Diabetic friendly shake through TSA?
 

I've got a friend who is making a 24 hr turnaround for a business meeting LGA/DTW. She's just been diagnosed with diabetes and is looking to take a few items to eat during the business lunch.

One of these items is a Glucerna shake, packaged in a can much like Slimfast. Is it even possible for her to get it through TSA? Would it just result in a secondary inspection?

Any information or feedback would be greatly appreciated not just by me, but from my friend.

IME, this shouldn't be a problem. Glucerna is a fairly recognized brand of shakes specifically for diabetics. But, to be on the safe side, (because I've had TSO's tell me I couldn't take medically needed food/liquid through for a long-a**ed flight without a doctor's note), have her bring a doctor's note stating that of medical necessity, she is required to take the shake on the plane with her. Docs discretion whether he/she states the patient is diabetic.

These kinds of questions suck! It should be cut and dry; Our directives state that liquids for medical purposes are allowed, but we all know that TSO's will make up their own rules. The Glucerna should be OK, but make sure that your friend is prepared to talk to a supervisor in case an idiot TSO gives her a hassle.

Your friend also needs to be aware that in spite of the fact that the TSA has advised bringing a doctor's note:

many screeners will refuse to accept such saying it could be a fake.

I'm not sure if people get prescriptions for Glucerna. They do sell food in the airport, so I don't see why this would really qualify as something a diabetic needs as medicine. It's not even something that's overly good for a diabetic. It has some protein, but a ton of carbs and something like Muscle Milk or Designer Protein would be far better for a diabetic.

It's diabetes. It's not as if it's some radical disease that needs exotic food. To me, it doesn't seem to be a valid reason for any exception and there are certainly dry alternatives that she can easily find. Glucerna might be marketed towards diabetics, but it's no different than any other protein drink around and not as good as those geared towards athletes.

The very easy solution to this is to just stop by a drug store on the way to the meeting. Drug stores are all over the United States and this product is easily found.

Wow, and I thought the deodorant thread was about the lowest form of nit-picking. :rolleyes:

...oh yeah, get all your medical advice on F/T?....go buy whatcha want and screw the Goons...liquids for medical purposes ARE allowed and document it with a letter from your doctor. Demand a supervisor if refused, demand the airline representative if refused, and explain the consequences of a diabetic coma to everyone involved...you'll get it through.

Just for grins, what, to you, is "a valid reason for any exception"?

lousy medical advice
 

From what medical school did you graduate, if I may ask?

Newly-diagnosed diabetics are often given very specific dietary instructions by their physicians. Patient response to diet and exercise modification varies widely, so typically it takes some experimentation to discover what works best for the individual diabetic. She may be monitoring diet, exercise and blood glucose with extreme attention to content and timing at this point.

Diabetes can cause blindness, limb damage requiring amputation, and other serious problems. Diabetics average shorter life-spans than non-diabetics.

What Cee said.

As a diabetic, I can state that when you are initially diagnosed (as OP states her friend is) you struggle mightily to figure out what you can and can't eat. What will or won't affect your glucose levels, and how often you need to eat. During those first few weeks/months, docs tell you to keep a shake/candy/something on hand at ALL TIMES. Because many diabetics have to change their diet to radically (like I did!) their glucose fluctuation can be quite staggering and extremely difficult to control. So, you learn what is ALWAYS safe to eat/drink, and you stick with it as you slowly add new items to your "diet". If you travel frequently, especially during those first few months post-diagnosis, you're safest if you take your food with you, simply because you don't know what will actually be available at the other end and you don't know if you'll have time to go get some kind of supplement.

I think the OP's friend is handling this wisely, but I'll reiterate the need for a doc's note, just-in-case.:rolleyes:

Thank you all for the responses. She's going to give it a go and if worse comes to worse she's just going to let it go.

It's not any of my business what her treatment/regimen is for diabetes. I know her through another illness support site and I'm aware of some of the other illnesses that she has to deal with so treatment or diet prescribed for other diabetics may negatively impact her other conditions.

I've asked her to let me know how it goes and I'll post as such if and when I hear back from her. Thank you again.

I went for my annual physical recently and saw a brochure in the office for http:/www.medicalert.org a company that makes medical ID cards as well as bracelets and other identification materials.

Your friend might want to get one of these.

Good luck!

I'd like to take the high road here.

TheGeneral, I'm guessing you may not be very familiar with diabetes and with people in the situation of OP's friend. Here is a web reference about people in her situation, "Recently diagnosed" from the American Diabetes Association that I found via Google.

Also, from WebMd:

And what if the flight is stuck on the tarmac for 8 hours, as is happening with increasing frequency? There's no CVS on the tarmac. What about holding patterns, maintenance delays, and plain-old irregular operations?

A responsible person brings the supplies that they need to take care of themselves through the course of reasonably possible disruptions.

It's disgusting that we even have to talk about this, and makes the USA look more and more like East Germany or the USSR. TSA should not be practicing medicine or parenting, as they have done at several airports by denying passengers food/liquid for themselves or their children that they or their physicians deem necessary. TSA should get out of the business of banning entire states of matter, and harmless everyday items that are not threats to aircraft. The liquid ban is insane, and any benefit-of-the doubt TSA deserves on it fades away as we approach two years of this nonsense.

You have never heard of irregular operations? Or of passengers that have been trapped in planes on the ground for many hours? The flight could be diverted to another airport for many reasons. The diabetic has a medical NEED to keep specific foods and drink with them at ALL times. End of story.