Air travel after mastectomy?

BCboard63

Due to family emergency, I have to take a long flight (about 17 hours). Generally speaking, how long one should wait before take airplane after mastectomy? Any side effects due to long distance flight? Any precautions? Thank you in advance for any input!

MinusTwo

BCboard - I read back through some of your other posts. I'm not clear from this if your issues with healing ever resolved. Do you still have open wounds? Did you go find another surgeon or MO who has taken over your care and improved your lingering issues? Can you move your arms yet? Or did you go to a PT and get help for that. It's hard to answer if you are still in the condition you were last fall.

That said - if you have to go, you go. Drink lots of water. TONS of water - more than you'll ever want to think about again. Get up and walk around frequently - even more than the need to go to the bathroom. While sitting in your seat, punch up into the air with each arm several times every hour or so. Avoid alcohol, as it's even more dehydrating. Find someone else to lift your suitcases, even if you have to pay a 'sky-cap'.

I'm sure others will chime in with more. When do you leave?

BCboard63

MinusTwo,

Thank you so much for your quick response and great advice!

Also thank you to take time to go over my other posts. To answer your questions: I don't have any open wounds now; changed MO; still cannot lift left arm, both left shoulder and arm have pain especially during nights and have been taking Advil for almost two months (MRI indicated subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis, and partial articular surface tear at the insertion of the supraspinatus tendon with associated tendinopathy), orthopedic surgeon suggested to have shoulder surgery; have been seeing PT for over 3 months, getting better slowly...