Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dee on September 24, 2011 at 5:38pm

Have NEVER had a problem flying...don't display my pods either...

Permalink Reply by ChrisChris on September 24, 2011 at 8:58pm

Well, I have never flown with the pod until that weekend. I always take my stuff out of my purse for the security to see. Just in case.

Permalink Reply by MelissaBL on September 25, 2011 at 9:00am

We fly often b/c my husband works for an airline and the only issue I've ever had with the Pod was when going through Amarillo, TX earlier this month. I was wearing the pod very visibly on my arm and the woman at the TSA checkpoint just asked me to touch it with my hand and then she swabbed my hand. Nothing serious. Just didn't understand what it was. I always send my pods and supplies through on the conveyor and they never stop me or inspect anything.

Permalink Reply by ChrisChris on September 28, 2011 at 9:28pm

Good to know. Thank you. :)

Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on September 25, 2011 at 2:55pm

While I can understand why you'd want to take all your pods out, there's no need to. They'll see it in the xray machine, and they never say anything. When I travel, I carry about one pod per day I am traveling, and I carry on all of my medical supplies. So, there are a lot of pods and syringes in my carry on bag. No one has ever said anything.

My pod has never attracted attention except twice. Once was when I went through the xray thing in the airport. Taking advice from what people said on TuDiabetes, I informed the person of my insulin pump as soon as I entered the machine thing. He thanked me and then swabbed my hands when I got out of the machine. He and I had a good 10-minute discussion on insulin pumps and the tubeless Omnipod. He said he saw a number of insulin pumps but hadn't seen a tubeless one. Quite nice!

The first time - before the above incident - was when I was going through an airport in Spain. The metal detector didn't go off - it never does - but they felt it when they patted me down. I explained in English that it was an insulin pump, and there was a flurry of activity as they told me step aside and they swabbed my shirt's arm and my hands. I was happy they understood English - according to my Spanish dictionary, the word for "pump" and "bomb" was the same - "bomba"! Being of South Asian ancestry, saying I am wearing an insulin bomb would not go over well! I'm thinking of just inventing a word - "Estoy llevando una pumpa de insulina!"

I never worry about wearing the pump and travelling with regard to authorities. My only worries are about managing my blood sugars.

So, funny anecdotes: whilst flying from Malaga to Paris, my insulin pump goes bad. It doesn't communicate with the PDM. I begin worrying: if someone hears me sirening, will they think I'm about to explode? So I quickly take my carry-on bag with all of my supplies and go to the bathroom. Yeah, I'd be suspicious too. I take the pod off and somehow take the backing off and manage to dislodge one of the batteries. I fill up a new pod and put it on and activate it. I fails. I fill up another one and activate it. All good with this one.

I'm always completely fascinated when I take the back off of the Omnipod. I start playing with it, examining it. I return to my seat. And here two funny things happen.

I'm so excited by the exposed insides of the Omnipod. I show it to my brother. He quickly tells me to shut up and put it away. I frown and put it away. Later he told me, "Did you know how suspicious you looked? Holding some contraption with wires sticking out? And you're brown!" Point taken.

In the safety sheet of this aircraft, there was something about informing the cabin crew to dispose of syringes and stuff. "This is cool," I thought. I flagged down a steward and informed him I have syringes to dispose of. The cabin crew start running around the aircraft and finally the chief purser locates the sharps container. I throw away my syringes. He asks me with some trepidation, "Are you going to need to dispose of more syringes?" I said no, and he sighed with relief.

Anyway...glad all went well.

Permalink Reply by ChrisChris on September 28, 2011 at 9:28pm

Thanks for that. I laughed out loud a couple of times. :)

It was my very first time flying with the pod, so that's where the apprehension came from. AND it was Sept 11th weekend, with one of my days flying being on the actual anniversary. But judging from what everyone here has posted, I have no need to worry so I won't in the future.

I got a visual when you mentioned the sirening. Poor people around you could have all had heart attacks if they thought you were going to explode. LOL!