Author Topic: Is the long travel by plane harmful?  (Read 9685 times)

Kaybo

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #15 on: August 24, 2008, 07:36:34 pm »
Lamsue~
I had the surgery over 12 years ago and it was well over $80,000 then.  Thank goodness for insurance!  I was 25 and had just signed on with a public school and received their insurance.  I had the insurance for 1 month before they found my tumor - talk about God's timing!!

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

leapyrtwins

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #16 on: August 24, 2008, 09:28:35 pm »
Sue -

you are absolutely correct.  The surgery usually costs around $100,000

As K said, thank goodness for insurance!

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

28Lisa

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2008, 03:03:06 am »
Yes its very pricey, you'll need more than one mri, thats for sure

You should get insurance, if you dont ask for a social worker in the hospital
A.N. 4+cm, 9/11/07 @ NY Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Phillip Stieg
post opt - partial facial paralysis on left side, total hear loss on left side, speech altered, loss of taste, smell,balance, loss of sensation on right side from shoulder down, low motor skills, eye weight 11/07

joebloggs

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #18 on: October 09, 2008, 08:14:19 am »
Hi Ya,

Just saw your message about flying.  I haven't had my surgery yet but I have been told that I'm not to fly for 3 months following surgery.  There is apparently a significant risk that the pressure will cause cerebral spinal fluid to leak and can lead to meningitis.  Obviously every doctor has different advice, but I was told this by a neurotologist in Cambridge, UK with experience of over 1,000 operations, so I trust him.

Check http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/clin/surg/neurotol_skullbase/acoustic_faqs1.html

Have you considered treatment in the UK?  There are some excellent centres here. 

Cheers

Joe
Right sided AN 2.7cm at last MRI.  Hearing loss/facial numbness.  Translab scheduled March 11th 2009.  Translab at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia successful!  Total tumour removed, SSD, no facial issues, numbness has left the building, balance issues but they'll get better and I'm loving life!

leapyrtwins

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #19 on: October 09, 2008, 08:20:53 am »
Joe -

you are correct.  Doctors have different theories on flying post op. 

My neurotologist told me to wait 3 months post op, but others on this forum - specifically those who had surgery @ House in Los Angeles - flew earlier than that and didn't encounter any problems.

BTW, welcome to the forum and good luck with your surgery.  When is it scheduled for?

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

joebloggs

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #20 on: October 09, 2008, 09:25:40 am »
Thanks Jan, I just got diagnosed, so everything's a bit crazy right now, but I'm pretty calm about it all and you know what, it could be so much worse!  I could have a malignant tumour and then it could be curtains for me! 

Surgery is scheduled for Feb at this stage - that's my plan B.  My surgeon is writing to surgeons in Australia to see if anyone down there can do it - I'm actually Australian and it will probably be better to be able to recover with my family around me - plus it's warmer!  So we'll see!! 
Right sided AN 2.7cm at last MRI.  Hearing loss/facial numbness.  Translab scheduled March 11th 2009.  Translab at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia successful!  Total tumour removed, SSD, no facial issues, numbness has left the building, balance issues but they'll get better and I'm loving life!

JerseyGirl2

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #21 on: October 09, 2008, 09:37:10 am »
Joe,

 When I set up my surgery date I was told that I should be fine to fly ten days after my operation, so I booked my return flight accordingly. I indeed flew from Los Angeles back to Newark, NJ at the ten day mark and had no problems whatsoever. I should add that I didn't have any post-surgical issues other than fatigue -- but my doctors seemed to be of the opinion that barring complications flying is not a problem. In fact, the consensus seemed to be that flying is preferable to a long (more than three hours) car ride. I'm sure that every doctor has his/her own opinion on this matter, so I would suggest following your doctor's recommendation!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)
Translab surgery and BAHA implant: House Ear Institute, Los Angeles, 1/2008
Drs. J. House, Schwartz, Wilkinson, and Stefan
BAHA Intenso, 6/2008
no facial, balance, or vision problems either before or after surgery ... just hearing loss
Monmouth County, NJ

leapyrtwins

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #22 on: October 10, 2008, 12:17:08 am »
Thanks Jan, I just got diagnosed, so everything's a bit crazy right now, but I'm pretty calm about it all and you know what, it could be so much worse!  I could have a malignant tumour and then it could be curtains for me! 

Joe -

you've definitely got the right attitude on this whole AN thing.

