rods and metal detectors

[LindaRacine]

Theresa...

Sounds feasible to me. Maybe some day, someone will set up an experiment to see if it can be figured out.

--Linda

[SkiAnn]

Interesting concepts! I just returned from New England, no alarms! Have passed through other metal detectors as well (court house), no alarms there either. I will have to stay tuned to see if anyone comes up with any further info. Everyone have a good evening.
Fondly

[HGD24]

I'll be traveling again in November, so I'll have to keep the experiment going and I'll be sure to come back to report on what happens. I am extremely thin right now due to post-op weight loss and can feel some of the hardware at the surface of my skin, so maybe that has something to do with it....the mystery continues

[Theresa]

Heidi, I have lost 30 pounds since my surgery last year. So needless to say I was heavier last summer than this summer. All last summer the alarms would go off, but as I said earlier it was early in my recovery. Third to fourth month post-op. I'm flying again Friday, so I'll see if I get lucky again. Theresa

[DaveWolpert]

This is an old message thread, but I wanted to add that I finally set off a metal detector. I've traveled a lot and never did, but the Vancouver, B.C. airport finally got me. Interestingly, when they ran the wand over my back to pinpoint the source, only the hardware higher up in my spine was detected. This is probably because the vertebrae higher in the back are closer to the skin surface, while the vertebrae in the lower back are blocked by more tissue. By that logic, I would guess that people with smaller body frames will set off detectors more often than those who have more muscle or fat. I also suspect that certain international airports have more sensitive detection equipment.

Dave Wolpert

[itsjustme]

Well, I've managed to do it. I've set off the metal detector at Baltimore. Then had to get additional screening with the TSA wench patting the everliving daylights out of my back. I explained to her that I didn't like it and that it hurt really bad. I was a little over 2 months post op at the time and travelling with a rambunctious 2 year old girl. ACK! well some good news to this is that I didn't set them off in Houston. I was so excited, they thought something was wrong when I clenched my teeth and braced myself for another helping of what I got in Baltimore. Still have to remember to get that note from my doctor about the hardware in my back.

[Gail]

Hi Dave and It's Just Me,

I'm curious, do you have titanium or stainless steel?

I weigh 104 pounds and have traveled many times since my surgery with no problems. I have titanium rods.

Kindest Regards,
Gail

[judyk]

I have a nice card to carry in my wallet that explains the hardware in my back. It is from Depuy, the makers of the hardware. I also have a letter from my doctor.

[Emmaleah]

I have not yet had surgery for my scoliosis, but I do have a titanium rod in my left leg due to an accident 7 years ago. I fly pretty frequently and the only times I have ever "beeped" is when they use the wand because I was one of the lucky selected people for full searches. I did not have a doctors note, but I have a lovely scar to prove that I have had extensive surgery, so that worked as well as a doctors note. But anyway, most of the time metal detectors are no trouble at all.

[HGD24]

Well....I did it again! I set off the metal detectors at the airports on my trip to Florida this week. Again, I'm thin and you can feel some of the hardware when you touch my back, so that might be the issue. Thought I'd give an update for all of the therorists out there who are trying to come up with reasons why some of us do and some of us don't set them off...I've found that showing the scar has no effect on getting the additional screening...I still need to go through it and have adjusted my travel schedule now to include the lovely stop-over in TSA land.

[Gail]

Hi Heidi,

Are your rods stainless steel or titanium?

Kindest Regards,
Gail

[SpineWhine]

I just had my surgery and they gave a card from DePuy, they called it my "implant card" and said to carry it with me. THey said it is possible for my titanium rods to set off detectors, it just depends ow sensitve they are.

[shelley]

I just returned from vacation and went through the metal detectors at the Philadelphia and Miami airports with no problems. I am 5'6'' tall and weigh 115 pounds. My rods are stainless steel. Not sure whether this helps or hurts anyone's metal detector theory.