Flying after AN surgery

[redgrl]

Have a question? What is it like to get on a airplane  after AN surgery? Would love to go see my family in Philly but am scared to fly. Already deaf on left side but before surgery the pressure when landing and taking off hurt my ears. 

[ppearl214]

hi redgrl and welcome.

I cannot answer from a microsurgical standpoint, but like you, I have also been nervous. I am leaving tomorrow for a 6 hr flight from Boston to London, England and have had extreme conversations with all of my dr's.  I know marystro (on this site) does an extreme amount of flying and she has been very helpful to me as well.

I've been told that their really shouldn't be much in the way of cabin air pressure issues, especially if a short flight (under 2 hrs) as the planes tend to fly at lower altitudes.  For me, I made sure with my docs as flying the ocean, long haul, over 40,000 feet is making me a bit nervous.

they told me to keep myself hydraded. Really keep hydrated.  Maybe  a decongestant to help with the "fullness" feel. Will have my Imitrex with me as well. Most of all, I'll be sleeping through my flight, so hoping that will do the trick.  Keep a "yawn" going to help pop that ear fullness as well..... or try chewing gum, if you can.

The main emphasis was keeping fluid intake... keep drinking lots of water on board and you should do fine.

Hang in there and bon voyage!  Have a great trip to Philly!  You should do just fine!

Phyl

[Joef]

it should be the same as it always was .. I also had a trans-lab of a 4cm ...

remember, even with a tra ns-lab your ear drum is still there and you still have tubes and can get plugged and create pressure when the plane goes up .. 

I'm also going overseas for Christmas ... phyl, but my  flight is not until Thrusday morning ..

[Obita]

Where are you going Joe?

Have a safe trip everyone, Kathy

[Joef]

outside of London .. (I can never remember the town!)

[marystro]

In my case, I fly lots of long hauls both pre and post CK.  I consulted with the doctors after CK.  Their advice is that cabin pressure does not affect usually swelling of post CK tumor since the tumor is in the ear canal and brain, not the middle ear.  I had CK in August this year and was flying over 14 hours to Beijing followed by 2 weeks later to Seoul after I came home for one week.  The biggest test was the flying I did to Bombay and Hong Kong (all in a 5-day trip) late Nov/Dec.  I felt no additional pressure in my case.

With that much travel, my Christmas and New Year will be home - no flying, YEAH!!!

Mary

[vcschaub]

I flew ten days after my middle fossa surgery, from Los Angeles to Orlando. The pressure was not an issue and I was sure to be chewing on something during take off and landing. The dry cabin air was annoying because of the beginning of my dry eye. Staying hydrated and using nose and eye drops as needed helps.

[ppearl214]

this is where you are going, you silly!

http://www.breakswithtradition.com/areas/countrysideandcoastal/thamesandchilterns/danesfieldhousehotelandspa.htm


I'll be 2 hrs south of you in Shaftesbury-Dorset, but when I head into Central London on Thursday, I'll be 1 hr from you.  If you want, I can call the resort over the weekend to say hi to you both... if you want.

To all those traveling over the holidays, safe journeys to you all and have a fantastic trip!

Cheers!

Phyl

outside of London .. (I can never remember the town!)

[Louzilla]

I had middle fossa on the 6th at Stanford and flew home to Reno on the 10th.  The plane was no problem for me.  The ride to and from the airport was more of a problem.  I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Lou

[Patti UT]

I went on about a 6 hour flight with one short layover and plane change, both directionsso 4 take offs and 6 landing. I was very nervous I was going to have a problem because I live at a high altitude and have been having trouble with it since surgery. But I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't bother me much at all. I have flown twice since then on under 2 hour flights and it was fine.

Good Luck with it.

Patti UT

[redgrl]

Thanks everyone! I feel better about it. I guess i was just thinking silly thoughts about flying and what could happen.

[WHWT]

I've always dreaded flying, so the prospect of flying after surgery terrified me.  Happily, it was no worse than before the surgery.  (Not a pretty picture.)
The most awful part was going through security.  I worried that the titanium plates in my head would trigger the alarms!!!  They didn't