Diplomate, Board Certification of Emergency Medicine
Flying is for most of us a terrible experience -- inadequate
food, dry air, swollen ankles. The key, according to experts,
is to drink a lot and walk a lot in the plane. Clots in legs
that have made it to the lungs have been known to occur, in a
new disease called "economy class syndrome." Even exercising
your legs in the seat will help. Try to avoid alcohol and
sedatives.
Some people believe in taking an aspirin before the flight,
to prevent clotting, and some higher-risk people would
benefit from an injection of clexane. Higher risk includes
elderly, cancer patients, pregnant patients, and those taking
hormones who smoke.
The air in the plane is as dry as desert air, so drinking is
important. The passage of TB and colds through ventilation
systems in the airplane are not known to occur, but SARS --
we don't know.
When you land, jet lag is often a problem. It is worse going
east than west. Here a short burst of melatonin or a sedative
may help get through the first few days. It is a bigger
problem as you get older. These considerations are all
according to a recent article in the British Medical
Journal.
Keep in mind that many medications in the USA are controlled
and therefore if you bring in medications that are easily
obtained in Israel, they may be illegal in the USA or Europe.
Medications are cheaper on the whole in Israel, but you may
get questioned if you import too many to a foreign
country.
Please do not forget medical insurance. We have heard too
many sad stories. I had a patient at Shaarei Zedek recently
who had a serious hand fracture that needed surgery - but it
was cheaper for him to fly back to Canada rather than pay out
of pocket for the operation over here.
Keep those letters coming to the Yated.
A message from GlaxoSmithKline, sponsor of this
column. Requip is a modern effective medication for
Parkinsons. The side effects are minimal and the patients
really show improvement. Ask your doctor about Requip.
