Is compression bra a good preventative measure for flying?

wencit

I had a BMX with 2 lymph nodes removed in mid-June and am planning to fly to Hawaii in mid-August. The flight should take 5 hours. I've already read up on all the precautions and plan to wear a compression sleeve + gauntlet (already got fitted for them). I'm wondering if this is enough, or if I should be worried about the possibility of truncal lymphedema as well. My armpits are still a little swollen from the surgery, so that is what precipitated my concern. I've read lots of literature about wearing the sleeve + gauntlet during flight, but not much about a compression bra.

Thanks for your advice!

glennie19

i believe that I have read on here that some wear compression tees or camisoles while flying.  Hopefully one of the more knowledgable ladies will chime in soon.   I already have truncal LE, so I wear my usual compression stuff when flying.

She

I regularly take long haul flights (9+ hours) and have found a compression bra or cami keeps the truncal LE to a minimum. Remember you should leave all compression garments on for (I wait 1 hour) after landing.

carol57

I fly every week or so and find that wearing a compression tee under my clothing helps a lot. I get a feeling of a hard-boiled egg in my armpit when my LE flares up, and a cami does not cover the armpit. If you want to go the compression tee shirt route, watch that the sleeves are not cut too high, like a cap sleeve, as this can make matters worse. Some women wear these things inside out, so the seams don't dig into the skin. UnderArmor makes them (you want 'compression fit)' and GO Travelwear designed a compression tee shirt just for the lymphedema crowd, tested for size and comfort by lots of women in this forum. And the sleeves are flat, so don't dig in. UA shirts are available in some sporting goods stores; the GO shirts online only (google GO Travelwear, look for the link for their shop). These things can be hard to camouflage behind other wardrobe items, especially in summer, but they make travel more tolerable for me.

ksusan

How do you size these? I ask because it's still painful in the underarms for me to wear a pretty loose shirt and I don't have any idea how I'd know if a compression top fit correctly.

carol57

ksusan, if a loose shirt causes pain in the underarm, I too am a little worried about the thought of compression for you there. That said, I do know that when my arm hurts--like RIGHT NOW, because of the thunderboomers going on around me, and the related pressure change--putting on my sleeve actually makes the pain go away. The problem is that you can't predict that outcome for sure, and you might end up with a shirt that doesn't work. Maybe try the UnderArmour shirt, if you can find somewhere nearby to try one on? I find them at a store called MC Sports, although I don't know if that chain has locations beyond my backyard.

One of the members of this forum PM'd me yesterday to say she'd tried the GO shirt and it did not work for her; the fit wasn't right and it didn't give compression where she needed it. So body shapes are not standard and there will always be somewhat of a random factor for if a particular garment works, which is super frustrating.

To answer your question about how to size a shirt, the standard advice I hear for UnderArmour is to try a shirt one size smaller than you wear for normal street wear. You get more compression that way, but you need to be sure it's not cutting in to the point of being counterproductive, as irritation will draw lymph to the area. The men's models have longer sleeves, which most of us find to work better than the UA women's versions, which have cap sleeves that cut into the armpit. If you try men's sizes, you'll need to go smaller than you would in a women's size because the men's S, M, L etc. are cut larger than the women's versions. They also make mens/boys youth sizes that the tiniest among us (not me!!!) can wear.

I find that an UA men's small works well for me, as does the GO size large.

If you do some experimenting with a compression shirt, let us know what you conclude. Also, there are other manufacturers of compression shirts, and some shapewear has arm coverage and would compress your armpit area. I haven't done a recent check for what's out there, but maybe someone else in our forum has and will see this and share results. Finally, WearEase has a compression tee that may be covered by your insurance, as they are insurance-qualified for their mastectomy bras, camisoles, etc. Their shirt is pricey, around $90 I think, but if it's covered by your insurance, your cost may be similar to or less than the retail price of the other options.

Good luck, and keep us posted on what you try, if any of the above.

Carol

ksusan

Thanks. I'll try a smaller UA when I can stand to.

vlnrph

On planes, I like to wear a men's medium UnderArmour top that I got a few years ago before they started putting their huge logo right in front. You can try their outlet stores or SportsAuthority, a national chain, which stocks them.

For our original poster, who sounds like she doesn't currently have LE, a compression bra offers protection and support that may be sufficient. A trip to Hawaii is a great way to celebrate recovery from surgery!

cookiegal

I think it is a good idea. If you can find one that fits well.