Gordon

any tips? Afraid I cannot afford business class!! Does anyone think that airlines will soon be forced to give more legroom?I wouldn't mind paying a little more if this was the case. I love travelling and take several trips a year( thats why I go economy) but always find the air travel tedious although I force myself to get up and move around the cabin.

Grasshopper

I'm sure you've heard the advice of taking asprin before the flight. If you take several trips a year, keep them on one airline and you get better seats. For example, I take two or three international trips a year and a few domestic trips which always puts me into United's Premier class and I get either Economy plus seats (5 extra inches of leg room) or bulkhead seats. I get free e-upgrade certificates to get me a few upgrades on domestic flights.

Anna

On a recent trip to Thailand, I started taking an aspirin 325mg daily starting about 2 weeks before we left. I continued it during the trip until we got home. The 81mg aspirin would be fine too, but I had the 325mg already (I'm a pharmacist). If you have stomach trouble or an ulcer, check with your doctor and be sure to take the enteric coated aspirin. I also wore support hose on the flight, but being a man you probably wouldn't want to! Be sure to wiggle your toes, rotate your ankles, and flex your calves periodically during the flight to keep the circulation moving.

Jennifer

Hi Gordon,<BR><BR>I had DVT a few years ago (due to a cast on my leg from a stress fracture due to running though, not from the airlines) that traveled up my leg and to my lungs, and I'm in my 30s! So, you'd better believe that "circulation" is foremost on my mind when I travel internationally, which I've done several times since the illness.<BR><BR>I know that flight attendants are not particularly happy with this, but several times during the flight, I either walk through the cabin or stand in the back and lift my knees in a slow, but exaggerated "high-step" kind of march for several minutes. <BR><BR>If the trip is particularly long, and I'm in an airport lounge, I try to find the most remote spot possible. I lay a jacket down on the ground, lay my head on it, and put my legs (though not my shoes) up on the seats. <BR><BR>I no longer take blood thinners on a regular basis, but whenever I travel internationally, I take a prescription injectible drug. Even with the medicine, putting my feet up as much as possible before the flight, and moving around the cabin, my legs can become quite swollen.<BR><BR>If you can, try to get an emergency aisle seat -- much more leg room! I'm a bit concerned about an upcoming trip to Paris, however, as I'll be traveling with young children. People with children cannot sit in emergency aisle seats (unless the children are over 18). Thus, my 34" inseamed legs that are very prone to DVT are going to be squeezed like sardines somewhere in the middle. I do have an aisle seat, however, so I my leg will have a wee bit more room.<BR><BR>Last June when I flew overseas, I found two empty seats onboard and sat in one and put my leg up in the other, only to be yelled at by the flight attendant. When I explained my situation, I was told that if I were allowed an extra seat, the airline would have to accomodate EVERYONE. I wish I would have said, "Oh, does everyone else on the plane have DVT, as well?" I bit my tongue however, while she snarled at me a bit more for wasting her time.<BR><BR>Bottom line: do what you have to do to keep healthy, but try to be as polite as possible to others. When I have my legs up in the airport lounge and it starts to get busy and people start sitting around me, I apologize and say that I must keep my legs up before a long flight for health reasons. Strange looks turn to sympathetic looks and I'm forgiven.<BR><BR>Oh, and I try to make sure that I get a full aerobic workout every single day in the last week before a trip, so my legs have the best circulation possible.<BR><BR>Good luck!<BR><BR>Jennifer

Gordon

thanks everyone- there was a lot of good advice. Jennifer- I can imagine you looks you get in the airport!!

Lindsey

On a recent Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Washington DC, the airline showed a video which outlined some hints and tips re. DVT. From memory, they were:<BR><BR>1. Avoid alcohol and drink lots of water for 24 hours before, and during the flight<BR>2. Avoid tight fitting clothing<BR>3. Do some kind of gentle exercise in the days leading up to your journey<BR>4. Avoid sleeping tablets, as you will run the risk of sleeping in the same position for too long, thus exacerbating the problem<BR>5. Try and stand and walk around at least once an hour, even if only for a few minutes<BR>6. As often as you can, whilst seated, flex your toes; rotate your ankles; with your legs bent, lift your leg from the knee as high as you can before lowering<BR>7. Avoid sitting so the edge of the seats cuts the back of your thighs - try and sit with your bottom firmly at the back of the chair so the back of your knee is at the edge.<BR>8. Whenever possible, stand and do simple stretching exercises - my favourite is simply standing on tip-toe and stretching my calves.<BR><BR>I gather that Scholl now produce special anti-DVT compression socks, which are unisex, so you could find a pair of them, or alternatively one of those small ridges foot-massages is great to roll under the soles of your feet.<BR><BR>I have found recently that flight attendants have a much more enlightened attitude, and have been positively encouraging to those passengers attempting to keep themselves healthy, even in the cattle pen that is economy class!

Gordon

thanks everyone- there was a lot of good advice. Jennifer- I can imagine you looks you get in the airport!!