Can I fly home right after my treatment?

You are usually discharged in the morning, after your night at our facilities, and our driver takes you back to the San Diego airport or your meeting point. We recommend booking your return flight between 5:00 pm and 11:00 pm on your departure day. This gives you time for your discharge check, lets you use the medical pass to cross back into the United States faster and helps you avoid border traffic. On the flight, drink water, move your legs regularly and keep paracetamol (Tylenol) with you in case of soreness.

Planning your return flight is one of the last details of your trip, but it matters. A well-timed flight makes your discharge relaxed and your trip home comfortable. This guide explains when to book, how the medical pass works, how to fly comfortably after treatment and when it may be better to stay an extra night.

A typical schedule

• Arrival day: blood tests, medical forms, payment and your in-person consultation. You rest at your hotel.
• Treatment day: your procedure in the morning, followed by a night at our facilities under nursing and medical monitoring.
• Discharge day: a final check with the medical team in the morning, written aftercare instructions and transportation back to the San Diego area.

Patients are usually discharged in the morning, so an evening flight leaves enough time for the discharge, the border crossing and check-in at the airport.

Why an evening flight?

We recommend booking your return flight between 5:00 pm and 11:00 pm for three reasons:

1. Time for your discharge check: the medical team reviews how you feel, checks the treated area and gives you your aftercare instructions without rushing.
2. The medical pass: your transportation includes a medical pass that helps you cross back into the United States faster. Booking within this window allows you to use it.
3. Border traffic: crossing times vary during the day, and an evening flight gives you a comfortable margin.

If your schedule requires an earlier flight, talk to your advisor before booking. The team will tell you whether it is feasible for your treatment and discharge time.

What is the medical pass?

The medical pass is a document we arrange for patients who use our transportation, so they can use a faster lane when crossing back into the United States after their treatment. Your advisor explains how it works and the time window in which it applies when confirming your itinerary. Before your trip, send us a copy of your passport or ID, which is used only for transportation coordination and identification.

Flying comfortably after treatment

Our procedures are minimally invasive, and most patients travel home without problems. A few simple steps make the flight more comfortable:

• Drink water before and during the flight, and avoid alcohol, which you should avoid for at least 2 weeks after treatment anyway.
• Move your legs frequently. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends moving your legs and walking around every 1 to 2 hours on long trips to reduce the risk of blood clots.
• Choose an aisle seat if possible, so you can get up and stretch more easily.
• Carry paracetamol (Tylenol) in your hand luggage for soreness. Avoid anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
• Do not lift heavy luggage, especially with a treated shoulder, elbow or back. Ask for help or check your bags.
• Support the treated area: after a knee or ankle treatment, stretch the leg when you can; after a spine treatment, use a small cushion for your lower back.
• Keep your discharge instructions and your advisor's contact information with you.

Who should talk to the doctor before flying

The CDC notes that flying after surgery can increase the risk of blood clots and recommends planning travel around recovery. Our treatments are not major surgery, but tell the medical team if you:

• Have a history of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism).
• Take blood thinners.
• Have a clotting disorder, heart or lung disease, or limited mobility.
• Have a very long flight home, especially an international connection.

The doctor may recommend compression stockings, specific exercises during the flight or, in some cases, an extra night before flying.

When an extra night may be a good idea

Some patients choose to stay an extra night in Tijuana or San Diego, for example when:

• They have a long flight or several connections.
• They received treatment in several areas or in the spine and want more rest before traveling.
• Their flight options do not fit the recommended evening window.
• They prefer a slower pace.

Your advisor can help you book a hotel near the clinic, such as the Grand Hotel Tijuana, or suggest options in San Diego.

Driving home instead of flying

If you live within driving distance, our transportation team can take you back to your meeting point in the San Diego area. Do not drive yourself on the day of your procedure, especially if you received sedation. On the discharge day, have someone else drive if you feel tired, had a spine procedure or the treated area makes driving uncomfortable.

Example itineraries

A patient flying from Texas for a knee treatment. She lands in San Diego on Tuesday at 9:00 am, has her tests and consultation, and rests at the hotel. On Wednesday morning she has her treatment and spends the night at our facilities. On Thursday morning, after her discharge check, our driver takes her to the San Diego airport, and she flies home on a 6:00 pm flight using the medical pass.

A patient flying from the East Coast for a spine treatment. Because of a long flight with a connection and the extra soreness that can follow a spine procedure, he decides to stay one more night at a hotel near the clinic after discharge and flies home the next evening, walking in the airport and during the flight as recommended.

A patient driving from Los Angeles. He meets our driver at an agreed point in the San Diego area and, after discharge, is taken back to the same point. A family member drives him home.

Signs to watch for after you travel

Contact the team or seek medical care if you notice:

• Pain, swelling, warmth or redness in your calf or leg, which can be signs of a blood clot.
• Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain, which require emergency care.
• High or persistent fever.
• Increasing redness, heat or swelling at an injection site.
• Pain that gets worse after the first few days instead of improving.

Planning checklist

Common questions

Can I fly the same day as my procedure? No. After your procedure, you spend the night at our facilities under monitoring. You fly on your discharge day.

What time will I be discharged? Usually in the morning, after your final check with the medical team and your aftercare instructions. Your advisor confirms the exact time.

What if my flight is early in the afternoon? Tell your advisor before booking. Earlier flights may be possible in some cases, but the evening window is recommended.

Can I fly internationally after treatment? Yes, many patients do so without problems. Tell the team if you have a long flight, so they can give you specific recommendations.

Will airport security be a problem after an injection? No. Small bandages and soreness do not affect security. Keep your discharge documents with you.

Questions to ask your advisor

• What time will I be discharged?
• What is the best flight time for my return?
• How does the medical pass work?
• Should I stay an extra night because of my flight?

Bottom line

Most patients fly home on their discharge day. Book your return flight between 5:00 pm and 11:00 pm, so you have time for your discharge check, can use the medical pass and avoid border traffic. Drink water, move your legs, avoid alcohol and lifting heavy bags, and tell us if you have a history of blood clots. A medical evaluation can help determine whether this type of regenerative treatment is appropriate for your condition, goals and medical history.