MojaveFlyer
Sep 7, 12, 9:16 pm
I've been on IV antibiotics and have a PICC line (goes in my upper arm). I had a vacation trip planned and was damned if I was going to lose it. I was self-administering the IV, with home health doing the weekly dressing changes. My wife is a doc and we figured she could do the changes. Just thought I would post about the travel experience.
The PICC material is all plastic so didn't ding the WTMD. I did fill one of the grey buckets at the X-ray with all my IV fluids. I had things packed carefully but used clear bubble wrap to protect the delicate stuff, and spread it around the bin so the screener could see it. Everything had "Rx" all over it.
I was prepared for hassle. I had printouts of the TSA web site about medical stuff and also a note from my doc (on non-xeroxable prescription pad) saying I needed the IV but was fit to fly and not contageous. I know these might have limited value but it felt good to have them, but they were not needed.
Screener took my bin of fluids away from the area. I followed, did not want them out of my sight. A more senior person eyeballed them, then gave me the most thorough and professional pat down I've gotten from TSA. Also did the chem sniff test. I explained where the PICC port was and that he should not touch there, but volunteered to take off my shirt and show him (the Tegaderm PICC dressings have a convenient clear window). That was not requested. I was on my way in about 10 minutes.
I took all my meds, tubing, dressing change, etc. as carry on. Also took three extra days' supply in case of delay returning. On return, in SEA, the three days' supply simply went through the scanner with just a glance, I passed through the WTMD, and was on my way with zero delay. I found it convenient to take a small metal "S" hook and some string to make a place where it was easy to hang the IV bag during each evening's drip.
Once recently I had to go through the nude-o-scope with a catheter and leg bag. In that case, they saw the bag, had me touch that part of my pants, and then did the chem sniff test on my hands. It was pretty quick.
This is just for info for someone else who may be traveling under these circumstances - I didn't find a lot of info on the web. PICC stuff is discussed in cancer forums, catheter stuff in spinal cord injury forums.
The PICC material is all plastic so didn't ding the WTMD. I did fill one of the grey buckets at the X-ray with all my IV fluids. I had things packed carefully but used clear bubble wrap to protect the delicate stuff, and spread it around the bin so the screener could see it. Everything had "Rx" all over it.
I was prepared for hassle. I had printouts of the TSA web site about medical stuff and also a note from my doc (on non-xeroxable prescription pad) saying I needed the IV but was fit to fly and not contageous. I know these might have limited value but it felt good to have them, but they were not needed.
Screener took my bin of fluids away from the area. I followed, did not want them out of my sight. A more senior person eyeballed them, then gave me the most thorough and professional pat down I've gotten from TSA. Also did the chem sniff test. I explained where the PICC port was and that he should not touch there, but volunteered to take off my shirt and show him (the Tegaderm PICC dressings have a convenient clear window). That was not requested. I was on my way in about 10 minutes.
I took all my meds, tubing, dressing change, etc. as carry on. Also took three extra days' supply in case of delay returning. On return, in SEA, the three days' supply simply went through the scanner with just a glance, I passed through the WTMD, and was on my way with zero delay. I found it convenient to take a small metal "S" hook and some string to make a place where it was easy to hang the IV bag during each evening's drip.
Once recently I had to go through the nude-o-scope with a catheter and leg bag. In that case, they saw the bag, had me touch that part of my pants, and then did the chem sniff test on my hands. It was pretty quick.
This is just for info for someone else who may be traveling under these circumstances - I didn't find a lot of info on the web. PICC stuff is discussed in cancer forums, catheter stuff in spinal cord injury forums.