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Couple of basic questions from a new user
Hoping someone can give me a general answer to these questions. The Travel & Work forum doesn't look like it visited often.
1. After my new ICD surgery is healed up is there any real restrictions on wearing/carrying a backpack because of the shoulder straps crossing over the ICD? I'm not taking about a heavy back country type backpack for camping, just a typical North Face day pack I would use/carry while traveling to carry miscellaneous stuff. Any weight limits to speak of?
2. As for airport metal detectors, at which point do I show my ICD card? Just prior to entering the machine? Do they typically still have me walk though the machine or do they just use a wand or pat down?
3. Some of our airports have those metal detectors that you stand in and raise your arms while the machine does a 360 scan of you. I assume I shouldn't enter these because of the time limit?
Thanks for any suggestions. I'm sure more of these basic questions will come up between now and my next doctors appointment.
8 Comments
Airports
by WillieG - 2016-04-08 01:04:34
I have flown many times and just walk thru. I have never shown my card nor set off a detector. Not sure why I don't, but never been a prob for me anywhere in 2 years.
Good luck! Oh, I have just the PM so maybe a tad smaller.
Airports
by WillieG - 2016-04-08 01:04:43
I have flown many times and just walk thru. I have never shown my card nor set off a detector. Not sure why I don't, but never been a prob for me anywhere in 2 years.
Good luck!
Just came back
by Lisalac - 2016-04-08 03:04:12
First trip south since pacemaker inserted . Told them at security when i got to the tsa agent and she simply took me around the metal detectors and I went in the X-ray machine. Then off I went. On the way back there was no big machine in Mexico so they did a pat down. Had my card in my hand but they didn't ask to see it. Super easy. Lisa
Airports
by Drake3287 - 2016-04-08 05:04:26
Thanks for the info. So it sounds like those 3D machines that you stand in and raise your arms is okay? Should I not even mention anything to TSA?
The problem is most of these TSA agents are idiots and I can see each one telling me something different as usual.
As for using wands, is that something I should say no to then? I'd hate to be on a trip someplace and have someone screw with the ICD settings.
Thanks again for any tips!
forums
by Tracey_E - 2016-04-08 12:04:41
Can't speak for anyone else, but I always go to Recent Messages because it shows all the forums. Most end up in General Postings because they're more likely to be seen.
Like TraceyE says
by Theknotguy - 2016-04-09 02:04:52
I think it also depends upon the type of pacemaker you have. There was a recent post about someone having a problem with airport security - it wasn't a Medtronic.
Like TraceyE said, wands are OK below the waist, but I've had a couple people with wands sneak up on me and use them. No problems with my Medtronic.
I haven't had any problems with the Medtronic and any security devices - advisa model and that includes the 3d models. So I'm not really concerned.
Everyone does it a little differently, I show my pacemaker card with my ID as I go through the line. But then again, most people aren't carrying rope working tools that make security people paranoid. My wife is accustomed to security people descending on me because they don't know why I have a tool and what it's used for. She just rolls her eyes and says, "Here we go again."
As for the TSA agents, the only consistent thing is inconsistency. Just when you think you've got it figured out, they come up with something new. I try not to look surprised when I make it through airport security because I figure one of those guys is going to take that as a reason for giving me a rough time.
Oh, and as for backpacks, I got one with the extra padded straps. It also has the snap strap across the front so I can attach the two shoulder straps via the snap strap in the front. Mine have a tendency to slide around and the front strap stops that. Less pressure on the shoulder and less pressure on the pacemaker pocket. Once you find the sweet spot no big deal. Made it from the US to England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and back to the US that way. Nice trip. And, of course, mind is adorned with ropework so it's less likely to get picked up by someone else.
Hope your adjustment to the pacemaker goes well and your travels go smoothly.
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questions
by Tracey_E - 2016-04-07 07:04:03
No limits with a backpack unless it's uncomfortable.
I have my card out at the airport but have never needed it. I tell them when they check id, ask if they have a preference which line I go in. We can go through the metal detectors safely, but we can set it off which means they'll be more thorough on the pat down than if we'd just asked for it in the first place. Some go through anyway, I do not. The 3d scanners where you raise your arms are xray based so they are perfectly safe for us. If I end up shooed to the metal detector line, I just tell them before walking through. They'll either send me to the scanner line or call for a pat down.
Wands are the same technology as the metal detector but more concentrated. They're officially safe below the waist only. Unofficially, they're probably fine too but they could theoretically mess with our settings. Don't know about you, but that's the last thing I want to deal with when I'm getting on a plane so I don't trust anyone near me with a wand. Airport personnel is very good about it and won't try to wand us. I run into wands more at concerts, amusement parks, courthouses, places like that. Some security is better trained than others. Usually I just tell them it's not safe and they don't push it, either wave me through or call for a pat down.