A Personal Story – With A Warning For Almost Everyone - Update

[David48]

I first penned this some time ago.

Sadly, like my health, I didn't keep on top of it ... I let it lapse ... thought ... it 'will be sweet'.

It won't be.

Below is my archived story from almost 2 years ago ... which resonates as strongly today ... as it did back then.

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Like everyone here I'm a regular flier, and it may well be that I'm not taking the advice given by the airlines seriously enough.

More fool me, after a superb extended holiday with my lady and her family I've recently flown back to Australia, and instead of glowing in the memories of the holiday, I've been spending time under the care of the Doctors.

I have developed a Deep Vein Thrombosis.

I'm in my 40's and a fit and active guy, and now I'm in severe pain due to the DVT, and I'm being treated with the blood thinning agent, Warfarin.....which is also used as rat poison.

This wasn't a gift I wanted to bring back from my holiday, now have to wear stocking to assist with the blood flow, inject drugs into my stomach and in general I feel lousy, and I feel guilty as I should have known better.

Take the advice you are given on the aircraft, get up and walk around, drink plenty of water, and in future, trust me, I'll be wearing flight socks. I suppose I'm lucky that the Doctors have caught it relatively early, DVT's can be extremely serious and once you have suffered from one they can recur quite easily.

Don't take the risk, it really isn't worth it.

(Thanks ... you know who ... who has sadly now, left the Forum)

.

[krisb]

Alcohol works as a blood thinning agent quite well.

[FritsSikkink]

You penned it down 2 years ago , why now again?

[David48]

Now, it's close to the peak travelling season ... a lot of long haul flights to Thailand are under-way or planned.

I never planned to have a DVT.

Indeed, when I got this one ... I was in Premium Economy Class ... extra leg-room.

I'd had 1 beer ... repeat, 1 beer. It was an overnight flight.

But, having a window seat, I never got up ... I didn't need to.

Never the less .. I got a DVT.

Now ... sometimes, it hits you like a Heart Attack ... mine didn't.

About a week later, after the flight, when I was due to play Squash for the Club ... it was a Tuesday.

A member emailed me ... David, can you play twice tonight ... someone has pulled out.

Sure, I replied ... after a holiday in Thailand ... I need the run.

Well, a few hours later, I developed a 'tightness' in my leg. Closest I can describe is it's like a mild toothache in the leg.

sort of all over ... but no specific spot.

This was a week after I returned home.

It sneaks up on you.

Since returning home, I've had the full gamut of Blood Tests.

Nothing to show I have no pre-disposition to blood clots.

Nothing hereditary ... no 'Sticky Blood'.

I was just 'un-lucky'.

So, again ... why now.

I don't want anyone to go through what I did ... and still do.

Warfin is no fun.

Clexain Injections into the Stomach are no fun.

Compression stockings ... even those socks which are available are great.

Alcohol is not good. Red wine is OK in moderate doses.

An Aspirin Tablet helps.

The socks/compression stockings are best.

Just my friendly advice as a patient who has had this, come out the other side ... but not yet, fully recovered.

I still take the Warfin and occasionally, when my leg is having a bad day ... I have to roll the stocking on.

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[Costas2008]

David, I'm really sorry to hear that you developed a Deep Vein Thrombosis.

This has been my worry for the last 20 years flying around the globe.

Especially now that my flights last for 13-14 hours.

I always wear flight socks and get up as much as I can.

This information was given not only by the flight attendants but was well publicised in the media around the world.

I really hope the clot eventually disappears and you live a normal and healthy life.

[pgrahmm]

So - are you going to change your in flight routine now...Seat exercises? Walking around the cabin - what intervals? Stand up exercises? Stretching?

Be careful NEVER to take a hit in the head on blood thinners - lost two people I know that way.....

Edited December 9, 2014 by pgrahmm

[DaffyDuck]

and I'm being treated with the blood thinning agent, Warfarin.....which is also used as rat poison

There is no need for hyperbole. Saccharin is also used in rat poison, as is aspartame. The key lies in understand the difference between 'dose' and'dosaged' - do you?

[PoorSucker]

Troll post removed.

[David48]

David, I'm really sorry to hear that you developed a Deep Vein Thrombosis.

This has been my worry for the last 20 years flying around the globe.

Especially now that my flights last for 13-14 hours.

I always wear flight socks and get up as much as I can.

This information was given not only by the flight attendants but was well publicised in the media around the world.

I really hope the clot eventually disappears and you live a normal and healthy life.

Mate ... two things.

Flight Socks are great ... a great aid and I fully encourage their use.

The medical flight socks of course.

Well done for being pro-active. Under Jeans, long pants ... you would never know.

As for the DVT ... what happens is that the blood eventually wears the clot away ... such is it's nature.

But what it does is that it SCARS the blood vesicle and leaves you with a pre-disposition to another clot ... another DVT.

I still enjoy a 1, 2, 3, 4 Beers on a flight ... but I also drink the water, do the quick exercises and wear a compression sock.

and get up and walk around a bit.

