# Fly home for surgery?



## dibdab (Jul 3, 2013)

I have Graves and have been planned for RAI for months but waiting for my blood results to look better - and then today my doc asks whether I want surgery.

My thyroid is still very enlarged (although feels small to me as was much bigger a couple of months ago when I was over medicated) and he is worried that due to that and problems I have with my eyes that RAI could worsen my symptoms.

I must admit that the longer I have waited for the RAI and the more reading I have done, the more I have been worried about the potential side effects of it as there seem to be a lot of horror stories out there and people wishing they had not had it. Of course there are success stories too but definitely a lot of negatives.

So now I have to start reading up on surgery to make a decision.

If I do decide to have it then my issue is that I am from the UK but do not live there now. I would be happy to have surgery in the country I am in but my husband has concerns - I honestly believe the concerns are unfounded but I have to take his feelings into consideration also as I know he is very worried about me and it would be unfair not to think of him.

So (I will get to the point I promise) my question is to those who have had surgery - how did you feel afterwards in terms of whether you would want to fly? The flight is 7.5 hours which I have done many times so not a big deal but for recovery purposes am I likely to want to be looking at a medium haul flight in the week or two after surgery? Or would those of you who have had surgery rather have a restful few weeks afterwards? I imagine it would be fine and know that everyone is different but would appreciate opinions.

Thanks


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I had no issues with surgery and could have flown a week or two after surgery.

Have you asked your doctors? I know, as with any surgery, there was a concern of DVTs and blood clots...I was always told flights (well, the inherent sitting around) increase that risk.


----------



## dibdab (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks for the reply joplin - I will definitely put that on my list of questions, I was a bit taken aback today when the treatment plan changed so didn't think of much at all


----------



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Definitely, definitely ask your doctor about whether you would be okay to fly that soon after surgery. As joplin said, there could be issues with blood clots and other things that you don't want to mess around with.


----------

