I am due to fly to Cyprus on 27 December, a special treat from my OH. This will be the first time that I will have flown since DX in January 2008. I have completed my chemo and rads and I am now on my 6th session of Herceptin. Can anyone give me any tips/advice on flying after these treatments, are there any precautions I need to take?
Many thanks and hugs to you all.
Daffodil
I have flown several times now, the first time 9 days after finishing rads, 10 days after starting Herceptin! (I love my holidays and really missed them while having treatment). The journeys weren’t as long as the trip to Cyprus so I didn’t take any special precautions at all. I am going to India in the Spring and am getting a lymphodema sleeve as a precaution because it is a quite a long flight. You could ask about this maybe but Cyprus isn’t as far as that. Otherwise I think that the advice is to get up and move about rather than sitting still for the whole journey and to exercise the affected arm if you can. Could you speak to your BCN or the advisers on this site, just in case there is anything else?
I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Anne
I flew to Australia 5 days after finishing rads (after chemo and WLE) and it was 2 days after my second herceptin. My onc was totally okay with it. The only thng was I was so fatigued (physically and mentally) that I arranged with the airline to wheelchair me through the airports. I had no other problems
Good luck and enjoy your holiday
Hi daffodil
I would endorse what AnneG has and suggest you try to get fitted with a lymphoedema sleeve for flying, probably the single most useful precaution you can take. If you can’t get one via a bcn/lymphoedema nurse, it’s worth trying a private lymphoedema therapist.
Other than that, I’d just say get the best seat you can afford (x-tra legroom near the exits, perhaps?) as this will give you a bit more space to get comfortable. Perhaps you could put a small cushion is your hand luggage to give your arm a bit more cushioning than the armrests usually provide. Plenty of fluids are a good idea, and in addition to moving around as much as you can, you can also do shoulder rolls and deep breathing whilst in your seat, which would also be helpful.
Hope you have lovely time
X
S
Lucky you…Cyprus is wonderful, so hope you have a fabulous time there xx
Many thanks for the very good advice, it means a lot to know that if I have any worries/questions I will always get answers from you lovely people.
I send you all hugs.
Daffodil
Enjoy your holiday. I flew to the USA two weeks after finishing chemo and rads. It was great to get away after a harrowing 6 months of treatment
During the flight I wore flight socks and my lymphodema sleeve. I drank loads of water and every hour got up and walked around. I asked the airline to preboard me and my family so was able to get on the aircraft and get settled before the rest of the passengers got on
Make sure you take some bug spray just incase, I was also advised to get a course of antibiotics to take with me just in case I needed them. It might be worth you getting this -my gp gave me a course of amoxycillan. If you get poorly its handy to have these until you can get to a Dr. I always take a letter from my gp stating what medication I am on. Also make sure you put your medication in your hand luggage as if you put it in your case and it goes missng you are in big trouble.
Have a lovely time
x Jools