Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MaiaJane on April 11, 2011 at 1:22pm

Thought I would share my last flight experience...
Security was a breeze, the full-body scanners picked up my pod and my CGM, they did a little pat down and asked what they were, I explained, and they let me on my merry way! The people in Amsterdam were nice, didn't have nay problems whatsoever, and curiously asked what it was, and how their diabetic son could procure this magical device... pretty painless travel, yet again!

Permalink Reply by Katsz on May 27, 2011 at 2:55pm

You basal would still run w/out the pdm working...couldn't you just take the batteries out during the flight and put them back in when done? If they are going to even notice.....I'd just try to get on the plane as is... Yes.. this is horrible treatment!
But...you'd have to put them back in to bolus a meal on the flight though...or God forbid you need to check. What is their policies on regular bg meters? They are electronic too....

Permalink Reply by johnnyjumpstart on June 27, 2011 at 4:08pm

As a criminal attorney who frequently must go thru metal detectors at the county jail, I can tell you from speaking to security that the metal detectors can be adjusted as to their sensitivity settings. The Jail settings are extremely sensitive & pick up my Pod every time. I have flown 6 times with the Pod & never have had the metal detector at the airport pick it up! Unfortunately this means that airport security isnt as tight as it could be. Nevertheless, when I fly I always wear the pod on my upper arm with a short sleeve shirt so I can easily show if if I happen to set off the detector. If I need to check my blood sugar level, or bolus with a meal I always do it in the bathroom & have never had any problems. I had a more interesting situation 2 weeks ago when I attended the US Open golf tourny in Washington DC. NO PDAS WERE ALLOWED! I left the meter in my car.Prior to entering the grounds at 7am & I bolused for 50 grams of carbs with a delay of 5 hours for the entire bolus. I made sure that I grabbed a burger at noon. I had no problems & when I got back to my car at 4pm my blood sugar was 109. I considered that a very successful day!!

Permalink Reply by ChrisChris on July 10, 2011 at 6:25pm

My thoughts are that this is CRAP. I have a letter stating from my doctor, but I have not attempted to travel as of yet. Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on July 10, 2011 at 10:18pm

While proximity to the PDM is not necessary for the pump to deliver basal rates, my concern, if the OmniPod is active, would be silencing alerts.

If the Pod expires or shuts down due to an occlusion, it is possible that heading to the bathroom while part of you is emitting a siren would not be taken very positively by crew and passengers. (Without the PDM, the only way to deactivate the siren would be to take the Pod off and open it up and remove a battery.) Not to mention the other reminders (insulin low, Pod about to expire) that would cause you to beep.

In today's hyper-vigilant environment (for good reason), sirening or beeping could cause others to be nervous.

I've been in situations where I didn't have access to my PDM, and my Pod began beeping, and once even sirening. Can be quite embarrassing.

I've been told that only two people have the authority to order someone to remove or deactivate an insulin pump: the person with diabetes and a diabetic patient's anesthesiologist.

One could simply stop pump therapy for the duration of the flight - but that should not be necessary. And if one is not fully equipped to and educated in replacing pump therapy with the relevant MDI, it could even be dangerous.

Permalink Reply by johnnyjumpstart on October 23, 2011 at 2:43pm

I flew from Las Vegas to NYC yesterday & for had my first encounter with the dreaded FULL BODY SCANNER! It was no big deal actually. I had my pod on my upper thigh. I told the TSA worker prior to entering the scanner that I was wearing an insulin pump. She said no problem. After exiting the scanner another TSA agent very gently patted the area where I had the pod thru my clothing. I did not have to actually show the pod to him. He then asked me to hold out my hands & he rubbed them with something that detects explosives. He merrily sent me on my way. It was not a problem whatsoever.

Permalink Reply by Nick on October 25, 2011 at 12:21pm

Same here. At the Minneapolis airport - simple swab of the hands and the scan took about 5 seconds. On my merry way. On the way back at the houston airport I had it on my lower abdomen. the full body scanner picked it up and they asked what it was. Told him it was an insulin pump, they swabed it, 5 second scan, on my merry way. They were very polite about it.

Permalink Reply by Adub013 on February 15, 2012 at 7:02pm

I flew on an airplane before with my pump. I didnt say anything about it or even see it. Although on the flight back my pod was visible on my arm unlike before and they gave me a hard time about it patted me down and went through all my stuff. They wont see it Im sure you will be fine...and the truth is noone ever turns off there cell phones!

Permalink Reply by Hockey Mom on February 16, 2012 at 3:03pm

If you get Insulet's Pod Talk there was an email about the Holidays on 11/22/2011. It included a light blue box to click on called "Tips for Air Travel with Diabetic Supplies".

But what it included was an official looking (cut out yourself) wallet card for Omnipod users traveling by air over the holidays. It stated "The pod transmitter is an M-PED with emission levels that meet RTCA/DO-160-6, Section 20, Category T & Section 21.5, Category M. Per FAA Advisory Circular #91-21B dated 10/02/00, any M-PED that meets these categories (in any mode) are safe to operate in a passenger cabin or in the cockpit of a transport aircraft."

I tried to find this posted on their website but did not see the PodTalks listed. This is a great card - they should include several laminated ones with every new Omnipod PDM order.

I still have the email and the Adobe attachment but I do not know how to get it to anyone that might need it.

Permalink Reply by Chris on February 17, 2012 at 3:57am

Here is a link to the PDF with the cut-out you are referring to, HockeyMom:

http://www.myomnipod.com/pdf/14986-AWAirTravelTipsFlyerR2-11-11.pdf

And thanks for pointing it out!

Permalink Reply by glcmd1 on February 17, 2012 at 2:35am

AA as my point of view is the worst airline I have tried in the world (twice). Its service is awful, its staff very impolite and unhelpful in general. Hope they will bankrupt soon. Try to fly Continental or United next time - they are much better and usually try to follow a better standard of care for their customers.
As the PDM if you really insist in fly with AA (for any reason) next time to avoid problems just turn the alarms off... Nobody in the airplane will care to check of even know how to check if you PDM is powered.
I have flown with my kid many places and never tell anybody that his PDM is on. I also take care turn off the DEXCOM alarms as well.

Permalink Reply by Scott Wilkins on April 27, 2012 at 6:25pm

You'd think in this day and age they could build an airplane that's not affected by consumer electronic devices. What a World we live in...

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