Move around on those long flights and drives (over 2 hours)

Mrs and I flew to Vegas last month.

Saturday, she started feeling light headed, dizzy, couldn't keep her balance. I took her to the emergency room, it turns out she has pulmonary embolisms in both lungs, and in her left leg. It was deep vein thrombosis, and the doctors think it was from that flight. We were in middle/window seats and just stuck it out for the 4 1/2 hours.

She's doing okay, there was no cardiac damage from the additional strain, but she's still in the gray area for the clots being stable; but every day is a little better, she's been on heparin and Coumadin, when they are sure she is stable she'll be released and stay on the Coumadin for 3-6 months, at which time she'll be reevaluated, and may need to stay on it.

She and I are on the higher risk side; 60ish, overweight, somewhat sedentary in life. But a friend of ours who is active had the same thing happen, the clot went to her heart, and it was too late.

So, move around on those flights and road trips of over 2 hours. Your life is at stake.

Scary story, Mosca. Glad she seems to have come through

Good advice.
It is not that common of a problem in the grand scheme of things, but it is real.
It does kill people.
Get up and move about, do it often...
Unless you're 30 minutes out of Dulles or Reagan Nat'l on a plane.
You can't even get up to pee then....

I'm glad to hear Mrs. Mosca seems to be doing well, I hope that continues. Also, very sound advice.

Quote: Mosca

Mrs and I flew to Vegas last month.

Saturday, she started feeling light headed, dizzy, couldn't keep her balance. I took her to the emergency room, it turns out she has pulmonary embolisms in both lungs, and in her left leg. It was deep vein thrombosis, and the doctors think it was from that flight. We were in middle/window seats and just stuck it out for the 4 1/2 hours.

She's doing okay, there was no cardiac damage from the additional strain, but she's still in the gray area for the clots being stable; but every day is a little better, she's been on heparin and Coumadin, when they are sure she is stable she'll be released and stay on the Coumadin for 3-6 months, at which time she'll be reevaluated, and may need to stay on it.

She and I are on the higher risk side; 60ish, overweight, somewhat sedentary in life. But a friend of ours who is active had the same thing happen, the clot went to her heart, and it was too late.

So, move around on those flights and road trips of over 2 hours. Your life is at stake.

Mosca/Mrs. Mosca,

So very sorry to hear this happened. Very glad you got prompt and proper care and are on the way to recovery. My best to you both.

We were just talking about this at work last week. I recently got a huge client. I can sit for 10 or 12 hours at a time doing their account. A Co worker of mine said that I should get up every 90 minutes or so and take a walk around the office.

Good to always do calf raises and knee raises in your seat on planes (trains or autos) when sitting for prolonged periods of time

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en/travel-information/your-health/inflight-exercise.html

On my last flight to Vegas there was guy that stood in the
aisle for the whole flight, when belt sign was off. It was
very irritating to a lot of people, but he refused to sit
down on 'doctors orders', or so he claimed.

I try and sit in the recliner if I have to sit for a long time,
legs out in front of me. I have computer stand that puts
the laptop right in front on a small desk. I've read
that there's a new ergo office chair that acts like a
recliner, feet in front of you, you're half laying down.
They say people get more work done and are never
uncomfortable. A hundred years ago it was unpadded
oak chairs, work was supposed to be painful.

Quote: aceofspades

Good to always do calf raises and knee raises in your seat on planes (trains or autos) when sitting for prolonged periods of time

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en/travel-information/your-health/inflight-exercise.html

good luck trying to do that in today's planes... I can barely squeeze my feet and knees in as it is..

If you consume vast amounts of alcohol before and during a long flight you are certain to get up and move around due to frequent bathroom breaks. It works for me. And makes flying slightly more tolerable.

Plus, arriving at your destination completely smashed is a nice bonus.

Mosco- glad wifey is okay. Good thread.

Could one just take some aspirin before sitting to avoid this?

Alcohol dilates the blood vessels. So shouldn't that help prevent clots from forming?

Quote: rudeboyoi

Alcohol dilates the blood vessels. So shouldn't that help prevent clots from forming?

Alcohol is a desiccant to a greater degree than it dilates the blood vessels. Dehydration encourages/exacerbates conditions favorable to clot formation. (It may even be that the dilation is the body's reaction to the dehydration; I'm not sure about that part.) So I think the overall effect is negative.

Moral to this story: Bourbon with branch water! lol...

Quote: GWAE

Could one just take some aspirin before sitting to avoid this?

Well, I am not a doctor nor do I play one on tv, but, according to Harvard Medical School - you are correct

Quote: aceofspades

Well, I am not a doctor nor do I play one on tv, but, according to Harvard Medical School - you are correct

I take four aspirins a day, because I'm worried about having a heart attack in my sleep. I take the one in the morning I was prescribed, and three right before bed.

Quote: Mosca

I take four aspirins a day, because I'm worried about having a heart attack in my sleep. I take the one in the morning I was prescribed, and three right before bed.

Aspirin overkill. I've been taking one enteric
coated aspirin a day for 25 years. Research
shows any more than that is a waste of
time. You also might be hurting your digestive
system, even with too much coated aspirin.