for those of you who fly coach

[Arkteia]

If you are in for a long flight and are flying coach, wear compression stockings. In an attempt to make money, most airline companies put in more seats and one simply can not stretch his/her legs. I did not know it and ended up with several bad complications. I do not want to get into details, but it is very painful. Most of my doctor colleagues have known it all along, I am learning the hard way.

 

[mary poppins]

I hope you''re feeling better now, crasru. When flying, I always get up to walk or at least stretch. I''m not sure if this is what happened to you, but It''s my understanding that if you don''t walk or stretch, you risk getting deep vein thrombosis (a potentially deadly blood clot in one of the deep veins). I also try to drink more water than usual before and during flying (which keeps me walking back and forth to the bathroom, ha!) to avoid dehydration and boost the immune system. The cabin air is very nasty. Ick..

 

[elrohwen]

Some airlines now share exercises you should do while on a long flight in order to prevent problems. I definitely recommend getting up and walking around and moving your legs a lot.

Glad you''re feeling better now.

 

[PumpkinPie]

scary - I hope you''re recovered now crasu - I do worry about it, particularly for my dad - my parents fly a lot and my dad had diabetes which increases your risks of any circulation-based problems.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 4/29/2010 1:21:59 AM
Author:crasru
If you are in for a long flight and are flying coach, wear compression stockings. In an attempt to make money, most airline companies put in more seats and one simply can not stretch his/her legs. I did not know it and ended up with several bad complications. I do not want to get into details, but it is very painful. Most of my doctor colleagues have known it all along, I am learning the hard way.

Do you have a DVT? If so, I am so sorry to hear this. I was diagnosed with DVT last summer and it sucked, put simply. I was non-weight bearing for 8 weeks and then spent months in PT trying to get my leg to work again. It''s much better than it was, but still not "normal" and it may never be again. Our friend, Storm aka Karl, is also DVT patient.

If you do have DVT make sure you wear your stockings and take your meds. I still wear my stockings (almost a year later) and I was on warfarin + aspirin for six months and now I''m just on aspirin.

I hope that you are feeling better soon and wish you luck in your recovery.

 

[movie zombie]

there have been articles written over the past years re the imporantce of getting up and walking on flights......i go to the back of the plan and do some stretches and bends as well.

mz

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 4/29/2010 12:11:51 PM
Author: DivaDiamond007

Date: 4/29/2010 1:21:59 AM

Author:crasru

If you are in for a long flight and are flying coach, wear compression stockings. In an attempt to make money, most airline companies put in more seats and one simply can not stretch his/her legs. I did not know it and ended up with several bad complications. I do not want to get into details, but it is very painful. Most of my doctor colleagues have known it all along, I am learning the hard way.

Do you have a DVT? If so, I am so sorry to hear this. I was diagnosed with DVT last summer and it sucked, put simply. I was non-weight bearing for 8 weeks and then spent months in PT trying to get my leg to work again. It''s much better than it was, but still not ''normal'' and it may never be again. Our friend, Storm aka Karl, is also DVT patient.


If you do have DVT make sure you wear your stockings and take your meds. I still wear my stockings (almost a year later) and I was on warfarin + aspirin for six months and now I''m just on aspirin.


I hope that you are feeling better soon and wish you luck in your recovery.

Thank you all for your support. No, it is not a DVT, at least not according to two Dopplers, but a lymphostasis and a very painful thrombophlebitis of superficial veins of both calves and ankles. Compression stockings are lifesaving, otherwise I simply can not walk. Baby aspirin seems to help. "Venitan", an ointment produced by "LEK", a Swiss company, is wonderful. It is a combination of horse chesnut extracts and heparin. All my friends who suffer from thrombophlebitis use it. I am not sure if we have it on the US market, but European markets seem to have better variety of medical products.