Asked by: Manju Koprencka
medical health surgery

Can you fly after breast cancer surgery?

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For patients who have had only one or two nodesremoved, he said, there is no risk in flying; womenwho undergo complete removal, and particularly those with higherlevels of body fat, should still consult their doctorsbeforehand.


Considering this, can you fly with breast cancer?

If you're feeling well, travelling abroadwhen you have breast cancer won't necessarily affectyour plans. But you may need to check with your specialistteam that you're fit to travel, especially ifyou're still having treatment.

Furthermore, can I travel after surgery? It is generally recommended to wait four to six weeks tofly after any lower limb surgery. It may be possibleto fly on short-haul or domestic flights at an earlier time, butpatients should always contact their GP to make sure that there isnot an aggravated risk of blood clots.

Keeping this in consideration, how long before you can fly after mastectomy?

Generally, you should be OK to drive ifyou can make an emergency stop without discomfort in thewound. Some people are able to drive about 3 weeksafter the operation, but it may be sooner or later than thisdepending on how you feel.

Can cancer patients travel by airplane?

Many patients with active cancer can flysafely. If you have concerns about your fitness for flying, askyour doctor -- some cancer patients (such as those who havehad lung-related problems, edema, or recent surgery) might be atrisk for complications if they fly.

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Erramun Czapla

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Can I get travel insurance after breast cancer?

Can I get travel insurance after a breastcancer diagnosis? Be aware that your travel insurancewill not cover you for any claim relating to your breastcancer and its treatment or any other pre-existing medicalcondition if you don't inform the insurance company about itwhen you buy the policy.

Marvel Altozano

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Can I travel during chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy and some targeted therapy drugsincrease your risk of infection. If you are thinking abouttravelling during treatment, talk to your cancerdoctor or nurse about your risk of infection. Most people are finea few weeks after treatment is over. However, you should alwayscheck with your doctor first.

Saladino Winkelbach

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Should I wear a compression sleeve when flying?

Some patients actually swell when they don acompression garment. All patients with chronic lymphedemashould wear a sleeve or apply compressive bandagingduring ALL air travel. The sleeve should be donnedbefore the airplane cabin is pressurized. This can be doneat the airport gate or on the plane prior to takeoff.

Ivey Ibarrez

Explainer

Can I exercise during chemotherapy?

Exercising during chemotherapy can help ease sideeffects, such as fatigue and nausea, and can help boost yourimmune system. Chemotherapy side effects cansometimes make exercising tough, but try to be as active asyou're able to be. Again, walking is a good way tostart.

Gor Mineiro

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How long can you stay on chemo?

For most cancers where palliative chemotherapy isused, this number ranges from 3-12 months. The longer the response,the longer you can expect to live.

Esta Mutiel

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Will my chemo port set off airport security?

Chemotherapy Ports and AirportScreening
Your port may or may not set off themetal detector, but if it does, you can plan ahead ina few ways: Carry an identification card for your device,which you can show to security staff, asneeded.

Sayuri Ehrenhaus

Pundit

Does hair grow back different after chemo?

Once chemo has ended and the follicles arerepaired, the hair begins to grow back. Sometimes thenew hair is quite different from the originalhair in texture or color. It may even be more or lesscurly. These growth cycles occur faster on the scalp,so the hair on your head grows faster than your bodyhair.

Didimo Petrezelka

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Can you dye your hair on chemo?

Using hair dye. It is best not to use dyesor perms for around 6 months after finishing chemotherapy.This is because when you are recovering fromchemotherapy, your hair is more fragile thanusual.

Brigitta Alveolos

Pundit

When can I shower after mastectomy?

You may shower one day after the drain(s)is out and if you have a plastic dressing. If you have gauze andpaper tape, you may remove it two days after surgery andshower after that. Use a towel to dry your incisionthoroughly after showering. Be careful not to touch orremove the steri-strips or sutures.

Qunwei Koutaibi

Pundit

How long is mastectomy recovery?

The recovery time from a double mastectomycan vary from person to person, but it typically takes 4 to 6weeks. Some surgeries involve removing the breast tissue but savingthe nipple, while others remove the whole breast. More radicalmastectomies also remove chest muscle and, rarely, the lymphnodes.

Patxi Dyka

Pundit

How long do drains stay in after mastectomy?

The drain is usually removed about 1 to 2 weeksafter your surgery, but it may be left in longer dependingon how much fluid is draining.

M'Barka Miteva

Teacher

Do I need chemo after a mastectomy?

When chemotherapy is provided aftersurgery, it is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Whether or notchemotherapy is recommended following a totalmastectomy will depend on many different factors, includingthe patient's overall health, age and medical history as well asthe type, stage and nature of the breast cancer.

Aurica Tinti

Teacher

Is a mastectomy major surgery?

First, a mastectomy is considered majorsurgery. In "a conventional mastectomy, you remove thebreast tissue and the nipple with an incision," and this may beperformed "in conjunction with a plastic surgeon to conduct animmediate reconstruction," she says.

Vianney Wickenheisser

Teacher

Is a mastectomy painful?

You will have some pain after breast surgery(lumpectomy, mastectomy or breast reconstruction). For mostpeople, this pain is temporary. Pain right aftersurgery is usually due to injury to the skin ormuscles.

Alecsandru Tojar

Teacher

How long after chemo will I feel better?

It may get worse after you have your lastchemotherapy treatment. Most people notice that theirneuropathy gets better 2 to 4 months afterchemotherapy, but it can take up to 1 year to fully goaway.

Hania Goldmark

Reviewer

Is it dangerous to fly after surgery?

If you're flying after recent surgery,especially on the hips or knees, you're at an increased risk ofdeep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in one of the deep veinsin your body, usually in your legs. Other factors may also increaseyour risk of DVT, including if you: have had DVTbefore.

Khadidiatou Itxasmutil

Reviewer

How long after surgery should you worry about blood clots?

You're most likely to get a clot between 2and 10 days after your surgery, but your odds arehigher for about 3 months.

Anxel Garcia Bueno

Reviewer

How long after surgery is it safe to fly?

Risks of Clotting AfterSurgery
There is a risk of clotting for up to 4-6 weeksafter surgery for all patients, but flying longdistances aggravates this problem further. As a result, those whotravel such distances may be subject to enhanced preventivemeasures after their procedure.

Delyan Guerreiro

Reviewer

Can flying cause heart attacks?

Sitting long hours, dehydration, and the lower oxygenlevels in a plane cabin can all predispose a person to bloodclots. Most data have shown that flights greater than eighthours pose the greatest risks. Air travel is also notrecommended within less than two weeks following a heartattack without complications.

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EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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19th February, 2020

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