Back to this again. So when you go through the bag search section at the airport, if you stand in the scanner with your arms up or are being patted down, do you just explain it's your stoma?
Also, anyone with a PICC line. Same thing. Do you get in first and mention these things? Or do you carry a medical card to produce?
Thanks
I do not have a card but have flown a good number of times since my ostomy. I typically walk through the scanner and automatically stop for the outside of the shirt pat and hand scan. The last time I flew I mentioned my ostomy. She said, "I know," and we went through the same process. We go through the scanning process regardless of what we say, but my last scanner seemed so unfazed, and it made me think that maybe there are more flying ostomates than I thought!
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When they tell me to walk in the scanner, I usually touch my ostomy and tell them I have an ostomy. But like eefyjig says, they seem unfazed like there are notes in the system.
But then my profile is slightly different, quite handsome, well-mannered, rugged, smells like a field of orchids after a fresh rain, jovial, debonair, well-appointed, stately, humorous, well-spoken to say the least.
I just said I have an ostomy. They have you rub your hand over the area and do an explosive residue test. It takes just a few seconds.
If it makes you feel better… they have spent more time going through my hair when I've had a ‘big' hair day 😁
Personally, I found it gave me peace of mind to have a multi-language stoma passport, just in case... especially if you travel to a place where the language spoken is one you're not very good with ;-)
This is the best one I found around (nicely written), you can download it in a number of languages
https://farmoderm.it/en/ostomy-travel-card/
Here also there are many languages:
https://australianstoma.com.au/resources/travelling-overseas/
This is from the US and agreed with TSA, so for most of you it should be helpful: https://www.ostomy.org/ostomy-travel-and-tsa-communication-card/
Lori, never a bad hair day, just different types of hairstyle days… I go with whatever my hair wants to do 😆 If I get anywhere near enough to the ocean and it catches that salt spray in the air… POOF 😊
Took my first 4 flights last June, 4 years post-op. I mentioned my ileostomy once and got no reaction. It's not metal, no issues. I downloaded 2 cards from UOAA and printed my info on it. No one wanted to see it. DFW, SAN, CID.
When I flew, it was the usual scan and I was asked to step aside for the pat down. I then whispered that I have an ostomy. She said, "Oh," and moved me along.
I always get stopped. They have me wipe my hands on my pants over the bag, then scan my hands for I don't know what, and then I'm on my way.
If you subscribe to TSA, you won't have to go through that scanner. Worth every penny. RYG
Never a problem. A few months after I got it, about 6 years ago, I made my first, nervous flight to Frankfurt. Leaving Dublin, nobody did anything different - walked straight through the scanner, no pat-down. Coming back, German security was a little more robust, maybe because of the Air Iran plane beside ours! After the walkthrough scanner, I was given a quick pat-down then directed to follow the security guy to a sort of "tent" within the area where nobody could see us. There I had to remove my upper clothing, he took a quick look and said that's OK. Then he apologized very sincerely, poor guy looked quite embarrassed, and offered his hand (it's Germany - they shake hands a lot!) which I was happy to shake. That was it. Oh - the female guard watching us with her hand on her holstered gun then exited stage left!
Since then I've made a few flights to Germany and Estonia and there has been absolutely no hassle or even a question when they do a pat-down. It's like the word has got around and they can detect or identify someone with a stoma, all quite routine and discreet. I've never had to explain, or offer that card that explains in half a dozen languages. Better training, or maybe it's just that there are more of us about than you'd think? Don't worry - you'll be fine.