I hear ya. Flying always scared me even *before* PEs, though I never let it stop me (mostly out of stubbornness). Usually I had a few drinks to calm my nerves. Now I have something else to worry about when flying, and I can't drink. Great.

Personally when I am allowed to fly again - and after I'm off bloodthinners - I am going to ask for the self-injection of heparin and dose myself beforehand. That, plus flight socks, plus lots of water, should hopefully do the trick.

Venting is good, especially here where we all understand the fears and anxieties that keep showing up when we do something new for the first time after a PE. I wonder if we will ever again feel relaxed again about our health. I guess it will get better in time.

Your anxiety over flying is totally understandable but you will be just fine. Try distracting yourself with an ipod, a book or by watching a movie. I have a set of noise reducing earphones and I just shut my eyes and enjoy the great sounds. I agree with ElaineV about the flight socks, drinking lots of water and a heparin shot (if it will make you feel safer). Don't forget to wiggle your toes and get up to walk the aisle a couple of times. You are on such a short flight that it will be over in no time!

Enjoy your trip and be proud or yourself for having the courage to overcome the thing that makes you anxious. You are a stronger person!

Take care,

Debbie

I am in a very similar situation to you. I had my PE at the beginning of June and am off Warfarin now and have been cleared of any clotting disorders....
We have a trip planned for April and I am nervous about flying then.
I just keep telling myself that I will be fine and I plan on wearing compression socks and walking and moving my legs a lot!!

Good luck!

After reading so many posts, I think I'm confused. I was under the impression that if you don't have any blood disorders and the clots came from a trauma (mine came from abdominal surgery) that you go through the treatment, typically 6 months of wafarin, and then you're done. I was told that once you develop clots, you are more likely to develop them again but I took it as I was more likely to get them if I were to have surgery again, not just from sitting too long or out of the blue. I am only 2 months into the treatment and have experienced a lot of the emotional ups and downs that seem common umongst us in this group but am I wrong to assume I'm "safe" after my 6 months is up?

Oh and on another note, my surgeon and my pcp told me that an occasional glass of wine (or drink) won't hurt, I think the concern is if you have too much to drink, you may be more likely to get hurt or fall....Am I get wrong information????

Sorry it should have read DID I get wrong info? and amongst...oh well I'm sure no one but me cares about my typos........

I understand your situation. It's been 7 months since my bi-lateral PE. Still do not know the cause of my PE but am no longer taking BC and I'll be a lifer on warfarin as I do have a a clotting disorder.

I want the same thing, never to be afraid that this will happen again. I still take anxiety meds when needed. Somedays it's like it never happened, however, like this morning, it is on my mind.

People are here to listen, so vent when you need to. I read a lot on this support site and I know I'm not alone.

Oh, and I flew 3 weeks after my PE to Mexico. As previously stated, drink plenty of water, wiggle your toes and get up and walk around. Everyone should do that.

Take Care

jtcathy, you should talk to a hematologist about your questions. Basically, my understanding (from my conversation with my doctors) is that lots and lots of people have surgery, or fly, or take the birth control pill, and DON'T develop clots. So if you are one of the few people who develops a clot, then there is something about you and your blood that makes you more susceptible to clotting generally, and you can never assume you are as "safe" as anyone else after you've had a clotting incident. That means you need to be careful about any potential clotting triggers, not just the thing that may have triggered your first incident.

On the alcohol question...I was told that an *occasional* drink or glass of wine was fine too. However, alcohol is a blood thinner, so if you are already taking blood-thinning medication, it can make you more prone to bleeding. That's not a risk I want to take right now, but I am told it's not a big risk so that is just a personal decision for me.

And I was told that after I am off blood-thinners, the occasional drink is fine too obviously - but alcohol can dehydrate you, especially if you have a bit too much, and one of the big factors in my PE episode was severe dehydration from a bad food poisoning episode overseas (dehydration makes your blood "thicker" and more clottable). So I will not be drinking on planes again, because airplane air is already very dry, and I don't want to add alcohol & its dehydrating effects into the mix. I'll be drinking lots of water instead, which sucks, because I usually have a few drinks to calm my nerves when flying especially if its a bouncy ride. :)

Also, I will be the person wandering up and down the aisle non-stop now...

I personally would ask for the heprain/lovonox injections before flying. I had my PE in Feb 06 with no known cause other then BC and tested negative for all clotting disorders. I flew in Oct of 07 with just asprin, fuglies, stayed moving and hydrated and still ended up with a major DVT by the end of the flight that took them 2 months to diagnose! Every body is different but you have to be your own health advocate at the same time. Fly safe!