Flying with a cold

[niiiiiiiiiik]

Ok, so great news. I wake up today with a cold and I'm flying. My worst worst nightmare.

What tips do you have for flying with a cold?

 

[LadyC]

How terrible! Flying with a cold can be very painful and I find it prolongs the cold as it hangs around a lot longer in your eustachian tubes. I suggest going to the chemist and loading up on both tablet and nasal spray decongestant. Use the spray regularly on the plane. Good luck!

 

[Katie]

If you are prone to motion sickness, take some motion sickness meds. I have found colds have exacerbated my motion sickness.

 

[niiiiiiiiiik]

Thanks for the tips everyone, hopefully my ears aren't to painful when descending

 

[blackcat20]

If you get some sudafed or cold and flu, ask for the stuff with pseudoephedrine in it, the PE versions are never as good.

 

[markis10]

Thanks for the tips everyone, hopefully my ears aren't to painful when descending

Pick up some Ear Planes at the airport.

 

[BensAdventures]

I went through this just last week and hated it! I did use the nasal sprays as regularly as I could (not exactly following the instructions), and whilst it helped, still wasn't pleasant! I've never used Ear Planes, and many here swear by them! Good luck!

 

[JohnK]

I have flown with a cold once or twice. Not fun.

 

[niiiiiiiiiik]

No not at all...

 

[Milboo]

I flew NYC to SFO last year with a bad cold. Became the sinus infection from hell.

Was speaking to my doctor this morning and her advice was to take sudafed before take off and landing and use a nasal spray. Keep hydrated (consider electrolyte tablets) as you will feel worse if you get dehydrated.

Tissues and a ziplock bag for the used ones. Also take lozenges to soothe the throat as the air in the cabin can make it scratchy. Pack eye drops too just in case as your eyes will dry out.

I found sipping warm water helped. As did the lovely Irish flight attendant on Delta who kept making me hot toddys with whiskey and refusing to let me pay for them!

 

[kpc]

If you get some sudafed or cold and flu, ask for the stuff with pseudoephedrine in it, the PE versions are never as good.

This (partly) works for me

 

[JalanM111]

Try taking Olive Leaf capsules (Nature's Way) and Echinacea plus garlic zinc and Vit C tablets (Nature's Way) morning and night. Will help keep the nasal passages open and stop the sinuses getting infected. I prefer these to Sudafed (palpitations). I fly every second week and this is what works for me plus the Fess nasal spray and Fess Nasal Gel. Such a palaver but when you find something that works...........
Good luck

 

[Mattg]

Definitely buy some earplanes. A couple of days ago I had a cold prior to taking four consecutive flights and they were all painless thanks to earplanes.

 

[JohnK]

After my post previous I was on an MH KUL-HKG flight and I had what felt like the beginnings of a cold. Did not inconvenience too much on the flight and seems to be better now but still have a runny nose.

Hoping does not get any worse as I still have another 2 flights today.

 

[MAX_1]

1.Ear Planes
2.Pseudoephedrine contaning cold tablet ( you might get the 3rd degree by the pharmacist - just doing their job ) Make sure you don't have high blood pressure or heart problems. Let the pharmacist know.
3. When blowing your nose , keep one nostril closed and the other open , then alternate. Some people try popping their ears by holding both nostrils closed and end up worst off.
4. Nasal spray eg. Drixine, Otrivin or like.
5.drink plenty of fluids ( water ) this keeps the mucous from thickening

 

[PrincessK]

+1 for Ear Planes. I flew with an ear infection earlier this year and the combo of ear planes and nasal spray made for a pain free landing. You can buy them at the pharmac_ in the international terminal (in SYD anyway)

 

[ckck]

Another vote for Ear Planes. You can also buy them from Chemist Warehouse - they are my cheapest source, naturally YMMV.

 

[straitman]

Ok, so great news. I wake up today with a cold and I'm flying. My worst worst nightmare.

What tips do you have for flying with a cold?

The best answer is don't fly unless you cannot avoid doing so. There is a real possibility of bursting ear drums if you get it wrong.
As a pilot I would never fly unless I could clear my ears.

 

[niiiiiiiiiik]

Well I survive the flight with not too much discomfort. Took the spray and Claritin. Did a lot of yawning to clear my ears. I had a bit of stabbing but not as bad as what I have had in the past. So that's one flight down. Got an 8 hour flight in a few days so fingers crossed that its gone by then. Thank for everyone's advice.

 

[Gold Member]

Ok, so great news. I wake up today with a cold and I'm flying. My worst worst nightmare.

What tips do you have for flying with a cold?

In consideration of others who don't want your cold, buy several more tickets and select all the seats around you within a 5m radius, or don't fly. At least with the first option you can earn multiple instances of your FF fare point*status*cabin. I just hope to God your not flying biz/first