Flying

hi netrajkr: There are different opinions on this issue. Some say to wear sleeve/gauntlet when flying as a preventive measure,, others say it is not necessary. To me, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. India is a long flight!! Others may not agree with me, but my opinion is to get measured properly for a sleeve and gauntlet,,, wear it an hour or so a day to get used to it before your actual flight,, building up time slowly to the approx. length of your flight. While flying, drink lots of water and stay hydrated. Lift your arm over head and do fist pumps,,, other things recommended on that thread that Jennie mentioned too.

And there is no time period that you are high risk,,, it could happen any time.

Studies on this question are controversial, and here's a discussion of that controversy:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Controversial%20Stu...

My LE is quite mild (fortunately), but I do know that the first time I became aware I had a problem was after cross-country flights followed by a high-energy, arm-pumping, one-hour cardio session. In retrospect, I probably added insult to injury by doing both that same day. I don't believe that flight 'caused' my LE, as I soon recognized the more subtle, sub-clinical symptoms that I'd been feeling for quite some time without understanding that they were LE (heaviness, mild and constant ache, more pronounced after activity and during barometric changes). But that famous flight + cardio day triggered visible swelling for the first time. That's my experience, and it's just anecdotal, which is about the sum of many of the 'studies' about LE and all kinds of trigger risks. We cannot generalize our experiences, other than to realize that LE can develop or flare after flight and after many other activities. The degree of risk for any one person is not possible to predict.

I wear compression while flying, which for me is on average more than a hundred flights each year. A big eye-opener to me is watching what happens to those flimsy plastic water bottles (think Aquafina or Dasani) if half-empty during the flight. They sure do change shape! Cabins are pressurized to about 8,000 feet, and most of us experience LE flares when driving through mountains or experiencing other changes of altitude or barometric pressure. The contorted water bottle during flight always makes me wonder what's going on under my skin, with my delicate lymphatic vessels. I like to think that the compression sleeve and gauntlet help to minimize the effects of the in-cabin pressure changes.

netrajkr, there remains a huge question on whether it's wise to wear a sleeve if you do not already have LE. I would say to pay close attention to how your arm feels-heaviness, tingly feeling, low-level burning feeling, weakness, jewelry feels tight but you haven't gained weight. Also watch for any tender, raw, puffy, burning-sensation areas on your trunk, which can signal truncal LE. If you feel you have any of these sub-clinical symptoms, get to a certified LE therapist pronto, and then for sure wear compression, including hand protection and a compression tee shirt, during that long series of flights. If no symptoms at all, it's a harder question. With 3 nodes out there's still risk of LE, although that risk is small.

I've never seen any study that convinced me that wearing compression causes LE, if you don't already have it. There's just so much that we don't know about this condition.

This is an interesting topic. I had only one sentinel node removed...but asked my PS about flying in March, if that would trigger Lymphedema. She said I could wear a sleeve if I wanted...but that flight does not increase risk of developing lymphedema. PS does the surgery to treat this and has spoken/written on the condition. She said flight may bring on symptoms in undiagnosed LE, but they have studied rates of stewardesses with breast cancer and there was no difference in rates of those developing LE with others.

No bug bites, air flight, sunburns, needle pricks, hot tubs, overexertion....So, I wonder how much of the preventative measures really prevent...but rather just delay onset of symptoms? I suppose we want to prevent if we can...but I think the real causal factors are the surgeries and treatments that go along with the cancer. I guess I'm not sure there is anything we can do to prevent or cause this affliction on ourselves. I pray I have an uneventful (LE free) flight and week in Florida at Disneyworld!!!!

lessharp, the whole question really is clear as mud. I had not heard of a study of flight attendants, which does sound like an intelligent way to help answer the question. I'd like to read that study

I had 4 nodes out (2 sentinel and 2 non-sentinel that “tagged along.” all negative). My hands are equally wrinkly, ring on R hand still comes off easily; but in the past couple of days I noticed a tight feeling and tender spot on the inside of my forearm if I torque it outward while extended. 48 hrs. from now I will be over the Atlantic, so will definitely be wearing my sleeve & gauntlet (and glad I had one fitted--despite the provider not accepting my insurance, it wasn’t all that expensive). What bums me out is that my days of non-medical massages, saunas, hot tubs and schvitzes are over--that all I have to look forward to after a workout (with sleeve & gauntlet on) is just a shower and maybe a smoothie. On the bright side, I can go to a cheaper gym without those amenities, but meanwhile, my cruise ship will have a major spa....which I won’t be able to use except for facials.

I was prescribed a gauntlet, but several LE websites suggest a glove is better as it keeps finger swelling down. I wore my sleeve/gauntlet set from 1 hr pre-flight till I checked into my Rome hotel an hr after landing. Turns out I could've removed them after being at Schipol Airport, as we had a 2-hr layover and the flight to Rome was only 2 hrs. No swelling whatsoever, though I seem to have mild cording. Will not put the set back on in Barcelona, but wait till an hour before the flight to Detroit. 2-hr layover there, so can take it off before the last short hop to Chicago.

I will likely get a custom sleeve-glove set made, as I have two European trips planned for 2016. My Medigap will cover most of it