UOAA Discussion Board

"On the TSA web site, it states “Advise the Security Officer if you have an ostomy or urine bag. You will not be required to expose these devices for inspection.”
This did not occur. I feel like my civil rights have been violated.

I am not embarrassed that people know I have an ostomy. But having someone ask me to pull down my pants in public or in private is too invasive for me."

To Todd's point above, i feel the same way. i dont want my rights violated. when i travel soon, i will look for that data on the TSA web page and print up any relevant information. I'm not a shy person and if they want me to show them everything, i'll drop my pants, hand them my full pouch and change to a clean one there and let them deal with it. but i dont want my family to see this as i dont want my kids to be scared and my wife embarrassed. While i am happy safety measures are in place, they need to be right and dont think this has happened.

In regards to gofisch, I have been waiting also for someone to try and smuggle something in a bag, but I always think drugs. Our systems are supposed to be air-tight and pretty much odorless, so I always wondered if someday, somebody would try to hide them in a colostomy bag and if dogs would find them. Hope I didn't just give somebody an idea.

I spent the last couple of weeks wondering how I was going to act on today's check-in, with my new ileostomy and a 3x3 dressing taped over my scar, only to arrive at Terminal 2 at JFK Airport to find they still only have metal detectors. Then I told the TSA guy on the front end that I had my scissors with my ileostomy supplies in my carry-on and he said only to worry about it if it raised an alarm in the detector. Scissors were fine; no issue at all. On the other hand, the foam and gel seat cushion I've been using totally confused the x-ray agent and required specific explosive testing.

I know it's not productive to concentrate community fear about these sorts of things, but I am honestly really freaked out about going through the new "enhanced pat down". I've been reading articles that state that people with medical devices that show up on scan will be required to go through the enhanced procedures in the US. And, as I am way over the recommended radiation limits, I will not subject myself to any optional doses (even if flying does involve solar radiation anyway).

Has anyone had to go through one of these new security screenings?

At this point, I'm actually concerned enough that I am thinking about skipping presenting at or attending academic conferences until these procedures change. And, that is a really big deal since I'm supposed to be presenting research findings in Prague in March.

medicdog wrote:......Has anyone had to go through one of these new security screenings? ......

First, you should check if the airport you are using even has those machines....I recently traveled from JFK Terminal 8 which has some of the new machines but I just went through the old-fashioned metal detector and that was that....you can find out more info about your airport's equipment on the Travel Safety/Security Discussion Forum on flyertalk.com. So if your airport doesn't have the new machines, it's just like it always was. I wouldn't think of stopping traveling because of the current harassment.....

medicdog wrote:At this point, I'm actually concerned enough that I am thinking about skipping presenting at or attending academic conferences until these procedures change. And, that is a really big deal since I'm supposed to be presenting research findings in Prague in March.

Please do not stay home. The conference attendees and journal readers wherever your findings will be published need to hear from you! Please don't let a few minutes of closer inspection, by someone you will never see again, nullify the years you have worked, not to mention all that you went through to survive the illness and surgery in order to become the survivor you are.

wonder why since 9/11 no planes have hit buildings..if i had to strip to my skivvies to get on a plane so be it!!!
these measures are for your safety not so the security people can see your ass..

Yesterday morning I went through an AIT scanner at Chicago Ohare, as I stepped into the scanner I wispered to the attendant that I had a colostomy pouch and it would show on the left side of my torso. The attendant said thank you sir. and that was that.

it was much more of a hassle emptying my pockets, taking off my belt, taking te laptop out of the case, stepping out of my shoes. I needed two trays for all of my stuff......

By the way, I agree witht he contention of the previous poster.

Jim bob

My last flight was in Oct. 2006 St.Louis to Buffalo. I went through what came close to a complete strip search. That was O.K. they were almost doing their job. They failed to scrutinize the liquid that was in my Ileo bag or even question me about it. You know it was probably too icky for them. Or maybe they racially profiled me at that point.

Flew in January to see my son deploy to Qatar, and I had no problems with security, or with TSA agents and my dignity. Had read the rules on their website prior to flying, let them know that I had the colostomy, and also a chemo port, and took off my shoes and took the full body scan option. It was fine. Although I wanted a picture of the agents face that saw my picture! That would have been priceless!

Also when I flew, I got the "enhanced pat down", and it was not that invasive. They had ME pat myself down, where my chemo port is in my chest, and the colostomy bag. They then swabbed my hands, testing for plastic explosives residue. When I returned, I was patted down by a female security agent, and then made to do it myself, then we were both tested for residue. And yes, after 3 surgeries, and 4 stays in the hospital last year, I find that I am no longer too modest as well, half of Tulsa has seen my naked butt, dosed up and with the denture plate out, to be scared of any TSA website. I also PRINTED out a copy of the rules off of their own website, and was prepared to challenge them on it, not that it bothers me that much, I want to be safe, but if they really wanted us to be safe, they would scan our luggage and make us fly naked. I just don't like how in the interests of safety, we make rule after rule, and like my daddy used to tell me, locks keep honest people honest, baby. Same principle, really. We can't live our lives in fear because their are crazy people in the world, but that doesn't give the right to the government to get equally nutty when it comes to pat downs at the airport!

My flight to Prague through Pittsburgh and JFK was fine. I got the hand swab for explosives, but that was it.

I did have a bit of a minor hangup on my way back, which was a lot more of an intense screening process in general. I got scanned, patted down, and had my backpack completely opened up and searched with extensive questioning as to the purpose and necessity of my ileostomy travel kit. They found the paste strip particularly worrisome. Unfortunately, I lost my jacket and the English/Czech translated medical necessity explaination in the pocket on the way into the airport through the first of multiple screening check points... rats! I liked that jacket!

It was annoying enough of a process that I didn't want to go back through to find my jacket, but it wasn't impossible.

Still, with minimal safety testing, I don't trust the backscatter devices any more than I would trust any other FDA unapproved radiation device. It's not something that I intend to do again in the near future.

The Current TSA procedures are ineffective period. I can not think of any reason to allow a person to assault me or any member of my family based on a fraud. The numbers of times that these systems have been shown ineffective is countless. After living with an ostomy for 14 years I am not about to allow a jack booted thug to molest and embarrase me in public to get his jollies off!

Profireman35 wrote:I just hope they check "inside" the bag too. I mean if we're sharing, let's really share.

That's funny! Heaven knows THE TSA are not rocket scientists. And it takes a fellow Hoosier to state it.

I have flown several times since my ostomy was installed. I think there probably are airports where the staff is poorly trained. But I have not experienced that yet. The first time my wife pushed me to the gate in a wheel chair shortly after I was released from the rehab facility. I had a very gentle, trouble-free pat-down.

A few days ago I went through the X-ray device and then had a stand-up pat down because of the wafer and pouch produced what they called an "anomaly" on the screen. I explained that I had an ostomy and was wearing my apparatus. The person doing the pat down was very careful and gentle. He seemed aware of just about where the pouch was located and asked me if he was creating a problem. Apparently he was well trained. I concluded that because of his sensitivity to my condition.

Returning home from a smaller airport I had no choice since they had no X-ray equipment yet. I forgot to take my watch off so I rang the bell and caused
mild concern. I again explained I had an ostomy and so I was patted down gently and carefully.

The entire experience each time was far less intrusive than what I experienced in a world class university teaching hospital by doctors and by very young (and quite pretty) nurses, who taught me how to "burp" and replace my pouch.