Criteria for choosing international flights- Help!

Sannoliver1

Hi,

I've been looking for information on the best way to fly long distances with LE and not having much luck. Length of long haul flights, time on the ground for layovers, number of legs and type of aircraft and what they're typically pressurized to has my head spinning! I live at almost 5000 feet and thought of flying through Denver (also at 5000 ft) so that I wouldn't be spending an hour or two at sea level (eg Seattle or Minneapolis) before the big overseas flight. Gah, can anyone help me understand how to prioritize this? Price and length are all I sued to consider, but now that I have LE, I am willing to pay a bit extra and spend more time on the ground between flights, if it might be better for LE. Excited that the new Boeing Dreamliner is pressurized to 6000 ft, but most of the flights I'm looking at are on 747's which only seem to be pressurized to around 9000 ft. Seriously I'm driving myself crazy here! I will of course follow all the standard recommendations, hydrate, compress, move, but anyone have any further insight to help me?!

Thanks!

AussieElaine

Hi there, Sannoliver, I flew from Australia to the UK just a month ago. Perth to Dubai was just over 11 hours with 2 and a half hours in Dubai then 7 and a half hours to Glasgow. I flew business class with Emirates ( not sure if they are in USA). They are very good. I had no problems and am due to fly back next week. I must admit to being a little concerned this time as I've just had LVA surgery. I think the best thing to do is to try and move as much as possible and do MLD when you arrive at your destination. Good luck and I 'm sure you will be fine and happy 4th July to you and all my lovely American LE ladies.

ksusan

FWIW, I was told airport transfers (rather than direct flights) would be helpful, and that the pressure is variable even within an airline.

exbrnxgrl

Hi sannoliver,

I have taken quite a few long flights since my bmx. I assume you'll be wearing a compression sleeve, so I'm not sure if worrying about type of aircraft, length of each leg etc. will matter much. My longest flight has been from CA to Auckland, NZ. We changed planes in Honolulu to break up the flight and because we got a decent price on the airfare. I just kept my sleeve on the entire time, drank plenty of water, raised my arm over my head and clenched/unclench end my fist periodically. I have not read about the kind of things you're taking into consideration being an important factor. Then again, I am certainly no lymphedema expert take care.

This is an easy read that might help ease your mind:

http://www.lymphnet.org/pdfDocs/nlnairtravel.pdf

Sannoliver1

Aussie- That's so exciting about your LVN. Best wishes it works and provides some relief! Keep us posted on your progress.

Ksusan- Yes I've heard cabin pressure is variable too. I wasn't sure if long direct would be better because there would be less extreme changes in air pressure, or shorter flights with lots of connections.

exbrngrl- Thanks for the link. Glad to hear you've been able to travel so much without complications. If this goes well I will start traveling more.

I sometimes just feel so out of control, that I tend to over analyze the smallest details to "feel" like I have some say in what happens. I just hate feeling so trapped and vulnerable because of stupid LE. I only had sentinel nodes taken, no chemo, no radiation and LE wasn't even on my radar. I just wish I had been more educated about the healing process and the risks associated with too much too soon. I totally overdid it after double mastectomy, because I actually felt really good both physically and emotionally. Oh well.

Thanks for the replies.

carol57

Sannoliver1, I'm right there with you--sentinel nodes only, no rads, no chemo, but here I am in this forum. I fly every one to two weeks, although long hauls like you'll be doing are rare for me. I do find that gentle but continued moving around helps a lot, which makes sense because muscle action is key to moving lymph through the lymphatic capillaries. Also, I learned to be prudent about not doubling up my LE flare risks. Meaning, after landing, do MLD at the soonest opportunity instead of hopping on a treadmill to get some cardio in; staying with water only as beverage instead of celebrating my arrival with a glass or two of wine, which tends to dehydrate. Early on in this 'adventure,' I flew cross country and promptly donned my exercise gear and headed out in the hot sun to walk four miles in forty minutes. I did not bring water and then had wine with my salty dinner. A few hours later I had more swelling than I'd experienced before, and replaying my tapes of my day, I really don't think it was smart to pile on all the swell-risks after the flights.

AussieElaine, best wishes for an uneventful return flight! I have wonderful memories of two weeks spent not far from you in Bunbury, with visits to lovely Margaret River and to Perth, of course. Bet you'll be glad to be home.

AussieElaine

Thanks Carol, really looking forward to getting home and back into my exercise routine to help with my LE. I really hope that my recent LVA surgery will benefit me. I think that the lesson I need to learn in this life is patience, something I have had to do this past year!!

Margaret River is one of my most favourite places in the world, we go there every year and enjoy it so much. My SIL is coming over from UK in November and we will be taking her there for a week.

You have my admiration Carol, being able to work whilst having LE. I had to give up my job and feel that I am unemployable as there are so many don'ts with this LE not to mention looking like a freak.

carol57

Elaine, all I can do sometimes is just laugh at myself when I start to think I'm a bit of a spectacle in my travel gear. On long flights, sometimes I've put on my night garment (the one that looks like either a) a hawking glove or b) an oven mitt on steroids). The regular compression sleeve/gauntlet combo is not so obvious during winter travel, but in summer I think of Flo-Jo...remember the Olympic sprinter, and she use to wear a legging of sorts on only one leg? Then there was the time that I was doing the recommended up-in-the-air fist pumps during flight, and a flight attendant said to me in a whisper...let me show you the call button...we might not notice you need us if you're just raising your hand. Honestly, sometimes laughter is the only way to keep this whole LE think from stealing my sanity. I just had to laugh at what she thought I was doing with my hand up in the air.

More seriously, I teach seminars for a living, so travel is not optional and I am in front of folks all day long, sometimes 3 or 4 days in a row. People are incredibly kind, as they express genuine concern when they see my sleeve and gauntlet. I'm not always in it--I am fortunate to have pretty mild LE, and the night garment seems to keep me in control most of the time. But when I do wear my sleeve and gauntlet during a workshop, I explain it right up front, simply pointing it out and explaining that I have LE after mastectomy and node biopsy. I offer that if anyone has friends or loved ones going down the breast cancer road, I have some wonderful resources to share that can help reduce the LE risk if a person wants to learn about the condition and take some simple steps to put the odds a little more in their favor. I always say that I wish I'd known then what I know now, and that I look for opportunities to share what I've learned. (But I'm clearly an extrovert, or I wouldn't be teaching seminars, and I know that not everyone is the open book that is my nature.)

Elaine, your thoughts expressed here tell us how frustrated you are, and wow, are we all entitled to be frustrated by LE! I hope your LE improves from the LVA surgery; I know that lots of us are reading your posts and those of the others who have gone that route, hoping you'll all get terrific outcomes.

Hugs to you!!

Carol