Paperwork needed for flying......

[marc_kowal]

Sometime in August I'll need to travel by plane for work and this will be the first time since I had my mechanical valve installed. I was just wondering what type of paperwork would you guys recommend I carry to make the security check as painless as possible. I have my certificate from the valve maker, a medic alert card, but I'm not sure what else I should bring. Suggestions?? BTW, it's probably Philly that I'll be flying out of, which is always a pain regardless...

 

[dwhist]

I flew out of Chicago about 4 months after AVR and had no issues with security. This was 4 month ago. I have chest full of wires and did not set anything off. I only carry the card from valve maker. Flew back from Vegas with no isssues. Except a little lighter in the wallet.

 

[dick0236]

Over the years since my surgery I have flown many times and have never had the valve picked up by a security machine. With the newer machines, that may, or may not, present a small problem. I would think that your valve ID card and medic alert card will suffice.....if not, open your shirt and show them the "zipper".

 

[Mentu]

Hi, Marc, just for yourself, if you have not registered your heart valve, you might consider doing that before the paper trail is cold because, if you didn't receive a card from the manufacturer, your surgeon's office may not have registered the valve. That said, when I have flown, my heart valve and Sternal Talons sometimes do draw the attention of security. I showed them my card and they were surprisingly unimpressed. When they saw my scar, however, they put me through the body scanner and sent me on my way. Any card or documentation you carry is for your needs. Like many I carry a card in my wallet should there be some kind of medical emergency but airport security will not even look at it if my experiences are any guide.

Larry

 

[AgilityDog]

I always elect to do the body scanner b/c of my pacemaker, so I only get the localized pat down, don't mess up my pacer, and don't set off alarms.

If the only hardware you have is your valve, you probably won't trigger anything.

 

[epstns]

Marc - My experiences have been just like Laurie's. My valve and wires do not cause any problem (tissue valve, BTW). Only my pacemaker shows up. I just carry the ID card for the device and have it out with my boarding pass to show the TSA attendant. I go through the body scanner and when my device shows up, they use the wand. I just ask them not to hover over the device for long, as this would temporarily reset the pacer to its default settings. I've never been asked to show the device "lump" but in one case the security attendant asked where the device was - probably to see if it coincided with the blip on the screen.

All in all, not something I worry about.

 

[hook]

I have never been asked to show any ID for my valve or ICD. If you don't want to go throughout the metal detector simply tell them you have a metalic valve and you get the personal treatment.

 

[SusQ]

I asked about this and was told that hubby's sternal plates and wires would not set off the airport detectors. Funny, my bras aren't supposed to either but I always seem to get the pat-down. Maybe it's just that I have boobs???

 

[babshappy]

I've only flown once since my surgery, and not only do I not have any papers or card or anything other than a scar, I never set off any security alarms ,i never even thought about it until reading these posts today.... I will be flying to india so maybe i should look into some kind of medical card just in case.....

 

[yotphix]

I've flown a couple of dozen times since surgery, and I'm sorry to report that I don't set off any detectors. I've passed through a couple of whole body scanners, don't know which type, and not been asked a think about my wires or my valve. Even the arches don't see my wires (with the mechanical valve being carbon, the arch wouldn't detect it anyway). Since I'm always metal free before passing through the arch, I've never been wanded but I I suspect the wand might catch the wires.
One other surprising thing, is that I travel with my Coaguchek XS in carry-on, and I've only been asked to show it and say what it is once, from all those flights. I also have a bad habit of carrying several different dosages of warfarin with me. ( I like to take the same amount every day, and have been know to adjust on occasion when I fall out of range but I really don't need five different doses on a trip!) I've never even had them look at the pill bottles to see if my name is on them, much less look inside them.
I had a lot more trouble back when I had nothing suspicious with me, but my goatee was still black. Going gray seems to have it's advantages!

 

[Jkm7]

We fly frequently and I've never had any issue because of sternal wires or anything related to my surgeries.
The Security Officials have little interest in doctors' letters or documents indicating mechanical valves, sternal wires or anything much else. No matter your 'documents', they will do their own security check and will ask any questions they may have. A scar is better evidence of chest/heart surgery than any card or letter you may carry.

It is so easy for people to prepare any document they wish these days they have little 'authority' attached to them anymore. A computer and very little talent and many can produce a card/letter/document to say whatever they wish.

You should not have any difficulty going through airport security and if you do, they will do the oft described pat down or back scanning.

 

[marc_kowal]

Thanks for all the information!!

 

[Rebecca]

Only if you have a pacemaker you cannot go through a metal detector.