Originally Posted by BluMing
I also have a small machine that tests my blood for thickness since I am on blood thinners. I have a letter for that and really need to carry that in my carry-on as well. Does anyone know if that will be a problem? I don't want others to be stuck behind me because I was not prepared and held everyone up. I will be in the states for 3 mo. and have enough medication to last that long. I don't want to pack it in my checked baggage for fear it would get stolen.
BluMing, I'll defer to Bart and others about the details of what is allowed, especially regarding cremains.
As a physician, I'll comment that the self-testing machine you describe for checking bloodthinning is not commonly used in the US (more common in the UK and apparently on the Continent) so theTSA may be unfamiliar with such equipment; your doctor's explanatory letter is a good idea to help with this. I think it would be best if you carried the machine and all your medications on-board with you; the machinery is delicate and could be damaged in baggage handling, while the medications may be slightly different from their US counterparts, so it is preferable to take your own supply. Particularly regarding blood thinning medications, a small change in the content of a pill - as might occur just by changing brand name or manufacturer - could have a big effect on whether your blood is properly thin.