headaches , extreme fatigue and I was fine ... the only down side was that I picked up a cold and then sickness bug due to weak Immune system. My advice would be take a anti inflammatory before the flight, drink plenty of water and take anti bacterial hand sanitizer and use frequently

I am 4 months into vm recovery and just returned from a holiday 8 hour flight to Dominican Republic and only suffered the same , caught a cold probably on the plain and was extremely tired for days after

Good luck hope this helps x

[Barnettoz in reply to Debcorn]

Thank you that’s encouraging!

[Bonkitty]

It will depend on how I’ll / well you feel. I travelled one week after being in hospital with VM as the doctor said I would be ok .., that holiday to NewYork nearly killed me and probably set my recovery back .

However the flight significantly relieved my headache.

I then travelled from 2 years post VM to have a relaxing , quiet holiday as prior to that I didn’t feel well enough to travel or holiday . I now still have chronic migraine and I find flying improves the migraine as does being in the high pressure sunny weather. I am now 5 years post VM.

I still have to work around migraine, dizziness and fatigue .. it has improved so take that into consideration when you choose a holiday But make sure you feel well enough to go as holidays are far more tiring than we think and we need to be well enough to be up and about in public and this took me a long time .

Now I travel often and I have climbed 3 mountains so there is light at the end of the tunnel .

[Barnettoz in reply to Bonkitty]

Thank you, that’s awesome!

[July23]

If you do not have to fly then I would say don't risk it !

I am 3 months post VM. Coping with everyday life is possible but in my own time. Slow and steady.

I know my immunity is still low (from blood tests) so I also limit infection risk and flying is certainly one of those.

Flying is an unatural process and if the thought of it is already causing you doubt then it will certainly involve additional stress on your body. That is a negative factor for healing.

Flying is necessary for some, but if it for "pleasure" weigh up possible risks and benefits carefully.