I am getting so tired of having my “junk” handled by TSA every time I want to fly. They won’t let my pump go through with visual inspection only, and since it can’t go through AIT Body Scanners nor the Xray, and I can’t “choose” the Metal detector if the AIT is running, I have to get a Pat Down. To me, it’s just as much a violation of by body in a room as it is in the scanning area.
** STOP TOUCHING MY JUNK JUST BECAUSE I HAVE DIABETES!!! **
/endrant.
YES!!! I hate how they feel me up. It is disgusting and they go over my crotch probably 3 different times. WTH are they thinking? ONCE is enough. Right out in the open. I don’t know how they rub across women but with me, the last few times I’ve been thru TSA they all get too aggressive with the patdowns, IMO.
One thought - either TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry, if there are specific lines at the airport (I think most have) then there are no body scanners just the metal detectors. In my experience the Dexcom G6 does not cause any alerts anywhere I’ve traveled both in the US and outside. Unless I’m traveling with extra sensors I don’t even say anything and just go right thru without issue.
I have a Tandem t-slim pump. For years I have removed my pump (and my previous Medtronics pump) and put it into my bag for the x-ray machine at TSA. Then Tandem said x-rays could be bad for the pump, and to have TSA manually examine the pump. They prepared a note that could be handed to TSA agents. See HERE and HERE.
After doing this several times, I decided that Tandem’s method of manual inspection was too time-consuming and a pain. I went back to putting my pump into the bag to be x-rayed. A lot of flights since then, and no problems with my pump.
I travel quite a bit for business and I always take my pump off and put it in my bag to go through the X-ray machine. Never a problem. The G6 doesn’t trigger the metal detector. I fly TSA precheck so most of the time I don’t go through the scanner. When I do, my Dexcom will show but they ignore it.
I’ve lost two pumps going through xray. Once on the baggage belt and once through the body scanner.
I talked to TSA Cares this morning and asked if the pump could be visually inspected without a pat down, and they said yes. So I’ll put it in a zip lock bag and hope for the best.
On average, I fly once round trip a year, so tsa precheck hasn’t been worth the cost (yet) but if this doesn’t work, I might reconsider.
TSA precheck is often included as a credit card perk. You may be surprised that you can get it at no cost. The biggest cost depending on your location is the waste of time, drive and energy to go get fingerprinted. You can always get it at most larger airports as well, but when we are in airports we normally have other things on our minds.
Here is a link to some of the credit cards that currently have a tsa precheck reimbursement plan:
So, I don’t travel by air all that much, but I’ve never had a problem, and this is what I do.
I carry a small zip-lock baggie in my pocket and, when I’m about three or so people back from the scanner, and putting my carry-on, coat, etc. on the belt to go through x-ray, I detach my pump, put it in the baggie, and ask the person behind the scanner to please hand-inspect it, explaining that it’s an insulin pump. In some cases, it does delay me a bit while they check my hands and the pump for explosives; in other cases, they just check the pump. Either way, I walk through whatever scanner they’re using, and they hand the pump back to me on the other side. Easy peasy, no problems.
Oh good, glad you do what I’m trying to do. Fingers crossed.