Travel after Surgery

[TK]

Hello Friends,

I am scheduled for surgery in California, which will be a 14 hour drive from home.  What are your experiences with driving verses flying?  Any regrets?  Any tips or suggestions?  I need to make the arrangements ASAP.

TK

[CHD63]

Hi TK .....

My first surgery was done a 6-hour drive from my home.  I had some issues with double vision so I basically closed my eyes while my husband drove us home 9 days post-op.  Otherwise, no difficulties.

My second surgery was an approximately 6-hour plane flight from my home, which turned out to be more like 12+ hours due to weather-related flight delays.  That was very exhausting, but a none-issue otherwise.

If you are planning to drive, I would definitely break it up into two or three days because of the fatigue factor.  Flying caused no medical problems for me so if that is an option, I would probably vote for flying if I were you.

Clarice

[TK]

Thank you, Clarice, for replying to my post.  I chose to fly home after surgery, it was 10 days after, to be exact.  I am glad I did, because I had severe lower back pain from blood that found its way into the spinal fluid and settled in the lower back.  That would have been very uncomfortable, with 14 hours driving home.  However,  the night after I flew home, I experienced the worst pressure headache ever.  It was the first time I took a narcotic to relieve the pain post-op.  The doctors didn't indicate a concern with flying so I don't know it that was what caused it or not.  Maybe it was the busy day.  But I haven't experienced that much head pain since that night.

[PaulW]

I wonder if your headache is caused by increased Cerebral Spinal Fluid pressure..
If it is still present you should probably see a doctor ASAP.

[Rhcdad]

I flew back from California to Albany NY about 7-10 days after my surgery, it was a nightmare but from a health concern, I had no ill effects from the flight. Just not enjoyable.