i've noticed that every airport is different. it used to be in minneapolis they would have me go through the employee entrance and i'd get the pat down. now, i just go through normally but stop at the metal detectors. they see this all the time, all you have to do is show them the id card and they know what to do. it's pretty routine for them, just not for us.

as far as charging goes, i also wear baggy clothes and can wear my charger w/o any wires hanging out. i normally don't have to charge in public though. easier in the winter than summer i'd imagine. i just got my rechargeable stim in oct. previously, i had the non chargeable - much less hassle (if you don't mind a surgery ever couple years).

HI all
can you advise in america are you told to shut down your unit while flying??
my rep told me today that i would not be able to have it turned on. this is really concerning me as i cannot image getting through this journey without it

j

Jenna I dont know much about travelling with the SCS as I havent done it yet myself, well not until Friday....but just wondering.....Did you Rep maybe think that for say takeoff and landing, like they generally do when you have laptops, iphones etc.... I cant imagine that it would interefere with the plane once airbound. Im sure they are well used to people travelling with all sorts of medical implants....its sound odd that you wouldnt be able to use it while travelling on the plane, sure isnt that the whole idea to have some relief!!! doesnt make much sense, but as I say I dont know for definite...hopefully someone else will be able to advise you better ok

Jackie

I do believe my medtronic rep told me to turn it off during landing and takeoff. but once they say we can turn on electrical devices then you are good. i have to have mind during the flight too. that'd suck!

I can't imagine that Jenna! At the most it would be a take off and landing thing, but then you could just turn its amplitude down very low so the signal is weak then ramp it up once airborne. The signals running within our bodies should not be radio frequencies.... besides which since this technology is an outgrowth of pacemakers for hearts, can you imagine someone who has not control over their pacemaker [no one does] being told, turn that thing off? Not hardly.

For me the only radio frequency issue is the very use of my remote to modulate the nerve signal or change programs. The rest of it is internal to the human nervous system. Can you imagine the pilot yelling back "y'all stop your neuro functions until we are airborne, ya hear?" Matter of fact, I think the plane would crash since that would apply to the crew neuro functions as well.

This just doesn't sound like a practical instruction at all. I'll have to investigate.

z
Mark56

thank you all so much for your responses i actually think you are all correct as what you are saying makes so much more sense. You have no idea how your posts have helped calm me this evening i really was thinking of cancelling it all as how in gods name would i survive the journey without it. in my 12 weeks since getting the scs it has been on 24/7 and not once has the power off button been pressed. well the airline are due to get back to me in the next few days so i guess hopefully this will turn out better. I had to send the airline pics of my unit yesterday which i thought was a bit funny . hoping my lovely scary blue wires will get me bumped to first class!!

PPS
Jackie i am 100% sure rep meant the whole journey my consultant was a bit shocked at this info also so hopefully it turns out just for take off and landing.

i hope you have a wonderful weekend jackie and happy paddy's day to all!

........I wish there were a bigger 'Heart' I could post to show how much I care
I see that you are certainly going thru a bit of stress and I'm so sorry for this!
Like Mark said, think of the heart pacemaker patients.....
What I've been told is that our SCS units are technically considered "DME" (durable medical equipment).....that is how most insurance companies recognize them.....at least that's the 'category' they have been placed under. Seems a bit odd I know, but there should be guidelines and protocol and I'm sure this will all fall into place and make sense to everyone involved.
SCS's (in general) have been around since the 1960's, so they are nothing 'new'.....of course yours falls in to a category of it's own and you are breaking some new ground per se.......
There should be a manual of sorts that comes with these units which describe exactly what types of frequency and technicalities our units put out. Even our cell phone booklets have fine print in the manuals explaining these issues which seem to be in another 'language' to most of us.

Also, you should have the appropriate identification (via ID card or papers from doctor and/or manufacturer) stating what this medical device is that you have installed in you.

I feel certain that the airlines will handle this (as the others here have stated) as they see aLOT of medical doo dads that alot of folks live with.
I hope you can rest easy on this and just trust it will be ok.
I know airports are intimidating, but once you get seated this first time around, this will alleviate the uneasiness and 'fear of the unknown' that you are facing.
I only wish you have better support from the team that is supposed to be backing you up and help you achieve the goal it is meant to do.......to gain a quality of life! Just try to do your best to keep the communication smooth and be honest about your feelings and I would like to assume that your consultants and Reps would want to do whatever it takes to put this in a good light.........Good Lord, if not for the sake of YOU (which is certainly priority!!)....but for the namesake of this product and who they represent!

I'm certainly lifting this up in prayer for things to be handled smoothly and that all parties involved will feel at ease and everyone fulfill their duty in making this a success.......
I believe this can happen, despite there has been some rocky ground along the way.
Just try to play it cool ok.....don't sweat it.
I'm sittin on the edge of my seat here.....I want this to work out so much!
We're here for you always!

Caring and Caring somemore!
Rae

Went to Georgia to visit dad. Did NOT have to turn off SCS remotes at all while in flight...in fact had to ramp them up a bit when several of those "fellow passengers" tried to drag luggage in to put into the overhead compartments, rather than checking their bags, and I got knocked quite badly several times as they squeezed by with them.

The only problem I had is that since I asked for wheelchair assistance between terminals, they changed my seat assignments on the plane at the last minute and I ended up sitting in a bulkhead row (which I hate...no room in seat in front of you for purses etc. to go under, the tray table is in the armrest, narrower seats, etc.), and on top of that they separated my husband and I into two different parts of the plane. So I'd suggest if anyone needs wheelchair assistance try to get up to the desk before boarding and let them know if you don't want to be moved. They assume that if you're in a wheelchair you want/need to be as close to the front of the plane as possible but I just tell them that I'm able to walk to the seat on the plane it's just the hustling/rushing about through the terminals that I can't do and would probably mean we'd miss out flight.

It was great seeing my dad and I think the SCS remotes really helped. I did have to take breakthrough meds. the whole vacation, however.

I go in next Monday for my EMG to see if the arm numbness/upper back shoulder pain is coming from pinched nerves in my arms rather than from my cervical SCS being not high enough.

Hope everyone is doing well and sorry haven't been on in a while. Took a lot out of me me preparing for going to see my dad, and now the unpacking, laundry, etc. starts. Makes me wonder if vacation is worth all the hassle sometimes Sure was good to feel somewhat normal for a while, traveling with the " general public" in cattle cars :-)

Yea! Proof positive that you used your units without flight disruption! What a testimony, and that you at least "sort of" felt back to normality in being ABLE to travel!!!

Here is hope and prayer in the meantime that your EMG will be helpful, fully disgnostic as to your needs, and that, if anything, the doc will be led to the means to help you. I remember among my many surgeries, the doc dellivering the news about which he was sorry that the nerve in my right arm was dying. This was not a cervical issue; but, rather a result of nerve entrapment in my wrist even after two surgeries after the wreck. That was sobering...... Then we were sent to a different surgeon, a top notch hand specialist [the guy the doctors go to for help] and he did the third surgery on my right wrist/hand and, well, I can still type, drive, eat [oh, I like that eating part] and hold hands with my wife, so life is good. The interesting part is now my left hand is stronger than my right and I have previously been right hand dominant.

Why the long illustration???? Because for you I have HOPE that all will be well, all will be well........ and in the end all manner of things will be well.

Caring lots Fiona!
Mark56Z