hi all
got an email today from the airline i am travelling with. As advised before they wanted me to supply pictures etc of the unit so i gave them all the details as well as my reps phone number and web address and phone number for company.

today they have asked me if it is a "remote control radio device" and then state if it is i will not be able to have it on board plane or in the hold.

can anyone advise on this?

Perhaps the Nevro site can help
 

Hi Jenna- Looking at Nevro's own SCS webpage as located here http://www.nevro.com/international/nevro-scs/system an illustration is found regarding the implanted device and methodology. Yes there is a remote control, and probably yes, if it is as mine- the signal is between the Nevro device and the remote via infrared signal and must be in close proximity even to establish communication; surely a greatly reduced likelihood of signals interruption via any aircraft in flight.

Given the MANY times I have flown both on commercial and private jets at altitudes up to 41,000 feet, never have I been required to leave an infrared remote control for my computer behind on the ground. Never has a company hestiated when a laser pointer has been in a briefcase. Never has a cell phone been confiscated because it could develop a radio signal [and MUCH MORE LIKELY TO DO SO than an SCS infrared remote control].

Golly once on a private jet at altitude, I needed to let my advance team on the ground know I was running behind schedule. I pulled out my [old technology] Palm device, deployed the antenna, got a signal next to the window, and sent my message, even receiving a reply. Moral of the story, the instruments were not interfered with and our flight was safe.

This almost makes me regret suggesting contacting the airline. Were I you, I would focus on the recharger, which likely does not emit a radio signal.... your rep should be able to answer that question [or the Nevro website may get you to someone who can]. Here I was thinking this was much ado about dangling wires that could make passengers leery.

My recharger is a magnetic recharger similar to some toothbrushes which set in cradles on the counter not touching electrical leads. Mine does emit a beeping sound to allow centering the recharger on the SCS implant, and I imagine an uninformed airline staff could be Horrifically Reactive if they saw me pull the recharger out of my bag, turn it on, causing a light to glow and the beep to emit until it settles on top of the SCS implant. THAT I figured would be a difficulty for airline passengers and employees. I don't have a clue how yours recharges. Couldn't even find it on their site.

What do you think?
CARING LOTS:grouphug:
Mark56

thanks mark for responding. sent text message to my rep and the email and she just contacted me now by phone ( 23.15pm my time) and she is very kindly going to contact the airline for me in the morning and if required have engineers speak to the airline. so problem will hopefully be sorted and I will be allowed to fly. definitely going to tell them less in future as i think they thought i could interfere with airline electrics ! anyway for now hopefully disaster is have been avoided!! HOPEFULLY! but does look like i will have to have my unit completely powered down for the journey which is not good:mad:

Jenna!!
 

Gosh what a blinking palava you are having to go through. I just cant believe it!!

I left Ireland on Friday and when we went up to the security I said to the guy handing out the trays that I had a medical implant. Now at this stage I did have my 'remote controller' my programmer, in my hand to turn off the stim. He called over a lady. She looked at me and I told her I had a medical implant, explained what that entailed...and she said, 'ok so whats that in your hand?' I explained it was a remote control controller etc , so I turned off my stim and put the controller into the tray along with all my other possessions. Then she told me to come around past the scanner. She then did a body search and said ' thats fine thank you' and off I went.

Now coming back from London on Sunday evening was a bit different.

I came up to the scanner again and there was a lady at the trays. I leaned in to speak with her, not wanting everyone to hear my business, and said that I had a medical implant and couldnt use the scanner. She looked at me rather oddly... I had my card(which I might add I didnt have to use in Dublin) and said, look its all on there, where it explains no MRI's Diathermy etc....so she looked very puzzled. So she called to a man, I reckon a manager. She said ' this lady has some kind of thing in her back' and handed him the card. He looked more puzzled than she did. So she asked if the programmer could go through the scanner, I told her yes!....then I was beckoned around by the scanner by a lovely young girl. In the meantime the manager is looking at the card and then approached me. He said 'can I use the metal detector':eek: I said WELL NO!!! I said cant you see it says on the card not to etc...now there is a line on it that does say IF a metal detector is necessary then use it swiftly, but I said NO it cant be used. Afterall Ive just had a problem with the battery and didnt want any more hassle all because of a metal detector. So anyway the young girl proceded to ask me if I was in pain and to tell her if she was hurting me. The manager said, we will do a frisk and if we are not happy we will have to do a more thorough one:eek:in private!! I just stood there with my arms out........thinking AS IF:D So she did her 'thing' and yep I was cleared. They then checked my cardigan which I had taken off along with my scarf.

I was so surprised to think that these people have NEVER come across anyone in my situation, even a pacemaker Im sure has somethings that arent to be used, ie scanners, metal detectors!! I dunno!!

When I was on the planes on both journeys I just turned my stim down to low, didnt pass any remark to any crew staff that I had anything different to anyone else. I will say though that on take off and landing my stim did increase somewhat:D with the gravity so I would suggest if anyone else is travelling with the stimulation like most of us have , to reduce the power a bit unless you want to be 'uprooted' from your seat at take off and landing!!!

