FLYING

Hello, is it okay to fly? I have before and never had problems.My count is usually under 30 thousand and I never have problems. I have never even have had a nose bleed .I have been trying to find research online in regards to flying with ITP and can not find any.Any thoughts would be great!! Thanks

My haematologist, an ITP expert in the UK, said this on a forum..

"if your platelets are low but there is no bleeding and you feel ok then by all means fly. But if there's bleeding e.g. nose bleeds, gum bleeds etc then best not to. There is no evidence to date that air travel per se is harmful in patients with low platelets. The whole thing stems from worry by doctors that maybe flying might cause bleeding, possibly intracerebral. But there is no evidence to support this."

ukitpregistry.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=129&highlight=flying

Neither my Dr or Haematologist have ever said any thing about flying with a platelet count in the 40s. I have done two 12hr flights this year and several short flights. In the next two months I intend to do 4 x 12hr flights plus several short flights which my Dr has OK'd.

He gives me Prednisone to take with me on trips in case I have any problems while away, but never has there been any suggestion that a problem could arise due to flying. On this site I have seen people say they have spent a week or more at locations of 8,000 - 12,000ft and their platelets have gone up after spending time at alitude.

An Aircraft cabin pressure is set well below that alitude. So if people say they have received benefits from spending time at alitude, to me it does not make sense to say flying could effect your platelets. Now I come to think of it, I have been told if I am ever in some country where I think the medical facilities are not up to the same standards of home, then I should jump on an Aeroplane as quickly as I can and come home for treatment.

With a Dr's letter I have always purchased Travel Insurance and never been told to go by Ship and don't fly. If Insurance companies thought ITP complications could happen due to flying I bet they would say "no cover if you fly."

I am not in my 20's anymore, but turn 68yrs in September of this year, just in case anyone thinks I am young and fit.

If you are symptom-free, you should have no problems. It never occurred to me to ask a doctor this question.

If you were prone to nosebleeds,the dryer air in the plane might irritate your nose. If you are prone to catching colds, there are a lot of those in plane cabins.

Benny--now you're old and fit--right?

Hi Kennedy,
I am in the 4th week of flying around the world - several plane flights. My physician´s concern was that I may not get insurance. ITP was an accepted pre existing condition for a small additional premium (if no hospitalisation within the last 12 months). My count before leaving Australia was 35. All good so far. I brought a letter from my Physician with me, am wearing a medic alert bracelet & using nose oil on the long flights. Hope this helps,
mj

MJ, what is nose oil? I have saline spray and nasal gel (with aloe), but not nose oil. I assume it is to keep nosebleeds at bay?

Hi Karen,
Since my major nosebleed 2 years ago I have been wary of very drying air conditions. I use moisturising nasal drops that have sesame oil in the product. (Don't think anything of the sesame oil - it was the only thing I could get in my small local pharmacy(. It seems to help.
mj