BRIGGS wrote:Thats what Jerome Kersey just died from hes is LUCKY they caught that. People who fly a lot are susceptible to blood clots.

I always assumed young athletes though wouldn't get them- better circulation, more luxurious and spacious planes.

smackeddog wrote:

fishmike wrote:jesus I hope Bosh is OK, that sounds terrible.

Usually Bosh has terrible 2nd halfs becaue he wears down. This year he's not having any 2nd half at all. Ouch.

They'll just put him on blood thinners- its very painful and scary, but he should be okay (my dad had one at 60 something- that was one scary night after he'd been diagnosed- you just have to hope the meds break up the clot and it doesn't travel to your heart.) Blood thinners will make him feel crappy- not sure how long he'll be on them yet (depends if he has an underlying blood condition), he can't play on them because of the danger (as well as feeling crappy)- if he got hit or cut himself, the blood would not clot very easily.

BRIGGS wrote:The foreign guy from the Nets had the same thing.

Clots & Travel

Blood clots can sometimes form in your legs during air travel because you are immobile for long periods of time, often sitting in cramped spaces with little leg room. While commonly referred to as "economy class syndrome," the clinical term for this type of blood clot is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The longer the flight, the more at risk you are for developing a clot. Flights lasting 8-10 hours or longer pose the greatest risk.

In some cases, the DVT will dissolve and go away on its own. However, in more serious cases, it can cause pain, swelling and warmth of the affected leg. Or it can break off and travel to the blood vessels of your lungs, causing pulmonary embolism (PE).

DVT and PE, collectively known as venous thromboembolism, are highly preventable (see prevention tips below). The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a Call to Action on DVT and PE to raise public awareness of these blood conditions and increase research on the causes, prevention, and treatment.

There are several symptoms that can be warning signs of blood clots, including the following:

Swelling of the leg, ankle, or calf
Redness or discoloration
Increased warmth over the skin

I actually got this from a long flight. It was scary as hell and I was not allowed to fly home until they put me through the ringer.

I was told that in the future, I should take a blood thinner before I fly.

fishmike wrote:

mreinman wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:The foreign guy from the Nets had the same thing.

Clots & Travel

Blood clots can sometimes form in your legs during air travel because you are immobile for long periods of time, often sitting in cramped spaces with little leg room. While commonly referred to as "economy class syndrome," the clinical term for this type of blood clot is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The longer the flight, the more at risk you are for developing a clot. Flights lasting 8-10 hours or longer pose the greatest risk.

In some cases, the DVT will dissolve and go away on its own. However, in more serious cases, it can cause pain, swelling and warmth of the affected leg. Or it can break off and travel to the blood vessels of your lungs, causing pulmonary embolism (PE).

DVT and PE, collectively known as venous thromboembolism, are highly preventable (see prevention tips below). The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a Call to Action on DVT and PE to raise public awareness of these blood conditions and increase research on the causes, prevention, and treatment.

There are several symptoms that can be warning signs of blood clots, including the following:

Swelling of the leg, ankle, or calf
Redness or discoloration
Increased warmth over the skin

I actually got this from a long flight. It was scary as hell and I was not allowed to fly home until they put me through the ringer.

I was told that in the future, I should take a blood thinner before I fly.

even a few baby aspirin will help.

yeah ... unfortunately I had to learn the hard way.

Vmart wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:If you are on a plane for more than 4 hours multiple times a week--make sure you do a lot of stretching on the plane. Calf raises are VERY good for your circulation. Also you can take like a 1/4 of a baby aspirin every time you fly more than 4 hours as a way of protecting yourself without harm to your body.

Compression socks help too when flying for long distance. Keep the blood flowing is important toe raises help.

the ambien doesn't help either

OasisBU wrote:Hmmm I was just on a 5 hour flight and 2 nights later got a leg cramp. It has lessened in pain and originally I thought it may be a side effect of a statin but this has me a little freaked out now.

I often get cramps in my calf's once I've gone to bed after flying, here's the advice on them and how to differentiate between cramps and clots:
Muscle Cramping

Muscle cramps may develop after a long flight, particularly after sitting in one position for a long time. These cramps may resolve once you are up and walking. Gentle stretching or massage may also decrease discomfort caused by muscle cramps. A warm bath or shower will increase blood flow to your muscles, which may help them relax.

In rare cases, a blood clot in your leg -- a deep vein thrombosis, or DVT -- can be mistaken for muscle cramps. This can be a potentially life-threatening condition. These blood clots typically develop in the lower leg after prolonged inactivity, and may also cause swelling, redness or warmth in the area. If you suspect you may have a blood clot, seek immediate medical attention. Moving around intermittently during your flight may decrease the risk of a DVT developing.