mari5

I've heard this DVT (deep vein thrombosis) can happen even three weeks after returning.Yes, aspirin does thin the blood and is OK, but my DR. said the MAIN thing is moving the legs and feet, pumping them while sitting and of course walking up and down aisle about every hour or so.

It seems that the same thing could happen to people who sit at the computer for 3 or 4 hours at a time.??? That couldn't be good either.

The compression stockings are good also (I did it for quite a while when flying after knee replacement),but they are kind of a "nuisance&quot But, hey, if it helps.......?
I've VERY sorry to learn of the trouble your friend had...and I guess it just takes a "small" clot. Very scary and worth thinking strongly about.

Intrepid1

There is absolutely no way you can be absolutely certain that your friend's event was "caused" by sitting in an airline seat despite someone's asserting that this information should have been made known.

Having known this would not have necessarily altered the medical treatment in any way and, hopefully, nobody is going to go on any guilt trips for not having mentioned this.

Do we KNOW that your friend didn't get any exercise while on the plane?

And now someone here is asserting that despite confirmed, clinical trial-based information as to the benefits of ASA (aspirin) therapy that "aspirin doesn't work."

IMO medical information is best received from medical professionals.

logos999

Just be aware that Aspinine doesn't help at all, consult your doctor. It is not a "real" medication which might prevent this! 50 tablets don't come close to one dose of heparin. Consult sone experienced professional!

logos999

aspirin doesn't work.

RIGHT!

logos999

@interpid1
Leave it to the professionals. There is only one slight problem I have with such statements as yours. 1. You havn't got the slightest idea of what you are talking about and 2. it is dangerous for others to rely on this (your) advice. You may take as many Aspirin tablets as you like, it won't prevent a DVT and this "clinical trial based info" is....

Do as you like, just don't post such a nonsense... SIGH

jody

" Aspirin doesn't work"...so that is why if you are having any kind of surgery, dental, dermatologic, ANY kind they tell you to stop your aspirin because they don;t want to contend with a bleeder. That's also the reason why , it is recommended if you are having chest pain or symptoms, that while you wait for the 911 people to get to you that , if available, you chew an aspirin. And the first thing they do in the ER is to give you aspirin! I speak from experience!

And BTW..I am a medical professional!

logos999

Jody, please, read the question/problem, and think of your advice as to take aspirin for preventing blood cloths. I won't comment on this any further. Check with someone whith a little knowledge in internal medicine. Of course you can chew aspirine, but what you need in case of blood cloths is heparine/coumadin/warfarine etc. Aspinine won't help, you can chew as many as you like, this won't prevent a blood cloth, right...

jody

White willow bark would possibly be just as efective as aspirin. But it requires a longer time to take effect though it's effects are just as long lasting.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would fault the use of compression stockings. Even if you are in hospital and unable to move about the first thing they put on your legs are compression!

KT

Okay. Apsirin is a proven blood thinner. That's why you don't take it around the time of surgery. It is also proven to prevent arterial thrombosis. That's why you take it to prevent heart attacks. It has not yer been shown, however, to prevent deep vein thrombosis. I'm not a medical professional, but I've seen this uniformly on many reliable sources of information re travelers' health, and discussed it with my internist who said that's what she's read, too.

KT

Make that "not yet been shown." Sorry about the typo.

wj1

Linda431,

Thank you for taking the time during this difficult period to post a reminder that we all need to be careful about DVT. I wish your friend well.

jody

logos999...you need to read what you have written. Aspirin does thin blood! If your blood is not thinned and you clot then warfarin/heparin is used as a Treatment. You can;t have everyone on a heparin pre-treatment/prophylacsis!
I've had a DVT and I have been treated with heparin and then put on an aspirin daily dosage.
You are totally wrong!We have not been talking about TREATING blood clots..not cloths.. but trying to prevent them!

L84SKY

Linda431,
Thanks for posting about this. I hope your friend will be up, about and traveling again soon.

For once, I'm glad that the minute the plane leaves the ground I'm wide awake. And restless.
I do the knee lifts and the arm raises, and basically walk a mile or two on board.
Another exercise; is to tighten all my muscles, starting with my toes and slowly release them, while sitting. It feels good and is a relaxing way to pass the time.

Roundtrip

To Faina:

Re simple exercises to prevent DVT, I visted the two websites you mentioned but also found this easy exercise that can be done at the seat: "The muscles of the lower legs (which act as a pump for the blood in the veins) can be exercised while sitting by pulling the toes towards the knees then relaxing, or by pressing the balls of the feet down while raising the heel." See http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/m...hrombosis.html

twoflower

air travellers in coach?
isn't that a contradiction in terms?

apat

My daughter had a beautiful wedding in Maui with our family. When we returned my 75 year old father developed a blood clot in his leg a few days later. I wish the airlines would alert travelers on long flights of this potential problem.

Kansan

Dear Linda,

I am sorry to hear of your friend illness. I wonder if at her age of 49, perhaps she was taking HRT. The use of HRT can increase one's chances of getting blood clots.

My prayers for her speedy recovery.

Linda431

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I won't discuss the risk/benefits of aspirin therapy to prevent blood clots but ask that each of you discuss it with your doctor.

Intrepid1,
No, we don't know for certain that it was "caused" by sitting in an airline seat despite someone's asserting that this information should have been made known. (That someone being the nurse on duty when she was sent up to ICU)

And no, having known this would not have necessarily altered the medical treatment. But it would have factored into their decisions as to what tests they ordered for her to determine the origin of the clot. A heart attack in a relatively young person with no risk factors is like a puzzle. This would have been just a piece of the puzzle, however helpful it may or may not have been.

avegeorgev

Fantastic Warning !! A far too little reported one. I think it is largely an economic reason why the airlines choose not to disclose this obvious problem. I think that is morally apprehensive/despicable/pathetic/sad/
irresponsible capitalism. To not aid the
very people who are your bread and butter.

Yeah! DVT is a huge problem. Especially
these days, where airline seats are
getting tinier and psycho inconsiderate
fellow passengers (coincidentally
nearly always from NYC) insist reclining
all the way back onto your lap.

It is truly a pathetic situation.

Having said that.

Is there / are there any remedies out there? There is a new trend out there to use a French Maritime Pine Bark derivative, Pycnogenol in conjunction with Ginger.

Interesting article
http://www.pycnogenol.com/pdf/pyc_mi...ld_article.pdf

Frankly. It is rather cost prohibitive.

More info on it:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...ycnogenol.html

This is all with regards to prevention of course.

Once you unfortunately have dvt,
they say heparin is the way to go.

Heparin. Is it so dangerous that
it is not available OTC? IT or some mutual relative of it.

Dukey

There is a new trend out there to use a French Maritime Pine Bark derivative, Pycnogenol in conjunction with Ginger.

Are you suggesting this is some sort of preventive measure? If so, do we have clinical trials which have measured its effectiveness?

If not then any suggestion that this might "work" is just as inappropriate as the behavior you are accusing others of displaying IMO.