Hi, I am flying to Canada this summer. Does anyone know if I can fly with my sensor in. Can I go thru xray. Has anyone else flown with a sensor. Please let me know your experience.
Thank you
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Hi Wendy:
Yes, you can fly with your sensor and go through xray with it. Just don’t go through full body scanner with backscatter technology as that has not yet been approved by Dexcom. I fly all the time. Live in Western MA and next week for example, I will be in Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai and several other cities in China so will be going through all sorts of security with sensor. If you are eve uncomfortable with TSA equipment, just ask for a hand pat down. Also if you use Dexcom receiver, put it in a small tray and ask it does not go through x-ray. Mine has gone through x-ray several times by accident (forgot) and have not had any issues but again it is not approved by Dexcom. Tell TSA you have a non removable medical device and they are very understanding.
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When you call the airline and ask record the call but I don’t think it would be a problem. I brought my syringes with me and expected a problem but did not get one.
Thank you so much CJ114, I have been so worried about this. Your response is such a relief for me. I am so glad I wrote.
Don’t worry, stress will increase your Blood Glucose levels. Just remember to bring extra supplies with you because if your sensor, or transmitter go bad while you are in Canada, it will be near impossible to get a quick replacement there as your account is on Dexcom US, not Dexcom Canada. While you are up there, if you are on insulin, you may want to bring some back as you are allowed to bring back a 90 day supply and insulin in Canada is 10% the cost of the same insulin in the US and it is OTC so no prescription required but you do need to bring a copy of prescription with you for re-entry into US with Canada insulin.
I fly regularly with my G6 sensor in place, even through full body scanner. My wife does the same with her Libre sensor.
But - both Dexcom and Abbott warn against it because they haven’t tested it. I’m betting it won’t damage the sensor (and so far I haven’t had any issues), but there is risk.
BTW- TSA stopped using backscatter x-ray full body scanners in 2013 in favor of millimeter wave scanners. Most other countries have banned them as well. But TSA hasn’t ruled out bringing them back.
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Wow, this TuDiabetes has some really great people on it. I dont even own a Facebook account so I am really nervous with all this technology, so glad I wrote. Thank you.
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When I called Dexcom they said metal detectors were OK but x-rays had not been tested. Based on other people’s experience, it sounds like the risk of subjecting your dexcom to x-rays is low, but I’d say, “Why risk it at all?”
My experience is that airline security is pretty understanding. You will need a letter from your doctor. They will ask you to stand aside for a while then they will give you a pat down and they will swab your hands and dexcom equipment for traces of explosives. So, you will need longer to get through security, but not a whole lot longer.
I fly hundreds of thousands of miles a year, mostly internationally, and in over 60 years of flying have never been asked for a letter from doctor anywhere in the world.
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They wanted one when I took a trip a couple of weeks ago. I was asking both that I not go through the x-ray machine and that some of my dexcom and tandem supplies also not go through the baggage x-ray. It might have been because I was asking for those specific accommodations that they asked for a letter. (I think the airport was Paris Orly BTW)
Good to know - Thanks - Now just another item need to put on my travel checklist for just in case.
As I said in one of my earlier replies, X-ray body scanners have been eliminated in the US, EU and the vast majority of other airports. The millimeter wave scanners are closer to cell phone frequencies and are now the norm. Dexcom still recommends caution because they haven’t tested it but I’m personally not worried, but until Dexcom runs the tests there’s still a risk.
I’m interested in hearing what people are doing with their supplies? The x-ray doses that carry on and checked baggage receive are much more powerful than the x-ray body scanners. I frankly haven’t done a thing with my supplies for all the years I’ve used a Dexcom CGM (started with the Seven) - no special treatment. But I just read that Dexcom recommends placing them in a separate carry on and having them manually screened. I haven’t had any problems so far, but maybe I’ve been lucky?
How many of us remember the days when flying was a party ? Bring your own bottle and sit in the smoking section !
Then came “nine eleven”
What a crock that was.
I am sure they will come up with more hassles soon. They might catch too many people smiling in the terminal.
We put our supplies through the baggage X-Ray for the carry-on bags. Supplies included two sensors and one G6 transmitter.
The X2 pump and active G6 Transmitter were worn through the body scanner.
Followed up with a professional but thorough TSA pat-down.
Never noticed any problems with the supplies that went through the X-Ray with the carry-on luggage.
To avoid possibility of various issues, we only use carry-on luggage for the entirety of our T1D supplies. These stay with us the entire time on the aircraft.
If we are checking luggage (ie - cargo area), it would contain non-essential items such as clothing.
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Glad your here, Wendy23. Welcome to the club.
For years I had an Animas pump and the Dexcom G4 & then G5 CGMs. I went through all the scanners and sent my CGM supplies and my pump through the carry-on baggage x-ray machines. No problems with damage to my supplies or pump.
But late last year I read a thread where someone said their Tandem pump was damaged by an x-ray machine and I asked my endo about putting stuff through the x-ray machines and he said it wasn’t advised so I’ve decided to take the cautious approach.
The pat-downs and standing to one side where slightly awkward, but not a big deal in my limited experience.
The problem is threefold. First, it is such a pain to be without a device. Travelling is stressful enough, the last thing you want to worry about is equipment failure. Second, is the hassle of dealing with the equipment manufacturer which most likely has to be done when you get back home. Third, if the manufacturer starts asking you where and how the equipment failed and you let slip out that it went through Xray at the airport, they may use that as an excuse to not cover a replacement regardless if the Xray equipment caused the harm or not.
Since many of my business trips are several weeks long going to several countries and airports overseas, the extra 1-2 minutes to go through the pat down procedure has been a huge peace of mind no cost insurance policy for my DME.
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Agree with @CJ114
I would add a fourth point. Specifically in terms of the pump. I would not want the pump going through the X-Ray machine due to the long life expected on the pump. As well, if the potential X-Ray damage can be cumulative, no need for it. No upside and potential downside.
Most US airports (as mentioned above) are now operating the millimeter wave technology body scanner and very specifically (these devices) do not use X-Ray technology. So, we would always wear the pump when walking through. Certainly the pump will show up on the body scanner display screen to the TSA.
If we have TSA Pre-Check, we are most likely to be allowed to skip the body scanner and will instead be (quickly) directed to walk through a metal detector. This also is very specifically not using X-Ray technology.
Either approach keeps the pump on the body and prevents the pump from being exposed to luggage strength X-Ray machinery.
A TSA pat down would typically be required upon the pump showing up on the body scanner display or setting off the beep on the walk through metal detector.
I am fine sending spare sensors, a spare transmitter, insulin and all the other pump supplies through the luggage X-Ray machine in our carry-on bags.