This site is for people with DVT, seeking comfort and information from others who understand from personal experience. |
| | Flying? | |
| | Author | Message |
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Annemarie
Posts : 21 Join date : 2008-06-26 Age : 48 Location : South Africa
| Subject: Flying? Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:47 pm | |
| Hi guys
Do you know if it is safe to fly. I am on the Warfarin 2 and half months now, since PE and DVT. We want to go on holiday and need to fly - only 2 hours flight.
Hope to hear from you soon. | |
| | | Gismo
Posts : 100 Join date : 2008-03-20 Age : 53 Location : Johannesburg, South Africa
| Subject: Re: Flying? Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:07 pm | |
| Hi Annemarie Hmmmm, if I were in your shoes, I would check with my doctor. I would hate to give my 2c worth on this one How are you doing otherwise? Hope all is good with you | |
| | | RetiredNavy02
Posts : 45 Join date : 2008-03-03 Age : 60 Location : Connecticut
| Subject: Re: Flying? Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:30 pm | |
| AnneMarie,
As Gismo said, just check with your doctor. From medical sources, patients (pregnant or not) who are on oral blood thinners (warfarin, coumadin®, etc.) because of a previous DVT/PE: As long as the INR is therapeutic, the risk of an acute DVT/PE during the flight is likely quite low.
General precautions during airline travel:
Avoid constrictive clothing on the legs,
Avoid sitting with legs crossed,
Move the legs frequently, at 30 minutes intervals (either while seated or by getting up):
- Extend your legs straight out in front and flex your ankles, pulling up and spreading your toes, then pushing down and curling your toes. If shoes limit toe movement, exercise anyway or take shoes off; If there isn't room to extend your legs, start with your feet flat on the floor and push down and curl your toes while lifting your heels from the floor. Then, with your heels back on the floor, lift and spread your toes. Repeat this heel - toe cycle ten times;
- Exercise your thigh muscles by sitting with your feet flat on the floor and sliding feet forward a few inches, then sliding them back. Repeat ten times.
Drink plenty of fluid (non alcoholic and caffeine-free) to avoid dehydration, Consider wearing compression stockings (they should not cut into the leg).
Biggest concerns are long duration flights. 2 hours is short enough even with the unexpected layovers which sometimes happen. You are already on coumadin so low-molecular weight heparin shots (Lovenox; fragmin) would not be required. I can't emphasis enough to make sure you exercise your legs as recommended above.
Regards, Tom | |
| | | Annemarie
Posts : 21 Join date : 2008-06-26 Age : 48 Location : South Africa
| Subject: Re: Flying? Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:08 am | |
| Hi everyone
Thanx for your replies.
I did phone the doctor and she said it is ok also that I should stay dehydrated and move my legs and toes while on flight. | |
| | | Gismo
Posts : 100 Join date : 2008-03-20 Age : 53 Location : Johannesburg, South Africa
| Subject: Re: Flying? Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:42 am | |
| Great news Annemarie! Now you can start planning your holiday and booking your flights! Yay! Seeing as its a 2 hour flight, I'm guessing you are planning on going to beautiful Cape Town Either way, enjoy planning the trip - something great to look forward to! Regards Madeline | |
| | | dero Admin
Posts : 904 Join date : 2007-12-09 Age : 64 Location : Near Ottawa, Ontario Canada.
| Subject: Re: Flying? Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:40 pm | |
| - Annemarie wrote:
- Hi everyone
Thanx for your replies.
I did phone the doctor and she said it is ok also that I should stay dehydrated and move my legs and toes while on flight. Hmmmmm, dehydrated or hydrated? I think that has to be a mistake... I hope. | |
| | | Linda
Posts : 15 Join date : 2008-07-08 Age : 72 Location : Surrey, UK
| Subject: Re: Flying? Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:36 am | |
| Greetings Annemarie, Am so thrilled for you that you are planning a holiday which involves a flight. I too have had a DVT and multiple PEs (started in May) and believe I shall be on my anti-coagulant until the end of the year. I can’t take Warfarin/Coumadin – horrid heavy bleeding reaction to it – so am on a LMW Clexane/Lovenox. However, when I asked if I might fly somewhere in Europe for a summer vacation my doctor said yes – just so long as the destination is at low altitude (because the ‘thinner air’ could make breathing difficult for anyone with PEs). Therefore gave up on the idea of Swiss mountain railway journey too . He also cautioned that I would be lucky if I could find any travel insurer who would be prepared to offer cover all the while treatment was ongoing – even though he laughed and said with some irony that all the while I was actively on anti-coagulants I would be safe as houses and far safer than many others flying with no awareness of the conditions! I heeded his caution and sought insurers … he was dead right - here in the UK I couldn’t find a travel insurer who will offer health cover while I am on treatment – even though my DVT/PEs were entirely caused as a direct result of lower limb trauma ie a ‘one-off’, nothing to do with an inherited propensity/pre-disposition to the diseases/thrombosis and the like. Am now heading off to the Loire Valley, France in a few weeks: driving, ferry trip and walking at only a few feet above sea level! Posted this note not only to wish you well, a happy holiday and a speedy recovery, but also to any other browsers who may be looking for info re travelling limitations around the world! Didn’t wish to scaremonger – wish everyone a happier time ahead and keep toe-twiddling as you fly! Best wishes Linda | |
| | | Annemarie
Posts : 21 Join date : 2008-06-26 Age : 48 Location : South Africa
| Subject: Re: Flying? Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:03 pm | |
| Jip meant hydrated - sorry the rat poisen affecting my brain cells.... Thanx for all the well wishes....I am soooo loooking forward to this... Not Cape Town, going to George and then off to Albertinia for a week. Only going 28 Sept.... Buy all and | |
| | | brendablackburn
Posts : 150 Join date : 2008-06-24 Age : 56 Location : Vancouver, BC, Canada
| Subject: Re: Flying? Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:30 am | |
| Hi Annemarie, Happy travels!! I too am planning a flight near the end of Sept. (about 5-6 hrs.). Will wear BOTH compression stockings, (so on my DVT leg AND on the non-DVT leg). And will request an aisle seat on the right side of the plane, so I can stretch my DVT leg out and walk about as needed! I still have a lot of clot/blockage in my DVT leg (knee to ankle) but I feel totally okay about it because my Dr. feels okay with it. (He feels my PE would probably be dissolved or minimal by now--happened in June). Then I plan another long-haul flight in Oct. I'm staying positive and not gonna let it stop me! (With the doc's approval mind you!!) | |
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