So we are planning a trip to Hawaii and I just got an insulin pump a couple months ago. We were online getting ready to book everything and then it hit me.....what do I do when they check me at the airport? Are they going to think my pump is a bomb or something?
My question is--do I need a note from my endo or something to bring with me, because I obviously need to carry my insulin and supplies on the plane with me. Anyone travel a lot and have this issue? What do I do?
I would check with the manufacturer to see what they think about the x-ray machines. It is probably not a big deal. Just explain what the thing is. I'm sure they've seen them before.
I just felw from Denver to LaGuardia in New York and then from New Jersey back to Denver. I didn't have a problem. I showed them my pump and they did a test on my hands. It wasn't a huge deal. And make sure to have all your insulin in a ziplock type bag. They didn't question my insulin at all though. Most pumps are fine through the X-Ray machines too. In New Jersey, they did do a pat-down, but it was really quick.
I don't know what type of pump you use but Medtronic has a "wallet card" you can carry with you. I carry it with my passport/boarding pass, but no one at security has needed to see it. I've flown about 8 times since I got my pump and gone through about a dozen security checkpoints. You should not go through the new scanners, but the old-fashioned metal detectors are fine. I tell the guard (usually they think I have a cellphone or something) that I have an insulin pump on before I step through and they sometimes have me stand to the side until someone can do the test Janna mentioned (it is to check for explosives). You should never have to remove it. And you can tell them it's a medical device you cannot remove.
I've never put my insulin in a ziplock bag. As long as they see it with other diabetic supplies (needles, etc) going through x-ray it's fine. Diabetics are also allowed 1 bottle of juice usually but I don't bother. I've almost had my gel icepack taken away (the guards had a mini-argument about it) but I got to keep it in the end.
Don't worry--have a great trip! I'd worry more about the timezone change myself...
Thanks, Everyone. MaggieJo-I have the OmniPod. I will call my rep and ask him if the metal detector/radiation from x-ray will harm the pod or the PDI. I am so excited for the trip, this helps me to not worry so much!!