No need to be crazy about it ... but it does help.

[David48]

and I'm being treated with the blood thinning agent, Warfarin.....which is also used as rat poison

There is no need for hyperbole. Saccharin is also used in rat poison, as is aspartame. The key lies in understand the difference between 'dose' and'dosaged' - do you?

DD ... this is one of the weirdest posts I've read for a while ... and I read a lot.

I'm taking medically prescribed Warfarin, I have my INR (blood thinness) monitored on a regular basis ...

that INR is controlled by the Warfarin.

and you are asking me about dose and dosage ...

.

[neverdie]

I'm a bit confused Davo....are u crook now. I am sorry fo hear bout this.

Hope you improve quickly.

[Ws93]

I have a 11 hour flight.i get bored easily and regularly visit the toilet just to play on my phone then back again.

what can i do to avoid dpt? Flight socks, exercise?

[xen]

David, I hope everything improves for you with the effects of the DVT .

.

I understand that with DVT the chance of stroke increases too . And my ex-wife got DVT from having her leg in plaster when she broke it and spent time in a hospital bed.

And taking Warfarin is no fun just having to be aware of your intake of green vegetables like broccoli ,kale etc that contain Vitamin K that counteract the effect blood thinning of warfarin. .

The other side effect of taking blood thinners is travel insurance if you take blood thinners like Warfarin. Alliance Insurance or any insurance that is underwritten by Alliance completely wipes you completely . Look at the small print ,usually under the pre-existing medical conditions. I guess this is because if you have, for example , a car accident you can , in theory , bleed to death. Even dental treatment such as canal root therapy needs pre-op precautions.

Best of luck mate.

[champers]

Bad luck. The cure sounds as bad as the problem. I always wear the long black socks, but they do get me some strange looks on the beach.

[sipi]

Sorry to hear David. I would like to hear more about DVT. I have heard about it, but not from personal experience. The symptoms etc.

Perhaps you could repost in the medical forum.

It is difficult to get day flights to Australia. I find it easier to move about the cabin during day flights.

Do office workers get DVT? Or does altitude play a part....

[David48]

The reason for the re-posting is simple, the old topic is Archived, and you can't re-open an Archived Topic.

Plus it peak holiday time, thus a timely reminder that something, which has such devastating health consequences, a Blood clot can so easily be prevented.

also ... it's not an 'old man disease'.

I'm not old or young.

I'm not fat or thin.

I'm reasonably fit, but not a marathon runner.

I'm Mr Average ... call me Joe.

But, when flying, hours of inactivity starts the process.

The air-conditioning de-humidifies the air.

Blood pools in the lower legs.

Overnight flights the hosties are difficult to find, and, maybe if you are like me ... don't wish to disturb the sleeping passenger next to you to get up and exercise a bit.

• Hydrate
• Exercise
• Get up and around
• Consider the support socks

I'm surprised at the number of people who choose to take a sleeping tablet when they fly and wake up 6 - 8 hours later ... having immobilised themselves for that time. I can understand why ... but the dangers are there.

.

[David48]

Sorry to hear David. I would like to hear more about DVT. I have heard about it, but not from personal experience. The symptoms etc.

Perhaps you could repost in the medical forum.

It is difficult to get day flights to Australia. I find it easier to move about the cabin during day flights.

Do office workers get DVT? Or does altitude play a part....

I've done a Medical Explanation also in the Medical Forum here.

Here is the main post from that ...

I'll try and keep this light-hearted ... but some serious medical info can kick us off.

You've settled into your seat, had a few beers, a meal ... and the movie has just started.

A couple of hours later, you are feeling relaxed ... you can see what is happening outside ... but what's happening inside your body?

Because you don't ask the blood to do much work ... it starts to just 'hang around' - pooling in your lower legs.

Your blood gets lazy - in some people it starts to clot. Sort of like going on strike. Just sits down and refuses to go anywhere.

The 'non-return' valves you see above sometimes stop operating efficiently ... sometimes stop working at all.

Inactivity and dehrdration are the friends of DVT.

[smokie36]

Good advice David....even a pisshead like me makes sure to drink plenty water between glasses of champagne.

Not a good idea to remain sitting for so long and one of the reasons I prefer a decent stopover in the Middle East.....seven hours this time....long enough for me to recharge my batteries a bit.

[Lex Talionis]

Sorry to hear about your troubles David. Just had a 16 hour flight from NYC to Taipei and slept for 7 hours straight with the help of a neck support and mask. Not a good idea in retrospect. Wish I had read your post a day earlier. I did walk about several times (came across one dude doing situps in the flight attendant area) but in recent years they have limited the access available for this by cordoning off business class. Got in trouble with a flight attendant a year ago because I boldly pulled the curtain aside and continued on my forced march. The dude had some control issues - just they way he seemed to take my trespass very personally.

As far as flight socks go the jury is still out on their effectiveness:

...measures such as taking aspirin and wearing the high socks are not backed up by scientific research... people most at risk from developing DVT were by far those who have a predisposition to blood clots, rather than where people sit on the aircraft or how much alcohol they drink.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/compression-socks-dont-stop-dvt/story-e6frfqfr-1226632676996

Don't suppose wearing them would hurt any... aside from them being so damned uncomfortable that is.

