Airport security

[LindaRacine]

Last time I flew through Dulles, some older gentleman, who must have had a hip replacement, showed a card to the TSA guy and pointed to his hip. Can't recall, but pretty sure he just had to go through the regular metal detector.

Can't we get "cards" that would explain the hardware?

You might want to talk to your surgeon's office. At UCSF, we issue cards to any patient who asks.

Linda

[loves to skate]

It is my understanding that cards from Doctors, x-rays, etc. could come from anybody (fraud) and are not accepted as proof of anything at airport security. What agent has the time to check the validity of that information? I was impressed at the efficiency of the security process this last trip.
Sally

[Radiogirl]

Just flew through Cleveland, Tampa and St. Louis....walked right through all of the scanners and nothing was detected. I can't understand why, with so much metal in me! Must be the depth of it or something?

[LindaRacine]

Hi Laura...

It appears that the vast majority of us never set off alarms. I have a lot of metal (both anterior and posterior implants), and don't set off the alarms. The metal from spine implants is pretty far inside, and there's a considerable amount of tissue between the implants and the skin.

Regards,
Linda

[titaniumed]

Here is a little study on the subject.

http://web.jbjs.org.uk/cgi/reprint/79-B/3/388.pdf

Ed

[Doodles]

I always set them off now. The ones doing the pat downs say that a card will be of no use. If you set them off you will be scanned and patted down. Janet

[jrnyc]

hmmm...
i would think just showing airport security the scar would convince them...
maybe scare them to...hah!

jess

[titaniumed]

Jess

I am having trouble finding my scar now. I’m serious, my front scar has almost completely faded away. Either I’m a good healer, or I’m going blind.

Scars really have a way of blending in, as time passes...its amazing.

I didn’t use any products on them at all.
Ed

[jrnyc]

that's amazing, Ed!
i can still see where my scar is from a catheter that was implanted in my chest and stayed there for a year and a half (for Lyme IV tx)...& that is after having laser tx on the scar!

maybe you should have taken some pix of the scars first...hah!
as a remembrance, as if you could ever forget what you went through!

someone once suggested getting a zipper tatoo on scoli surgery scars, just to show them off...
i think that would look great!

jess

[Susie*Bee]

I've never set off a detector... I'm wondering if it will make any difference now that I've lost weight. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

One of the younger girls, Rosie1109 I think, a couple of years back had a temporary tattoo of a zipper down her scar. It looked really cool. (big smile)

[loves to skate]

Hi all,
I just got back from a trip to Seattle from the Raleigh-Durham airport. One airport used metal detectors and the other one used the see all x-rays. No problems what so ever. No pat downs for me. It must be that they have seen enough spinal implants by now that they don't bother with the pat downs. Thank goodness.
Sally

[golfnut]

Ed,
I love your sense of humor!

[golfnut]

Ed,
I love your sense of humor!

[jeneemohler]

I just returned from a trip to Seattle for a concert. (U2 absolutely ROCKED!)

I never set off anything in the airport-I just waltzed right through. What is funny is that my husband was flagged for a random enhanced search. Here we thought he would breeze through and I would be the lucky one with a pat down!

The other biggie is I walked. And walked. And walked and walked! And I was in no pain whatsoever. We didn't rent a car, we just took the light rail into town, and walked everywhere for 3 days. Up and down hills and stairs. I am so amazed that I held up so well. Life can sure be good post op!

Just a funny FYI...For some reason, I thought I was 6 months along. One day, I just realized out of the blue that I was only having my 5 month anniversary, so I guess I'm doing even better than I expected! LOL I can't even blame it on pain meds-haven't been on them for months. I swear!!

[golfnut]

Jenee',
I had noticed that you said 6 months previously and knew your surgery was a few days after mine and stopped and recounted my months post-op. It makes your accomplishments even better since you are 5 months. Glad you enjoyed the concert and were able to walk, walk, walk! I had a first two days ago. I went to a high school baseball game and stood in one place for an hour without pain. I could never have done that before my surgery.