Guest guest Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Hey, I'll be flying in a couple of weeks, which would make it about 5 weeks after surgery. Doctor said it was perfectly alright. He told me that his patients fly "in and out" of the country to see him. lolx. Anyway, the doctor should give you a pill to equalize pressure in your sons ears. The one I'm using is called Zyrtec-DJasleen From: "comercibob" <bmitchell@...>Reply-cholesteatoma To: cholesteatoma Subject: plane tripsDate: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:15:27 -0000 Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son hadsugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 for theweekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes toNewark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see thedoctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of course. But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after surgery cangive me some helpful advice. Thanks very much.Barbara Windows Live Hotmail now comes with 5GB of space! Update your account now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Six weeks should be fine, I've done it without much trouble ... and that was with reconstructive surgery. Check with the doctor first though ... everyone is a little different. They will likely recommend pseudofed and Afrin. I don't do the Afrin, but I skipped the pseudofed once and will NEVER do that again. Just like that goofy Dr. on lost in space - " Oh the pain! The pain! " For long flights, I'm told to take it an hour before landing. For short flights I just take it right before boarding. Matt comercibob wrote: > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son had > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 for the > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes to > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of course. > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after surgery can > give me some helpful advice. > Thanks very much. > Barbara > > -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Matt - did you ever wear 'Earplanes' in the ears while flying? They've always worked for me in the past. My ears never hurt when I put them in about an hour before descending (the pain was excruciating without them). But I don't know if the surgery will cause changes that will render them ineffective. Just curious if you know... Thanks, Connie > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son had > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 for the > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes to > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of course. > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after surgery can > > give me some helpful advice. > > Thanks very much. > > Barbara > > > > > > -- > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Connie - this would be the first I've heard of them! I'll have to ask the doc. Although if they're expensive, the pseudafed is kinda cheap. I'm on a librarian's budget. :-) Matt cn9hm wrote: > > Matt - did you ever wear 'Earplanes' in the ears while flying? > They've always worked for me in the past. My ears never hurt when I > put them in about an hour before descending (the pain was > excruciating without them). But I don't know if the surgery will > cause changes that will render them ineffective. > Just curious if you know... > Thanks, Connie > > > > > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son had > > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 for the > > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes to > > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the > > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of course. > > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after > surgery can > > > give me some helpful advice. > > > Thanks very much. > > > Barbara > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Matt - Earplanes are little tubes that go into the ears superficially (not deep at all) & equalize the pressure. They are sold in drugstores and convenience stores (under $10.) at the airport. I didn't think to ask my doctor if they will help after the surgery, but I will. Another question – I read about a study done on Chinchillas in which propylene glycol drops in the ear caused c-tomas to develop. Have you come across this? What I don't know is why it was thought to use propylene glycol and why it was suspected in the first place…. & what the implications are, if any. It's in a lot of products – toothpaste, shampoos, cosmetics, etc. Again, I didn't think to ask my doctor (short appointment). The concentration in the drops are more concentrated than what we'd absorb through products so maybe there is no risk, and not everyone using the products gets c-tomas…..but still, I'm wondering about it. Do you know anything about it? Connie > > > > > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son had > > > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 for the > > > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes to > > > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the > > > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of course. > > > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after > > surgery can > > > > give me some helpful advice. > > > > Thanks very much. > > > > Barbara > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Connie, Well, before you mentioned it, I'd never heard of the testing. However, it was rather easy to retrieve a number of article abstracts on the topic. Unfortunately getting a hold of a copy of one of the articles seems to be difficult. Carnegie Mellon doesn't have a medical school, so our holdings in otolaryngology journals are nonexistent. It would take getting the earlier studies that were done for me to trace them back further. The earliest articles that I was finding were from about 1988. They definitely discussed inducing cholesteatoma with varying amounts of propylene glycol in solution. The abstract alone didn't give me any clues as to what caused them to think of testing propylene glycol. The biggest problem of medical research in general, especially in the west, is that they all but ignore investigating the cause of disease. There efforts have been steeped in treatment ... unfortunately for us, the treatment is surgical removal. I'll get the most likely early paper and see if I can determine what made them think of the cause-effect. Matt cn9hm wrote: > > Matt - Earplanes are little tubes that go into the ears superficially > (not deep at all) & equalize the pressure. They are sold in > drugstores and convenience stores (under $10.) at the airport. I > didn't think to ask my doctor if they will help after the surgery, > but I will. > Another question – I read about a study done on Chinchillas in which > propylene glycol drops in the ear caused c-tomas to develop. Have you > come across this? What I don't know is why it was thought to use > propylene glycol and why it was suspected in the first place…. & what > the implications are, if any. It's in a lot of products – toothpaste, > shampoos, cosmetics, etc. Again, I didn't think to ask my doctor > (short appointment). The concentration in the drops are more > concentrated than what we'd absorb through products so maybe there is > no risk, and not everyone using the products gets c-tomas…..but > still, I'm wondering about it. Do you know anything about it? > Connie > > > > > > > > > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son > had > > > > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 > for the > > > > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes > to > > > > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the > > > > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of > course. > > > > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after > > > surgery can > > > > > give me some helpful advice. > > > > > Thanks very much. > > > > > Barbara > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Thanks for the replies about this. My son's doctor said he can fly later in October. (His surgery was Sept. 5). My question now is, which is better to use-- the Sudafed or a nasal spray? Can you use both on the same day? Does chewing gum help at all? Thanks again. