Overseas Travel Vaccinations
As of 1st April 2022, general practices are no longer providing travel health services.
Patients can access information on what vaccinations are required, together with malarial and safe travel advice at Home – Fit for Travel.
The website allows you to select your destination and then view the requirements for the destination before contacting the providers on the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s website.
Flying & Diazepam
People sometimes ask the doctor or nurse to prescribe Diazepam, or similar drugs like Lorazepam, Temazepam or Clonazepam, for fear of flying or to help sleep during flights. Prescribing these drugs is not recommended any more. Some reasons are as follows:
Unlicenced for phobias: The prescribing guidelines doctors have to follow say that that the use of diazepam to treat short-term anxiety is inappropriate. They are only to be used short term for a ‘crisis in generalised anxiety’. If you are having such a crisis, you are not likely to be fit to fly. Fear of flying in isolation is not a generalised anxiety disorder.
Blood clots: The use of these drugs can make you sleep in an unnaturally deep sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep so you have a bigger risk of getting a blood clot (Deep Vein Thrombosis – DVT) in the leg or lungs. Blood clots are very dangerous and can kill. This risk is bigger if your flight is longer than 4 hours.
Unpredictable response: Some people get agitated and aggressive after taking Diazepam and similar drugs and behave in a way that they would not normally, which can pose a risk on the plane. This affects everyone’s safety and could get you into trouble with the law. A similar effect can be seen with alcohol, which has led to people being removed from flights.
Reaction times: Although plane emergencies are rare, taking Diazepam reduces awareness and reaction times for patients so you risk not being able to react to save your life if you have to escape quickly. You may also put other people in danger by getting in their way or making them help you.
Addictive: They have short term bad effects on memory, co-ordination, concentration and reaction times, and are addictive if used for a long time, with withdrawal leading to fits, hallucinations, agitation and confusion. Diazepam stays in your system for some time – if your job or sport needs you to have random drug testing you may fail this having taken diazepam.
Controlled drug/legal implications: Diazepam (and the wider benzodiazepine class of drugs) have also become widely used drugs of abuse since they first came on the market. Diazepam in the UK is a controlled drug. It is illegal to possess Diazepam in a number of countries without certification, and may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with the Police.
Insurance: It is important to tell your travel insurer about your medical conditions and medications you take. If not, there is a risk of your insurer not paying if you try to make a claim.
For all of these reasons, we will no longer provide routine Diazepam or similar drugs for flight anxiety.
An effective and safe treatment for flight anxiety is a Fear of Flying course. Below are some that are currently offered, although many are available:
EastJet
Website
www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com
Phone
0203 8131644
British Airways
Website
www.flyingwithconfidence.com
Phone
01252 793250
Virgin
Website
www.flyingwithoutfear.co.u
Phone
01423 714900
You may be able to contact high street pharmacies and discuss with them if you feel it is necessary for you to take something- they provide travel service medication.
If you feel an exemption of the above would apply to you – a routine appointment may be offered at the practice.