Jenna it does sound as if the airline are making a mountain out of a mole hill, then again I suppose if you bring attention to yourself you stand to be questioned endlessly!...... I cant imagine that if you had just gone ahead with what you were doing before contacting the airline that there wouldnt have been a problem. I read earlier that you said you were worried about charging while the other passengers are around you, SO WHAT!!!! its no big deal really. What do diabetics do when they need insulin, or others that need medication, if everyone was feeling that they dont want people to see them or whatever the plane would be full of passengers moving all over the place.
I think that you should have just gone about your business and said nothing. When you are seating its only the people around you on your row and across that can really see anything so I wouldnt be too worried. Plus on these long haul flights you generally get pillows and blankets so you can always put your charger on and put it up under the blanket to conceal it...no big deal at all.

I do hope that the airline is understandable and that they dont start making a big fuss. As Mark said there are lots of other MORE technical stuff around. Sure I could put my IPHONE on Airplane mode while up in the air and it didnt matter, plus I didnt turn my stim off at all and we still got there safely!

Hope this clears up some of your worries. I know it was only over the water for me but its the same in all airports. So dont worry too much please. I hope you have a fantastic time I really do and your daughter too!

Take care and BON VOYAGE if I dont get to talk to you beforehand.

Bye for now
Jackie:hug:

Mea Culpa
 

Oh the WOE, for it was I who suggested contacting the airline to confirm about charging the device and whatnot!:thud::thud::thud::thud::thud::thud::thud: :thud::thud::o:o

Sorry I did not keep my yap:Talkative: shut:Bang-Head::icon_redface:
Live and learn, I guess,
Mark56:o:

P.S. Travel safely and with minimal hassle dear Jenna!!!!

Hi All!!

jackie i am shocked that they gave you problems at security i would have thought off all places they would know what to do!! i was advised by my rep even people with hip replacements cannot go through these machines so what do they do to those people!!

Well all has turned out fine for me except i have yet to pack !

The rep contacted the airline for me as this morning as it was looking like my unit and me were not going to be allowed near the plane!!

Anyway this afternoon they confirmed i could fly and have my devise turned on and all airlines i am flying with have being notified so i will not have to go through this on my return! I am allowed to have my devise on but i am not allowed to charge up on the plane so will have to find a way to do this or shut myself down for an hour or two. If my machine is switched off it takes a few hours for the therapy to wear off so i should be fine.

please do not worry Mark, we had know idea what a can of worms we were opening!! but we live and learn and as my rep says less is more with these guys!

and now i have one last question after reading jackieys post the remote control can be scanned but can the power unit that charges us up be scanned? if you dont know the answer i will email the rep in the morning.

When i come back from the usa i will be another year older although i think the last few days have added a few grey hairs!! i will send you guys a post from the usa to let you all know i managed to survive this trip and i promise all will run smoothly from here on out!!

Just put the charging unit in your purse
 

Or even in your additional carryon for the overhead. Remember not to stretch to put it up in the overhead..... ask someone else to assist you.

If you charging unit was anything like mine, from Boston Scientific, it would consist of a cradle and a battery unit with a control and light on it, not to different from having an extra laptop computer battery and cord...... so if it is in the bag, then it should scan well. If you have to place it in the trays by itself for the security folks to have a look see, then so be it; however it is just a battery and charging cradle with wire that runs to a plug.

OH, ANOTHER THING last I remembered, wiring was different as between this side of the pond and yours, so you could need a converter plug in case they fitted your unit with an Irish standard plug wire for connecting to the wall outlet....... Years ago, I studied in the continent [stood on Irish soil for a while as they refueled the aircraft] and had to take along a converter for my electrical plug as U.S. standard was said not to fit Euro standards of the time. I have no idea whether that is still an issue, but thought to bring it up.

Maybe I better stop stirring the pot......
Nuff said,
:hug:Z
Mark56:)

Hey Now!
 

Mark! You do NOT 'stir the pot' !! :rolleyes:

You a FULL of wonderful wisdom! Very much so! And very much appreciated!
When we all put our heads together, it really makes for a good team effort in working thru these issues!

We value EVERYTHING you share! It's wonderful to have several different viewpoints coming in from different angles!

Rae
:hug::grouphug::hug:

Jenna yes ur controller can also go through along with your charger. My rep had told me this before. The only thing not allowed is yourself !! I'm sure all will be fine. I was thinking that maybe you wouldn't need to recharge anyway on the plane if you recharge fully before going. Doesn't your unit last almost a day. How long is your trip? Good luck with the packing.

Jackie :hug:

Mark

I love u and all the info you give me so Never stop!! :Heart: yes we have different power but have sorted that part and have the right connections for it.

Thanks Rae and Jackiey also for all the info! Jackiey in flights its 23 hours and that does not include going to and from the airport so probably 4 hours on top of that !

now it 8am irish time so gone to pack !! see you all from the other side of the pond where i will write all my messages with a USA accent!!

love to all!!:grouphug:

PS sorry for all the stupid questions guess i am stressed out!!:sorry: