Disability Travel - Fly with Foley catheter / leg bag?

Not sure if this is the right forum, so please move as appropriate, mods.

I have a catheter in and it looks like I'll have it for a month maybe until surgery happens. During that time I have two trips scheduled, both domestic US. I'm getting used to wearing the bag and trying to determine how much I can live "life as normal" during this period. So I'd love to hear of any experience people have, both TSA as well as personal comfort while flying with a cath.

1. TSA is a non-issue. They deal with medical equiptment everyday thousands of times.

2. But, are you certain that your MD will clear you for flying at altitude w. a catheter? Generally speaking, your doc. should talk with the carrier's medical staff. It may well be that flying is a very bad idea.

Today my urologist said he didn't see an issue with it. I don't see how it would be a problem - it's not a pressurized system and we all urinate just fine in flight - but it may be that it causes discomfort in a way which would be known only by one who's been there.

1. TSA is a non-issue. They deal with medical equiptment everyday thousands of times.

2. But, are you certain that your MD will clear you for flying at altitude w. a catheter? Generally speaking, your doc. should talk with the carrier's medical staff. It may well be that flying is a very bad idea.

1. You're going to have to advocate for yourself here. While TSA's in theory deal with medical equipment all the time, they can be remarkably callous. Request that the pat down be done in the private area BEFORE they start patting you down (unless you're cool with the TSA exposing your leg bag for all to see which you might be). In theory, they should offer this option but it's pretty hit or miss.

2. Flying with a catheter is no problem whatsoever. I don't personally have a foley (I do intermittent caths) but a few girls on my team do, and they are perfectly fine. In fact, they've kind of got the best deal because they don't have to deal with transferring into the tiny bathrooms/ aisle chairs in flight etc. Many, many paras and quads fly with foleys all the time. Just make sure that there isn't a kink in anywhere when you sit down if you plan on being in one spot for a while.

You'll be fine. Just remember to hydrate well so the risk of infection isn't increased - but that's standard foley info, not specific to flying. Safe travels!

To update on my own post.

Actual flight with the cath was a non event. I wish I'd had a window seat :) I did get up to stretch and empty my bag a few times.

Outbound, went through WTMD, no issue. Return, went through the scanner. I told them before I went that I had a cath/bag. They sent me through anyway. The remote screener clearly saw the bag and guessed what it was as they asked me if I had one on the far side. The screening consisted of me touching my pants (on the outside) where my bag was, getting hands swiped, and then chemical sniffed. Except for about 5 minutes wait for this step, the process was painless. No pat down. Oh I had emptied the bag before going through least I be accused of carrying more than 3 oz of liquids :p

I'll be doing it again in a few weeks.