If it's motion sickness, Dramamine 1 hour before you fly. If it's nerves, maybe a glass of wine?

Depends on what caused your sickness. Motion sickness is easily treated/prevented as is anxiety, but you need a doctor not us.

I keep Zofran, Pepto Bismol, Peppermint gum, and alcohol wipes handy.

Sometimes just smelling the alcohol wipes or peppermint gum will do the trick.

If anxiety is an issue, there’s a pilot on TikTok who explains all of the airplane noises, bell dings, engine sounds, turbulence, etc to explain what’s going on.

1. Sit over the wings in economy or closest to te front for business/first. Those areas of the plane have the least turbulent movement.

2. Drink lots of water! Being hydrated will help with preventing airsickness

3. Anecdotal recommendation I will suck on a lemon ginger lozenge before during and after a flight. These ingredients help keep your stomach calm and acid low.

4. Window seat! Not sure if this is based on science but I’ve always heard if you’re prone to airsickness do sit window and look at the horizon

Dramamine is my go to for plane motion sickness. If you want the really potent stuff though ask your doctor for a prescription for the motion sickness patch (scopolamine) and zofran (anti-nausea pill). Those work really well for more severe motion sickness. I keep all of these medications with me whenever I travel.

Other things that have helped me - ginger chews, spearmint or peppermint gum, ginger ale.

Most over the counter anti-nausea medications work great afaik. They just come with the (usually) undesirable side effect of drowsiness.

If you’re in the UK - I can really recommend this brand called Kwells. It’s a very potent anti nausea med with few side effects, apart from a dry mouth.

As someone with motion sickness, emetaphobia, and anxiety (which hurts the belly), I’ve learned a lot of small tips and tricks to help me.

If you’re fine with being drowsy, Dramamine works best. However, if a drowsy med is not for you, I get the “less drowsy” formula which has the active ingredient of Meclizine (25 mg). Between taking 1 of those ~1 hr before the flight, ginger ale or water for the complimentary drink, and taking deep breaths, you should be good! If I need to focus on something stationary, I personally like to look at the seatbelt sign 2 rows ahead of me. Listen to a good podcast or audiobook and try to focus your brain on it.

Worst case scenario, you do v*. Don’t fret. The flight attendants are trained to help you. It may seem embarrassing but there’s a very small chance you will ever seen any of those passengers again.

I’m wishing you safe and comfortable travels ♡

A friend of mine used to get so sick during his PPL training that he almost quit flying. He is now an Airbus captain at United. Hydrate and don't overdue things on any given day.

You mentioned feeling sick when “strong” thermaling - just so you’re aware, a climb of 200 metres (600 ft), is just a “small” climb. It’s when you are going up and >5 m/sec (1000 ft / min) that you are REALLY climbing in a glider.

But, regardless of the rate of climb, often it’s the constant turning while thermaling that can affect beginners to gliding. A lot of people are focused on the instruments, i.e. eyes looking inwards in the cockpit, and this can really affect how you feel (much like someone trying to read a book as a passenger in a car feeling sick). My advice is to learn to look outwards, which will help you feel better, and also allow you to scan for other aircraft in the vicinity (which is part of being a safe glider pilot).

As others have said, avoiding dehydration, getting a good night’s sleep beforehand and eating sensibly can really help, as can wearing cool clothing and a “bucket” style hat that keeps sun off your face and neck. In some more severe circumstances, medication can help.

100-200h per season here. I get airsick for the first 3-4h of every single season. Not comfortable, but it quickly goes away for the rest of the season. Ironically enough, the excitation of xc flying is the best remedy. When the flight gets a bit boring, that's where airsickness can kick in.

That's super normal. I know flight instructors that sometimes get sick at the beginning of seasons. Don't worry about it, it gets better. don't hesitate taking breaks because of it. Also make sure you have a bag ready.

Empty stomach? Dehydrated?

Fellow emetophobe here.

Dramamine is your friend, the drowsy kind. Not only does it help prevent motion sickness for yourself, but it also knocks you out, meaning you’re far less likely to be awake to notice if someone else gets sick. I just take my ‘sleepy pill,’ pop in earbuds, and curl up for the flight and hope and pray haha.

