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  Victoria Goodspeed To prevent lymphedema, would it be better to fly 6 hours direct or break it up into 5 hours and 1 1/2 hours ?  or does it matter?

  • April 16, 2012
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  Victoria Goodspeed → Steve Norton: Hello, I need your advice.  My sister had all lymph nodes removed from armpit due to breast cancer - so far no lymphedema but she is very fearful of it because our mother is a survivor and her arm is twice the size of the other.  We are planning a trip...  moreHello, I need your advice.  My sister had all lymph nodes removed from armpit due to breast cancer - so far no lymphedema but she is very fearful of it because our mother is a survivor and her arm is twice the size of the other.  We are planning a trip to from St. Louis to Hawaii - will it help to get flights that make several stops so she isn't in the air for as long periods - would it be better to fly to West Coast, stay overnight and then fly Hawaii next day?  Should she be fitted for a compression sleeve even though she doesn't presently have lymphedema?  This vacation was my idea and I would feel terrible if she ends up with lymphedema because of it, but she really want to go.   I would appreciate your advice.    less

  • April 16, 2012

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    Staff Certified Lymphedema Therapist Hi Victoria, I am a lymphedema therapist that works for the Norton School. I forwarded your question on to Steve, but wanted to offer my opinion as well. This trip sounds great. Flying can be worrysome when you are at risk for lymphedema, but I would...  moreHi Victoria, I am a lymphedema therapist that works for the Norton School. I forwarded your question on to Steve, but wanted to offer my opinion as well. This trip sounds great. Flying can be worrysome when you are at risk for lymphedema, but I would not let it dictate your plans. A non-stop flight may be easier to tolerate for her rather than the ups and downs of making stops. Getting a comfortable off the shelf compression sleeve may be a good idea as a precaution, but there is not a lot of supportive literature out there to justify it. It won't hurt her to wear a sleeve on the flight, especially if it gives her and yourself piece of mind. You can check out www.lymphnet.org (The National Lymphedema...    less

    • April 19, 2012
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    Janet Tillapaugh Hi Victoria- I didn't have lymphedema, but I got measured for a sleeve and wore it on a flight from Syracuse, NY to Chalrotte, NC then on to Jamaica.The highest we flew down was 32,000 feet. I got there and my arm was fine. I flew back same stop, but...  moreHi Victoria- I didn't have lymphedema, but I got measured for a sleeve and wore it on a flight from Syracuse, NY to Chalrotte, NC then on to Jamaica.The highest we flew down was 32,000 feet. I got there and my arm was fine. I flew back same stop, but we went to 37,000 feet. My arm was swollen the next day....and ever since I have been wearing a sleeve. I am having my arm wrapped over the next few weeks in order to get a custom fit sleeve. I had a tumor in my arm pit last year. They shrunk it and then removed it along with 48 lymph glands. They could not determine the source of the cancer so they treated it as breast cancer. I only got the first sleeve for flying....little did I know- I really was going to...    less

    • June 25, 2012
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  Victoria Goodspeed has just joined the community. Say hello!

  • April 16, 2012