Speedy recovery.

[ATF]

and I'm being treated with the blood thinning agent, Warfarin.....which is also used as rat poison

There is no need for hyperbole. Saccharin is also used in rat poison, as is aspartame. The key lies in understand the difference between 'dose' and'dosaged' - do you?

DD ... this is one of the weirdest posts I've read for a while ... and I read a lot.

I'm taking medically prescribed Warfarin, I have my INR (blood thinness) monitored on a regular basis ...

that INR is controlled by the Warfarin.

and you are asking me about dose and dosage ...

.

David it's not weird some time ago when I had my regular medical I had a high reading on my liver function test and I thought it was due to the copious amounts of alcohol but after staying off the booze for four months the test hardly moved. Found out it was all the Diet Coke and Coke Zero I was drinking which are full of artificial sweeteners.

Hope you get better soon.

[Patsycat]

I remember trying to get those stockings onto my mum in Africa on the way home, took me and my sis about half an hour for each leg. That was 10 years ago.

Perhaps they have changed the socks since. Are they more flexible.

Now it is us, her daughters, who have to think about them for ourselves...!!

I can imagine the conversation - got your sexy socks on, yes, no, get them on, no, ok, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, on.

Sort of like one of those rubber suits that we see on the internet occasionaly. But if they save my live why not.

[smokie36]

If you are worried pop an aspirin before the flight.

[Patsycat]

They say you should pop an aspirin a day at least a week before the flight.

I pop an aspirin everyday, anyway.

[craigt3365]

Thanks for bringing this up again. I don't fly as much now, but use to a lot several years ago. And like mentioned above, would pop a pill and sleep for 7 hours or so. I'll have to take a peek around here and see where you can get those socks.

I got some for my mom a few years ago and as mentioned before, they are hard to get on!!

[Patsycat]

You have to get behind your mother, almost like she was giving birth. And pull instead of all those years ago when she pushed.

And she will curse and so shall you. But mine is still alive at 85, and so am i and my sis.

Because, perhaps, she wore the socks.

Put some baby powder inside.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Patsycat

[sipi]

You penned it down 2 years ago , why now again?

A new audience. And possibly advances in prevention and treatment.

[David48]

You penned it down 2 years ago , why now again?

A new audience. And possibly advances in prevention and treatment.

Warfarin is still the main drug used from my knowledge, plus, if you been in an accident, it's fairly easy to reverse.

Warfarin 'thins' the blood, making more difficult to clot.

Usually you stay on a course of Warfin for 6 - 12 months, then, often onto common Aspirin. Usually a 80mg dose as opposed to a 'normal' Aspirin tablet which is 300mg.

Sometimes Aspirin can cause the thinning of the stomach lining.

With Warfarin the most common side-effects are ... "They can also suffer dramatic side effects, including spontaneous heavy bruising, internal bleeding and hair loss. "

At-alternative-taking-rat-poison-The-effects-blood-thinner-warfarin-bring-misery-thousands-theres-option

The full joy of Warfarin can be found here at this Mayo Clinic Article

So, to battle the DVT, there is a combination of chemical solutions, both preventative and treatment, plus the mechanical solution of the travel socks or the compression stocking.

When I travel, or my leg feels 'heavy' ... I wear one of these.

These aren't the travel socks which you buy at the airport ... that's a different product.

.

[David48]

My simple take-out message is prevention.

Do the exercises.

Consider flight socks

Get up and walk around a bit.

Drink a modest amount of water.

Maybe an aspirin before you fly.

I'm in good health, I still play squash, do all the normal things I did before I got the DVT

But now have one varicose vein and those fine blueish veins in my foot, sometimes.

Prevention Gentlemen ... Prevention.

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[dddave]

I fly around 150 thousand miles a year as an air courier and will vouch for the effectiveness of compression stockings. before I began to use them, sometimes I could not get my shoes back on at the end of a flight because my feet had swollen so much....especially if I was unlucky enough to be in a center seat.

It's worth stressing that proper fit is extremely important for these stockings to do their job well. It's not only the tightness...it's the location and degree of compression that is critical. Very much worth it to consult with a Doctor. If you go to a website that sells these socks, you will find a very wide range of sizes with special codes that delineate fit.

BTW, has anybody reading this found a source of these stockings in Bangkok? I've always had to purchase mine in the US.

[sipi]

My blood is already too thin, a bleeder. I can't take aspirin. Maybe just those calf exercises will work. How about those electric exerciser pads you see advertised on television?

Can infants and kids get it? My son runs a marathon in his sleep, literally, to the annoyance of Mum and Dad.

The biggest problem between Thailand and Australia are those flight schedules. We often stop-over in Singapore or KL, but that is tiring in itself; and a bit more money.

Very interesting post David, and thanks.

Oh, I forgot. The symptoms? A toothache in the legs? Geez, I get that all the time......