Hi, I also have emetophobia and a fear of flying.

The biggest help is a drug called propranolol. Get a script if you can, it's not difficult to get. Just tell your doctor you are anxious when flying, it's also very cheap. It doesn't help with anxiety mentally/directly, but it decreases your physical symptoms. For people with emetophobia I think this helps the most. It lowers your heart rate so you don't feel your chest pounding, lowers your blood pressure, decreases sweating. It lowers your physical symptoms, it doesn't make you sleepy or sedate you unless you take a ton. I found that about 40mg taken 2 hours before the flight is good. Some people say 1 hour before is good, but I find 2 hours is best because once anxiety starts, it's so difficult for me to stop. So prevention for me is best. It's effective for about 6-8 hours, but if you have multiple flights you should probably take a small dose in between each flight. I can't overstate how effective it is while not impacting you mentally.

One thing I did not expect to help me, was ear plugs. Specifically "earplanes". I have excruciating pain when landing, like my head is going to explode. Last time my ear was leaking fluid afterward and I couldn't hear well for days. But I started using earplanes, and the pain is gone by the time we reach the gate. It also helped with motion sickness, which I did not expect, but makes sense because motion sickness is related to your ears.

Also, avoid all caffeine and any stimulants like Adderall if you have ADHD. They just make the symptoms worse.

Make sure you are eating. Sometimes my brain confuses hungry and nauseous when I get fearful. So my stomach is actually telling me I'm starving, but I think it's telling me I'm about to puke and it compounds my anxiety. That $15 chicken wrap at the convivence stall is worth buying to get you through the flight comfortably.

I operate about 200-300 flights per year, and sit in the back on another 50 or so; airsickness that is bad enough for someone to vomit is quite rare, and only noticeable if the person is in your row honestly.

There’s no such thing as a turbulent route fortunately. I used to be based in both PIT and RDU, and neither have anything special about them at all; they’re actually quite boring from a pilots’ perspective.

I’ve had only one flight of someone getting sick that was substantial. But it was an elderly woman who took nauseating drugs right before the flight.

It hasn’t been very common in my experience. But if you are worried, bring ginger candy or ask for a ginger ale if they offer it - it counters motion sickness. Try to get a window seat if you can so you can look at the horizon if possible.

Not sure how this fits in with your phobia but hopefully things that can help you!

That is a MASSIVE range, from 20% to 0.01%. It means that it's somewhere between "every fifth person" and "every ten thousandth person"

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So.

Obviously rule out any medial issues. To suddenly have motion sickness could be something else (though no idea what)

Mines pretty bad. I can't even ride in the passenger seat of cars. First off, see if you need glasses if you don't have them already.

Seabands work for me, as do anti nausea lollipops(I travel with these for our kid too) I like the honey ginger ones but there are others. Of course good Ole dramamine. I also can't use my phone or anything hardly at all. Only to watch a movie and even then if I look around a lot I still get nauseated.

Have you been medically checked and screened for any known causes of your conditions? If not I'd try to see an ear/nose/throat specialist to see if maybe you have a vestibular condition or concern causing sudden vomiting. Unless you were especially nervous and psyching yourself out but you didn't mention being particularly afraid.

How does alcohol affect you? I also have anxiety (in general, not just flying). I have yet to find an anxiety rx that works for me…but having two drinks takes the edge off of flying enough that I’ve never backed out of a flight. Not more than two though…there’s definitely a line. :)

I know this advice isn’t for everyone, but it works for me and may work for others.

This just sounds like am extremely strong anxiety reaction. You may need to get on some heavy anti anxiety medication tbh, I don't feel like breathing exercises are going to be enough here.

This sounds like anxiety! Try a rx for anxiety instead of nausea and that would maybe help

Zofran? It’s an anti nausea rx. Tell your doc what you told us here.

As someone with severe, life-long anxiety. This exact reaction used to happen to me as a kid frequently due to anxiety before big events. Then it happened to me last year when my son ended up in the hospital and I realized (with help from some nurses) that i had just been experiencing full-on panic attacks.

