Flying cause lymphedema?

Drink tons of water, no salt, (there will be plenty in your meal,) skip salty snacks, get up and move a lot, stick arms straight up in the air and pump fists slowly 25 times, do a few times. If embarrassed just do it in the bathroom or back of plane.With all that water you will make many trips. I wouldn't suggest alcohol on your ride because it dehydrates which in not good. This is what people do with LE when they fly.

You need a glove or gauntlet or the fluid will get pushed into your hand if you do swell. Be fitted for one and practice wearing your garments well before the trip. Start off with one hour and increase to get use to garments.

Don't take off until a hour or two after landing if you must.

peacestrength, a good source is brightlifedirect.  Here's a link, and in case it doesn't work, find brightlifedirect.com, then lymphedema products, then gloves and gauntlets.  

http://www.brightlifedirect.com/lymphedema-product...

The gloves are horribly expensive. Gauntlets are what most people use when wearing them preventatively while flying and they are a lot less expensive.  If you need it truly asap, call Brightlife and ask for help on that.  They'll give expedited shipping rates to you.  Be sure to check the measurement charts available on their site.  If you're not sure, call and ask them for sizing help, and/or to order in two sizes, knowing that you'll return one.  Brightlife is amazingly accommodating on their return policy, and I think if you are uncertain of your measures but don't have time before your flight to buy one, try it and then exchange for a different size, they will understand.  

Are you wearing the sleeves for any reason other than flying?  Because if not, I hope you have some time before the flights, to wear the sleeves a few hours at a time for several days (including gauntlets). That will give you time to get used to them.  Lots of us have problems with the thumbs on the gauntlets being a bit too tight, and making the thumb go tingly.  If you have to wear it permanently, that often means ordering a custom fit.  But for periodic ware, another strategy is to get the thumb wet and let it dry over a marker or something similar that will make it stay a bit bigger than its knit size.  You'd need to have worn your gauntlets a few times for a while to know if you need to make that adjustment.  

I had 25 nodes removed ...I have been flying extensively for 5 years ...long flights short flights ,no sign of Lymphedema .

I remember I freaked after surgery for about a year maybe less lifting etc.

I am still cautious don't try to haul extra heavy loads ...but think it is a crap shoot as to who will develop Lymph.

I excercised a lot after surgery using my arms ...still numb though on my affected side not as bad ...do not think I will ever regain full sensation under the arm and upper arm inside !

I have never worn a sleeve thought about it at first...

Love n light

Cheryl

cheryl, it is indeed a crapshoot.  My mother had all her nodes removed 40 years ago, with more rads to the axilla than would ever be given today, and she never got LE.  I had 5 nodes out and no rads, and here I am. That's why the decision on whether and what kinds of precautions to take after BC treatment is so controversial, and so hard for the individual.  We just don't know. It's so hard to plan a strategy against a threat that's so hard to quantify. 

hi. Just want to throw the info out there in case ppl are looking for flying and LE. 

I don't have LE and wear sleeve for preventative purpose. I ran out of time couldnt find a compression tshirt. The flight was 16 hours and I had the sleeve and the gauntlet on and I was okay. Side note, bc of flight delay and cancellation I had the sleeve on for over 12 hour before flying. Not sure that helped or not. My sis did some research for me that wearing it longer before and after long flight is crucial but I am sure not 12 hours long like I did. I was very relieved no swelling after the long flight.