ET and flying

Living with and after blood cancer
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Hi Forum friends. Ive had Essential thrombocythemia (ET) for almost 2 years and now I’m feeling somewhat better albeit I do tire more easily I’m thinking of taking a holiday abroad. Because of the blood clots I had which brought my illness to the forefront I wondered if I should be considering this :thinking:. My platelets have dropped right down and im currently on 4 monthly checks at the hospital. Thank you in advance for any advice Annie7

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Hi @AnnieH good to hear from you again.
Great that you are contemplating taking a holiday abroad however perhaps your question is best asked of your medical team who know you and your whole medical history.
If you have a specialist nurse they are a good contact.
If you are prone to blood clots perhaps take precautions too.
Don’t forget about getting travel insurance from a company that knows your whole medical history, sometimes it is not very cheap depending where you are travelling too etc…
There are threads on our forum if you need them.
Please do let us know how you get on, look after yourself

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Hello @AnnieH, great question about flying risks. Really glad to read of your platelets dropping right down and you only need infrequent checkups now, isn’t it a relief?! I have a similar Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) to you, Polycythaemia vera (PV), and plan to fly long-distance so I hope you don’t mind me jumping on here out of interest?

I wonder if the learned and lovely @Heidi_BloodCancerUK and other @BloodCancerUK_Nurses might have information about flying with Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)?

I’ll have a look around the forum to see if others have raised this clotting risk before and share here if I find anything.

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Here’s one relevant thread (which I already commented on hahaha): Air travel with ET

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Ah and @Heidi_BloodCancerUK shared this Blood Cancer UK information about travelling: Blood cancer and travel: your guide | Blood Cancer UK

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Hi everyone.
I spoke to my consultant about flying and he suggested I wore flight socks and move my legs about a lot. I know everyone is different and it’s best to get advice from your own consultant.

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I had Polycthaemia Vera for 25 years which developed into myelofibrosis a year ago.
During that time I have travelled regularly including long haul (@Duncan including to California a couple of times).
I did ask my consultant about flying and he said to try and move around including standing and walking - easier said than done. I also have compression socks.
My myelofibrosis consultant also says it is ok and he said it was good I was going on holiday. This year I have done one 4.5 hour flight to Cyprus and in a couple of weeks I am going to Portugal - 2.5 hour flight.
During my Polycthemia Vera years I had no problem getting travel insurance. Myelofibrosis has been a little bit more difficult and costly.

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Howdy there @Jonpd, thanks for the reassurance and tips about flying safely whilst proliferating. Hope my adopted home state made you feel welcome!

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Dear @AnnieH,
Lovely to hear from you, I hope you are well?
A holiday sounds lovely, I would encourage you to speak to your consultant/CNS about your plans, they will be able to give you the best advise for your individual circumstances. They will also be able to write a letter for you to take with you should you need to access any healthcare abroad.
I hope you get on a lovely holiday soon!
Best Wishes, Heidi J (Support Services Nurse)

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You may have already gone, but I just posted about my Dad’s experience with hydration packs, if you would like to check my post out. Extra good hydration would be essential for flying, I’d say.

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Hi @KatMP I hope you do not mind but I am copying my reply to you on your other post.
Hi @KatMP thanks for your dads experience.
However I would advise that everyone takes medical advice before changing any habits.
The reason I say that is that a friend and I have both by our medical consultants not to drink so much liquid or salt
Look after yourself and please do keep posting

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Understandable. :slight_smile: Here’s my reply copied, too:

Yes, good advice Erica! You want to check with a professional on your individual needs. And, if asking about & researching salt, be sure to differentiate between table salt, himalayan and celtic.

It could be that Dad had been lacking minerals as he is very active for his age. It is harder, as we age, to get hydrated. So add his mountain hiking and all of his other outdoor adventures & he could have been depleted some. I do think a good mineral balance is essential for health, but Erica is right - check on amounts, kinds, and whether or not it is right for you.

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