Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

How Soon After Surgery Can You Fly In A Plane?



Recommended Posts

My surgeon advised me that I should not fly for approximately 6 weeks after surgery. Are you receiving similar advice? The reason for not flying is to reduce the risk of blood clots.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For a lot of people going to Mexico for surger they fly a few days after. I'll be flying four days after my surgery. Did he give a reason?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My surgeon stated that it was to reduce the risk of blood clots. I fly a lot for my work - at least 4-5 times per months - in long flights of 8-10 hours. It is always good practice in a flight to drink a lot of Water as well as to walk up and down the aisles.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My grandmother died 5 days after my surgery. It was a 16 hour drive to get there or a 2 hour flight. My surgeon approved for me to fly but not drive. He insisted that I get up and walk the aisles at least once an hour and I had to buy/wear compression knee high socks. I didn't have any issues. I checked in with them once when I got there and later on in the week. I stayed a total of two weeks so I will see him in a few days for my first follow up.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just had my surgery this week.

In 5 weeks I get on the longest non-stop flight in commercial aviation, 18 hours and 45 minutes gate to gate. It is an all business class flight with lay-down beds, but I have to take it seriously. I am going to talk to my Doc about getting a couple Lovenox self-injecting syringes. I am using them post-op. My daughter is an RN at a trauma center. Says these things are all the rage for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis

Normally an aspirin helps, but that is a bad idea for sleeves. Hydration, support hose, and movement all improve the odds.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow biz traveler where are u going? Sounds like fun. DFW to Paris is 9 hrs+ and that's about all I want.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Newark non-stop to Singapore. It is the longest non-stop in history. It is only fun when you do it all the time.

I am scheduled for 94,000 miles in the next 3 months.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Do u need an assistant, I'm a good traveller. Just think of the miles you r racking up.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My grandmother died 5 days after my surgery. It was a 16 hour drive to get there or a 2 hour flight. My surgeon approved for me to fly but not drive. He insisted that I get up and walk the aisles at least once an hour and I had to buy/wear compression knee high socks. I didn't have any issues. I checked in with them once when I got there and later on in the week. I stayed a total of two weeks so I will see him in a few days for my first follow up.

I am sorry about your grandmother. Thank you for sharing your experience with flying.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just had my surgery this week.

In 5 weeks I get on the longest non-stop flight in commercial aviation, 18 hours and 45 minutes gate to gate. It is an all business class flight with lay-down beds, but I have to take it seriously. I am going to talk to my Doc about getting a couple Lovenox self-injecting syringes. I am using them post-op. My daughter is an RN at a trauma center. Says these things are all the rage for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis

Normally an aspirin helps, but that is a bad idea for sleeves. Hydration, support hose, and movement all improve the odds.

Sent from my iPad using VST

I will also be self-injecting with Lovenox. Did you experience a lot of pain after your surgery? Did you find the self-injections easy? Is there any issues of bringing the syringes through security?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have not had any pain since day 2 and that was really minor. I have one of those new "pain ball pumps" filled with local pain killers so that may explain some of that. But many people experience very little pain.

The Lovenox injections are very easy. The needle is so tiny you can barely feel anything. It is really state-of-the-art treatment.

TSA will let pretty much any Doctor-precribed treatment as long as you put them out separately in a plastic bag at the inspection station. Have a Doctor's prescription handy as a back-up.

Even better, just check a bag. You are going to do this in flight anyway, and you will need something to hall your shakes.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I checked again with the surgeon. My surgeon will not make exceptions. No flights for a minimum of four weeks and not to leave town for a minimum of four weeks to verify that the stomach is healing well. I wish I could travel but I do appreciate my surgeon's diligence. This means that my surgery will be delayed until the end of the year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I honestly think that's a bit ridiculous. I flew a few days after surgery from San Diego to Frankfurt, Germany. I did one additional dose of Lovenox and followed the usual advice to move frequently, drink Water, and not cross my legs while flying.

Your surgeon is thinking of liability, not reality.

In any case, I'm sorry to hear about your delayed surgery!

~Cheri

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×