Airplane and Scuba stories please

me1234 · 09-15-2009, 05:09 PM

has anyone else had any problems with flying and their band and diving and their band?

i've had my band for 5 years and this year i have had two big problems and all of the 'professionals' i have talked to about this have dismissed me and not given me any answers.

In april of this year I went to France. On the flight back, durning take off, i noticed a pain in my side, the pain began increasing to such an extreme pain I practically started screaming. When i reached to see where the pain was, i noticed it was my port. As we ascended, the port began to pull itself out and away from my body. I have a mini port and i could grab a hold of it, it was that far out from my stomach wall. As we leveled off the pain subsided. I have never had that happen before and it was extremely painful. Im glad it stopped once we leveled out because there was no way i could take that pin for an 8 hour flight.

When i returned and told my 'profesionals' about this, they all siad well ive never heard of that happening. sorry. The best I could guess is that it had to do with the pressue and altitude on take off. Also, when i came home, I had it checked out and wound up needing to pull out some of the saline. I had that same fill up until my newest airplane incident.

At the beginning of the month I flew to california. I was able to eat before my flight and as i said i have had the same fill level since april and have had no problems eating. I had some food on the flight, i got there and then i was unable to get any food down for 4 days. When i got home I was so fed up I had them pull all of it out. i go on vacation to relaz and regroup and all i can do is puke up food.

im tired of not getting any answers for this and feeling like i am the only one who has this problem. i would like to hear if anyone else is having these problems.

when i first got my band i was told 'you can do everytying you used to be able to do. dont worry about flying and diving."

In 2006 i went on a diving trip - week long on a liveaboard. I was told that i did not need to adjust my band and that i could dive normally. After my first dive, i couldnt eat most of the week. The dives completely shut my band down. Being on a boat in the middle of the carribean for a week is not really a great place to not be able to eat.

I'm really tired of this and im really tired of the non answers i get from the people who are supposed to be helpful.

And please if you are just going to say suck it up and fight through it, please dont bother responding. Thats not an appropriate answer.

mms1009 · 09-29-2009, 04:26 AM

I casually mentioned to the nurse in my Dr. office that we were taking a trip on an airplane. Fortunately she did warn me that I may experience some discomfort. And absoutely not to eat ON the plane. I did have some minor pain ( not as bad as you describe) but bad enough that it left some bruising. I am so glad she warned me of this or I probably would have really freaked out.

ValJean · 09-29-2009, 01:47 PM

I flew two weeks ago, ate about an hour before my flight, and felt fine until we started our initial descent. From then until we landed, I had terrible pain/pressure all around my midsection, like I was stuck, but it also felt like someone was squeezing my ribcage in a vice! I was panting and squirming because the pain was so intense, and my boyfriend was freaking out a bit! I was afraid I would have to crawl off the plane and lay down in the airport once we landed, but as soon as we touched down--poof!--it stopped and I felt fine. It was so weird. Not sure if it was the change in barometric pressure due to altitude or what, but when we came home a week later I made sure not to eat any breakfast before the return flight which was early morning. I had no problems on that flight.

Haven't had a chance to discuss it with my doctor but just wanted to share my experience.

Val

elcee · 09-29-2009, 05:24 PM

Getting a bit worried now. Flying from Australia to South Africa in Dec. The flight is about 14 hours and then I have to catch a connecting flight to Durban. That's a long time not to eat especially being as I can't take an alternative with me. Its not like they will let me on a plane with a supply of "Up and Go".

Someone please tell me that this isn't what normally happens when you fly with a band!

Deannaintx · 10-18-2009, 07:05 PM

I flew probably 20 times after my surgery and never had a single problem, I guess I dodged that bullet!!

jms462001 · 11-01-2009, 03:19 AM

I have flown to West Africa twice from the West Coast and have eaten meals on the plane and had no problems during or after the flight. I have, however, heard of other people who have problems with being tight for a day or two after flying long distances. My Dr. suggests I get unfilled for my long trips to Africa in case of an emergency, but I don't.