Flying

[Holly]

Can anyone give me their thoughts on flying?

I'm booked to go on holiday in November. I had my operation on the 17th July. I'm doing really well, I think.

I have been looking forward to this holiday since early this year when we booked it. You see It's our 25th anniversary and we have booked to go round the world. So you see it's a trip of a life time, and it would break my heart to cancel. Any views on the matter?

Thanks much appreaciated

[Janet]

Hi Holly

My first flight was at 6 months post op just to Corfu. It was only really take off and landing that seemed to affect me with a slight build up of pressure in my head.

It was the fatigue after that wiped me out for the first week but it was worth it as had a fabulous time.

Hope you have an absolutely fabulous time when you go on your holiday.

Janet x

[bogbrush]

Hi Holly

All the information I can find seems to indicate that you can fly after about 3 months if you feel up to it. Personally, I flew after about 6 months. It was only a short flight to Ireland, but I didn't suffer any ill effects apart from a small amount of pressure build up on landing.

Regards

Keith

[Holly]

Thank you very much for your replies, I really appreciate them. People have all said different things to me. This is why this site is grand because I can ask people who have gone through the same thing as myself. Bless you.

[Guest Portia del Carmen]

Hello Holly and welcome to the site!

I've had 2 SAHs - one in 2003 which was coiled and there were 3 other annies in there which they weren't sure were big enough to treat- sadly they clearly were and I had my second SAH in late January - hard to say when because no-one diagnosed it for at least 2 weeks... incidentally my husband also found me lying on the bathroom floor trying to be sick, as well - must be a favourite place to end up!

I flew about 4 months after my first and about 6 weeks after the second. A bit of R&R and sunshine really helped the recovery process for both me and hubby. When I asked my consultants they were happy to say yes you can fly, even long haul, which it was the first time. I suspect it all depends on how you are recovering in yourself.

You're still in the early days but they will be able to answer medically/ surgically. I haven't had any problems flying, not even headaches on take off or landing - and you will of course be able to invent a good clear excuse that hubby must do all the lifting of heavy suitcases!

I've always found that the consultants were far better than GP for the answers you need. I was treated at the National Hospital where they also have a SAH nurse who is very helpful and available by phone or email at any time you need her - do you have a similar facility where you are?

Last thing - you need to let your travel insurance people know about your condition - otherwise they can get a bit tricky if you needed to use your policy.

[Holly]

Thank you for your reply.

I, or should I say my hubby has notified the insurance, but thanks for that.

I am going to visit my consultant before I go. He is very nice, and I think like you too, he deals with this all of the time so I feel what he says goes, if you see what I mean. I do feel it has been very hard to gain any knowledge about this, SAH, until I was lucky enough to find this site. I was beginning to feel quite bewildered, at first, because I left hospital without any leaflets of info, to help me understand what had happened, or what I may still experience. I do think that was bad. But, I was lucky to stumble over this site, it has been very informative, and the people like yourself have been very nice and understanding, bless.

[Joan]

Just an addenda to the overall message: I flew at 6 months (in May) and again in August; the May flight was a short one but the August one was a 12 hour slog. However even the long flight didn't seem to affect the way my brain operated, nor my energy levels. I do take lo-dose aspirin and have done for years. This is meant to be helpful (althought it is a blood thinner) and of course drank shedloads of water before,during and after the flight (plus the odd martini or two).

Cheers Joan