Keep the faith  ;D

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

joebloggs

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #23 on: October 10, 2008, 11:36:29 am »
I'm trying Jan! 

Thanks JG2 for your post too, always good to get a few opinions!
Right sided AN 2.7cm at last MRI.  Hearing loss/facial numbness.  Translab scheduled March 11th 2009.  Translab at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia successful!  Total tumour removed, SSD, no facial issues, numbness has left the building, balance issues but they'll get better and I'm loving life!

MAlegant

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #24 on: October 10, 2008, 02:02:51 pm »
I flew at 6 weeks post-op and again at 8 weeks.  It wore me out but other than that, I had no problem at all.  Doctors gave me the green light so off I went!
Marci
3cmx4cm trigeminal neuroma, involved all the facial nerves, dx July 8, 2008, tx July 22, 2008, home on July 24, 2008. Amazing care at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

cindyj

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #25 on: October 13, 2008, 01:02:26 pm »
Well, I'm counting on it NOT being harmful as I will be flying back home from LA after surgery in just a few weeks :) 

Crossing my fingers,

Cindy
rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold."  Josh Billings

hannie

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #26 on: October 15, 2008, 09:11:11 am »
I'm sure the doctors are more worried about flying causing fatigue than anything else. If there were any significant risks the advice would be the same from all doctors - dont fly after surgery.

As it is i would focus all your energy on getting better rather than worrying about flying. (easier said than done though i'm sure!)

QRM

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #27 on: November 22, 2008, 12:12:54 pm »
After surgery I will be faced with a 16 hour flight to Singapore from LA.  Have to make sure everything is screwed into place, last thing I  want or the poor passenger sitting next to me is a problem in the middle of nowhere. We are planning of staying in LA for 2 months if not 3  before I try and fly.

I am stunned at the cost of MRI in the US. I had the full medical the other day here in Singapore, CAT scans, MRI, XRAYS, ultra sound head to toe check, cancer screening, blood test, dyes etc. I spent the whole day at the hospital doing test and the bill came to about 3000 US dollars,  which by local standard is a ridiculous amount to spend on a medical.

If you are just going to do a MRI scan and you have to cover the cost yourself then its worth jumping on a flight out to this part of the world for a holiday, do some shopping, stay in a five star hotel, have a scan and then head back. You will probably have some change left over.

The other interesting thing I was asking about ball park cost and they said as I am coming from overseas I can get a big discount on the whole procedure cost,  I did not ask why, any ideas? Do I get the B team? or they assume that other countries are less litigious?
« Last Edit: November 22, 2008, 12:23:26 pm by QRM »
2.5 cm x 1.1 cm AN 30 Oct 08  Singapore Gleneagles Hosp.
Translab on  29 Jan 09 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of HEI
Surgery a success!! had wonky head for a while and odd tastes
Everyday things are improving and getting back to normal.

klangel

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #28 on: November 22, 2008, 03:32:04 pm »
yeah sue i cant imagine having to pay either although the last surgeon i saw said it was quite common. strange and lucky i got in for mine just under the wire. my surgery was 6/1/05 and my hubs insurance through his civil service job expired 6/30/05! we couldnt afford the cobra which was ouuta control expensive because he was disabled and then so was i but my total on the surgery hosp and all the treatments for everything that went wrong was 357,000! wow more than my house was at the time! i probably would have just had to die if i had to pay. it makes me wonder about other people maybe having to die because they cant pay. that makes me sad. :-[

hruss

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Re: Is the long travel by plane harmful?
« Reply #29 on: November 26, 2008, 04:06:22 pm »
thank you for the interesting stories, friends!

as most of you know i got the operation in Hannover, Germany. I have to say that my brother had already booked the return ticket when the doctors from the clinic recommended not allowed to travel 4 weeks post op. So i had to do it by train Vienna and then a co-worker came to drive me back home! I have to admit that I did not have any problems both during the train and the car drive.

So I am save and sound for more than a month here in Bulgaria and going to massages of my face every day.

thank you for being that active!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hrissy
4.5cm right AN pressing on the brain stem, dn Sept 2007
2 Retrosigm surgeries in Oct 2007 and Jan 2008 by the Bulgarian prof. Kyrkeselian partially removed.
3rd retro surgery in Hannover,Germany by prof Samii, Oct 2008. SSD
Got rid of my bugger, temp facial paresis
hrissysexperiences.blogspot.co