Highly recommend speaking with your doctor before your next flight, as panic attacks/anxiety can often be treated pretty efficiently. Medication can definitely help, or even breathing exercises, meditation, distractions, therapy, etc. You just have to figure out what works for you.

Make sure you are hydrated, eat appropriate foods, increased exposure to the conditions, and typically hand flying the plane helps.

Fly on cooler days or in the morning/evening to avoid the heat. Heat makes it worse IME.

Absolutely true, on my first discovery I damn near puked on my way home, but after about 5hrs of flying I’m feeling 80% and even have fun with the light turbulence, it’s all about getting used to it and getting comfortable

Fly! Fly. Fly! The more you fly, the more immune to the effects of flight you become.

My instructor told me to eat bananas. They taste the same when coming back up. 🤣. It took me a few hours to settle

I have had this problem, on and off all through my training. I vomited during my second lesson. Here are some things that have helped me (although I still suffer occasionally):

- Don't fly on an empty stomach

- Fly regularly. If I don't fly for a few weeks, it feels worse.

- Ginger

- Hyoscine Hydrobromide tablets. We can get them over the counter in the UK.

- Let your CFI know beforehand, so they can take steps to avoid upsetting manoeuvres.

have you ever tried the NAVAGE system? That thing that flushes your sinuses with saline water? I wonder if doing this immediately upon arrival would help?

Masks are golden for travel. I never used to wear one before COVID (obviously?) but now I wouldn't fly without one. So many people just hacking away for 6hrs in a confined space with recirculated air. Never get sick after a flight now.

Take a lot of vitamin C. I always take Airborne or Emergen-C every day the week before and during any trip.

I don't go to urgent care like OP, but this happens to me as well 75% of the time I travel or right after I get home. I'm not a hypochondriac and don't avoid germs in other areas of life. I have 2 young kids in school and daycare, so it's impossible. I don't mask on planes or sanitize everything, either (but maybe I should).

I suspect that it is dry air in the plane, which dries out nasal passages making me more susceptible to viruses, combined with a shitty immune system.

I went and bought myself a whole respirator to wear on flights. It's an N99 (even better than an N95) that's used for woodworking etc. and it has replaceable filters. It's giant and I look like I'm wearing a dog muzzle but I once sat directly in front of nasty clearly sick coughers (who couldn't be bothered to cover their mouths) in a 4 hour flight and I came home without being sick for the first time ever. At first I was a little embarrassed but now I wear it proudly. 

Take a zinc supplement before and after the flight. One of the few immunity supplements with some solid evidence behind it.

You may have already done this, but you should really see your doctor about this if you are having multiple urgent care visits everytime you fly.

Definitely this. I'm wearing 3M's Aura masks when travelling because they have an excellent filter and fit me well. I haven't been sick travelling since (crossed fingers). Check out r/masks4all for recommendations and sources

I almost wonder if the ear plugs are making it worse, hampering the body's ability to adjust to pressure change, which ears play a pivotal role in. I cannot turn on my heavy duty Bose noise cancelling airplane headphones until we've gotten to cruising altitude, or else it bothers my ears pressure wise (makes them hurt). But if I wait til we're level to flip them on, no pain at all. And I can wear them with no issue on the descent, just not the ascent.

I've chalked this up to my ears needing to be 'open' to adjust to the altitude and pressure change. I have found this true with simple foam ear plugs as well. Maybe OP is doing too much versus too little? All our body's 'holes' (ears, mouth, nose) have a very important function, like air exchange (exhale CO2, inhale fresh/new air) and adjusting to pressure changes. I think plugging/covering all these very intentionally designed inlets/outlets interferes with our perfect natural design and may contribute to poor health.

I go to work in an open plan office every day on a packed tram and still get sick most holidays. Almost never get sick the rest of the year so I don’t think my immune system is bad.

It’s so frustrating. Last trip I was pretty sick with Covid and then wasn’t right for the rest of the trip.

Yes! Zicam is a game changer. I use the nasal swabs and not the lozenges but the lozenges may be better because you could use them more easily while on the flight.