On Thursday of this week, I am flying Delta Airlines for the first time since getting the Pod. For those of you who are seasoned flyers, have you ever had any trouble with unused Pods working after they have been put through X-rays? I know that the manual says they should be fine, but I don’t want to get stuck in the middle of Florida facing a Pod change without a working Pod in my possession.
Has anyone gone through a full body scan wearing a Pod? Am I better off having both my baggage and my body hand-searched and forget the whole x-ray business? I have all of the letters from my doctor and I plan on packing extra Pods in case one -- or even two -- fail, but since this flying with a Pod is new to me, I am still nervous. I am not checking any luggage. All of it will be carry-on to avoid lost luggage and long waits for luggage after I arrive (very late) in Florida.
I am all for the TSA doing their job, and I thank them for keeping maniacs off the planes with dangerous substances, but I want my flight to go smoothly, also. I appreciate any insight you can give me.
Sherry,
I was part of the Omnipod design team. I don’t have diabetes but have worn saline-filled pods several times. I’ve never put a pod through X-Ray but there’s nothing in the pod that’s much different than other electronic products like a cell phone, for example. You pod will be fine but you should always take extra pods (in your check-in baggage) (or even syringes and insulin) on any trip, even if by car. You just never know.
I have never had any trouble flying with my pod. Both the extra pods and the PDM passed through the security scanner with no problem and the pod on my body didn’t set off any alarms either. I would definitely bring along plenty of extras (I had a full weeks supply in my carry on and also checked a week’s supply in my suitcase, both were fine) but don’t worry to much about it. They probably won’t even notice.
I’ve not had a hint of trouble flying with the Pod. Someone on this site got scolded for having their PDM out when the crew had asked that electronics be put away, but that scenario seems easy enough to deal with.
Don’t feel stranded here in FL…put out the call for help should you need it. Have a good trip.
Believe me, I have been a diabetic for 44 years, and probably the reason I have been around this long is because I ALWAYS am prepared. I will be gone for 5 days, and I will be taking four Pods (in case some don’t work), my Lantus insulin and syringes for meal-time backup, two meters, etc. etc. I plan on having them all in my carry-on bag, but if the X-rays were to damage the whole bag full, I still would be out of luck. I know that I also may encounter the new “full body scan” machines when I get to Minneapolis and then Tampa, so I wanted to make sure that nothing would interfere with the Pod.
Thanks for the wishes. My husband and I are looking forward to waking up and not seeing snow!
Thanks for the reassurance. We will be flying in to Tampa and then driving down to Naples. I understand, though, that Florida has had the coldest winter in history this year, so I am at a loss as to how to pack for the trip. Wisconsin has had temps in the high 30s/ low 40s for the last couple of days, so we are just enjoying watching the mountains of white melt into puddles (which, unfortunately, still freeze at night!).
I know that if all else fails, I can always fall back on the Lantus and syringes until I return home. Hopefully, that will not be necessary.
I saw the whole discussion about the PDM. I plan to change my Pod early so that I will not have to worry about even taking the PDM out of my purse while we are in the air.
Back in November I flew Continental Express roundtrip Newark - Indianapolis. I had no problems at security neither in Newark nor in Indianapolis. I put my PDM through the x-ray machine along with two spare pods. I packed two more pods in my checked luggage. I cleared the metal detectors wearing a pod, my wedding ring and my Medic Alert dog tag.
I had a problem with both the pods I put through the x-ray machine occluding, but I don’t think it was because I put them through the x-ray. They were the spares that I had been dragging around for weeks or months. Didn’t you post previously about having your spares malfunctioning too? I rotate my spare pods now. I was very nervous when I had three pods occlude in about 3 hours. I thought I was going to have to have more mailed to me. The ones I put in checked luggage were fine.
Have fun in Florida and don’t worry about security.
I travel for business entirely too much, including internationally, and I have never had a problem with a pod that went through the x-ray machine. In fact, I’m wearing a pod right now that went through the airport x-ray machines in Houston and Denver earlier this week.
Don’t even think about being hand searched! I have never once had TSA review my pods under the x-ray scanner and ask questions or request to hand search my bag. Just throw everything on the x-ray scanner, and you’ll be fine.
As an aside, the OmniPod is so much easier than my Medtronic pump was for airport security. I kept my Medtronic pump in my front pocket, and I would frequently have TSA ask “What’s in your pocket?” or demand that I remove the mobile phone from my pocket before I walked through the metal detector. And then I would have to explain, there would be a delay, etc. With the OmniPod, that problem is gone.
I have just read in the Ft Ladeda Sun Sentinel that FLL will start using body scanners by the end of the summer. Apparently, they are already in use in Miami. Has anyone experienced them?
Yes, I am the one who posted earlier about the spares occluding. I carried one around for about a month before I used it, and that was the first time I have ever had one occlude. Now I always “wear the spare” so that each time I go thorough a Pod change, I just use the spare that I have been carrying for only three days. I have not had any more Pods occlude since that time.
That’s what I am hoping for also. Thanks for the input, everyone! I have changed my plans to now just put everything on the scanner, walk through the security portal, and say nothing unless I get questioned.
I travel alot. I carry all my supplies in a backpack. Whem I was using the Minimed with their CGM I never had problems going thru the screening process. After I switched to the Omnipod and Dexcom I made the mistake the first time leaving the PDM and Dexcom receiver in my pocket. TSA did not like it. I explained and that was the end of it. Since then I put the devices in the trays that go thru the screening x-ray. Have never had a problem with that. I will be going on a Medditerainian cruise this summer and will bring my old Minimed pump as a back up or buy a second PDM (Omnipod does not give out loaners for trips) as well as a pen and pen needles.
Good Plan. You should be just fine. I always get nervous ( I am worry-wart of the universe,) but have had no issues with security or my PDM and extra pods/supplies going through the scanner in that little gray tray Enjoy your trip!!
I’ve been through the body scanners at Denver twice now. Both times I just told the agent that I was wearing an insulin pump. The first time they asked to see it (luckily the Pod was on my arm), which led to a brief discussion about the pod and how it worked. The second time they just asked where it was and radioed the information to the person watching the monitors. No problems at all. I’ve sent my PDM and spare pods through the X Ray machines countless times without any problems. Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I have never had problems traveling with my supplies and i do fly quite a bit. Relax and have a good trip.