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Personally, I was told to use both. I took myself off the nasal spray because I think it's gross. My doctor didn't seem to mind. I tend to avoid medications where possible. Did your doctor have a recommendation? The recommendation might be different for different patients. comercibob wrote: > > Thanks for the replies about this. My son's doctor said he can fly > later in October. (His surgery was Sept. 5). > > My question now is, which is better to use-- the Sudafed or a nasal > spray? Can you use both on the same day? Does chewing gum help at all? > Thanks again. > Barbara > > -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 The doctor said the spray or Sudafed might help, but the pharmacist I talked to today said not to use both on the same day. I don't remember the doctor saying that. Has anyone been told not to use Sudafed and nasal spray on the same day? Does chewing gum help? Thanks. Barbara > > > > Thanks for the replies about this. My son's doctor said he can fly > > later in October. (His surgery was Sept. 5). > > > > My question now is, which is better to use-- the Sudafed or a nasal > > spray? Can you use both on the same day? Does chewing gum help at all? > > Thanks again. > > Barbara > > > > > > -- > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Matt - I didn't realize the studies have gone back almost 20 years. You'd think doctors would know by now if it's something we should be avoiding, so maybe there's nothing to it? But it's true, as you said, alot of medical research is geared toward treatment. The key is prevention. Thanks for checking...Connie > > > > > > > > > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son > > had > > > > > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 > > for the > > > > > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes > > to > > > > > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the > > > > > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of > > course. > > > > > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after > > > > surgery can > > > > > > give me some helpful advice. > > > > > > Thanks very much. > > > > > > Barbara > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 I suppose, by a internet research that Cma may be induced by glycols used in medical ear drops prescribed to cure Otitis Media. There is no problem of PG ingestion, only in the use of ear drops with PG is to be avoided in presence of tympanic membrane lesion. Better to ask your doctor before using the drops prof Bruno Dore Biologist 2007/9/28, cn9hm <cn9hm@...>: Matt - I didn't realize the studies have gone back almost 20 years. You'd think doctors would know by now if it's something we should be avoiding, so maybe there's nothing to it? But it's true, as you said, alot of medical research is geared toward treatment. The key is prevention. Thanks for checking...Connie> > > > > >> > > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year-old son> > had> > > > > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19> > for the> > > > > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane goes> > to> > > > > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see the> > > > > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of > > course.> > > > > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after> > > > surgery can> > > > > > give me some helpful advice.> > > > > > Thanks very much. > > > > > > Barbara> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > > > --> > > > >> > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Prof Dore - Thank you! That is good to know. I will be sure to check...Connie > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Can you folks give me some tips on flying? My 19-year- old > > son > > > > had > > > > > > > > sugery on Sept. 5 and wants to fly to Oregon on October 19 > > > > for the > > > > > > > > weekend to visit his brother. (We're in Ohio, the plane > > goes > > > > to > > > > > > > > Newark, then Portland, so it's a long trip.) He will see > > the > > > > > > > > doctor for the first time this week, so we will ask him of > > > > course. > > > > > > > > But I wondered if anyone who has flown about 6 weeks after > > > > > > surgery can > > > > > > > > give me some helpful advice. > > > > > > > > Thanks very much. > > > > > > > > Barbara > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 If possible, I would really like more opinions about this. How bad is the pain on plane trips? What helps the most? Sudafed, nasal spray, both on the same day, and what about chewing gum? The doctor said my son can take the plane trip, but said the pain level is different for everyone. Has anyone on this list had just slight pain, or is it bad for almost everyone? Thanks very much. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 If possible, I would really like more opinions about this. How bad is the pain on plane trips? What helps the most? Sudafed, nasal spray, both on the same day, and what about chewing gum? The doctor said my son can take the plane trip, but said the pain level is different for everyone. Has anyone on this list had just slight pain, or is it bad for almost everyone? Thanks very much. Hi Barbara It would depend on what it takes to get your ears to forcibly pop. In the worst case, if your eardurms are intact and your Eustachian tubes will not open under any circumstances then you experinece increasingly excrutiating pain until the point that your eardrums burst. If your Eustachian tubes are just averagely bad and will open sometimes then there are a lot of methods you can use. No harm in using all of them jsut to make sure you are well armed. A lot of ENT doctors seem to recommend nasal sprays - Your meant to use them about an hour before take off and landing - especially the descent because that's when the external pressure rapidly becomes greater than the pressure in middle ear and tends to be the most painful. Under normal circumstance your eustachian tubes will open whenever you swallow or yawn - which is why sucking sweets or chewing gum can be useful. The other possiblity (maybe consult your doctor though) is to use the kind of equalization techniques that divers and ilots are taught. Some are very simple such as holding your nose and swallowing at the same time http://www.ukdivers.net/physiology/ear.htm . A good idea to make sure you're fully awake when the plane is coming in to land Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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