www.incontinentsupport.org

Up until this week, I haven't had much of an issue with the TSA and airport security and I've given advice that said as much: relax, they've seen it all before, if there's any issue it will be minor and cleared up quickly.

I stand corrected.

First, my prior experiences:

The diaper I was wearing was flagged as an anomaly on a body scanner, back when they were first introduced. A pat down cleared the issue. I've had no further issues with body scanners identifying a diaper, moderately or minimally wet, as an anomaly requiring a pat-down.

On several instances, my carry-on bag with spare changes has been flagged in the x-ray machine. In every case, they have opened my bag, taken out the contents, sometimes taken chemical swabs (negative results), then repacked my bag and sent me on my way.

This time, I went through the body scanner (no problems) but my carry-on duffel packed with four days worth of diapers was flagged. There were no liquids or creams at all in that bag, in compliance with 3-1-1.

So they take apart my duffel like usual, take chemical swabs--and it tests positive. They run the individual contents through the x-ray again using their trays. There is a group of four guards around my bag at this point, looking rather tense; I am not allowed to touch any of my possessions, including the backpack and shoes that cleared security. Then I get a pat-down and they swab my hands--positive. Crap. So they take me into a back room.

I get a second pat-down by a different guy, apparently of a higher level, while they question me about my travel plans. I'm asked to disclose any pertinent information about what is on my person, so I tell them about my testicular implants and diaper. They do a third, more involved, pat-down and I'm asked to lift my shirt for some reason. The first guy leaves the room for a bit while a second guy watches me.

First guy comes back. Apparently he had taken a chemical swab at my waist band--and it came back positive. At this point, he explains my options. My bag has tested positive (for what exactly, I don't know) but has apparently been visually cleared. My hands have tested positive, but there's nothing suspect on my person--except the one thing that they can't clear because it tested positive for whatever and they can't see what's inside. He said 'I don't want it in my airport.' He presented my option: leave security with a guard, go downstairs to the restrooms, take off the diaper and go through security without a diaper. I tell them I'll try not to pee on their floor on the way back through security and I'm told they'll speed me through.

I note that my diaper bag usually causes problems at security and he isn't surprised--he then specifically mentions super-absorbent polymer as the likely culprit. I'm going to go ahead and assume something about it shares a similar density and chemical makeup to whatever is used in making explosives.

Yet another guard is called over and the 'sensitive situation' is explained to him. At this point I'm allowed to take my bags down the stairs with him to the restroom. He follows me in, watches the bags while I'm in the stall, and I come out with a wrapped up diaper in hand to dispose of in the trash can. We head back upstairs, the security line is long but he skips me to the front, and I basically start from square one with the whole routine while he keeps watch. Second time nothing is flagged, not even the offending bag (?!), and I'm cleared to go catch my flight. I head to the first bathroom I see to clean up and put a diaper on; on my way out I see a group of agents looking over and laughing. For my own sake, I will go ahead and assume it wasn't about me.

Other than that, they were acceptably professional (the gentleman who took me downstairs was a genuinely kind person), it was somewhat awkward, and this is why I arrive at the airport really early.

Incidentally, on the return flight I had zero issues at security. They didn't bat an eye at my duffel (which still had diapers in it--I tend to pack a reserve) on the x-ray, so no further scrutiny was warranted. Go figure; absolute inconsistency is apparently part of the plan. Never know when it's going to be a bad time.

This is good info to know, since I will be traveling in 2 weeks by air to go see my parents. I have not yet decided what to utililize for protection on the trip down.

Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

Ender, that was very, very unfortunate. Hopefully, it was due to a not-well-trained TSA person.

In contrast, I have had little difficulty, in spite of my concerns. On only a single occasion I was taken to a private room and asked to lower my trousers. When they say I was wearing transparent vinyl plastic pants with a diaper below, they never asked me to remove the pants or diaper and were very professional.

As I use preventive enemas to control my bowel incontinence and travel internationally, I must carry my complete enema kit with me in my backpack through TSA airport security as I cannot risk losing it in lost luggage.. As the TSA people working the scanners probably do not see enema bags very often, and probably do not recognize what they are seeing, I always am anxious that some overeager TSA employee will reach into my bag and hold my enema bag with oversized nozzle up for all to admire. Actually, they never have reacted to the enema equipment at all (it has no metal parts). What they have reacted to was a tube of chapstick that I forgot was in my pocket.

Rob, don't worry about your trip. What you are reading are exceptional cases. Just have a dry diaper on. You also may wish to have a TSA Disability Card on which you can list that you are wearing a diaper and have diapers in your bag. You quietly can hand it to the TSA officer. You will find one at the link below.
https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files ... _cards.pdf

--John

Ender: What can I say except "wow". Sorry you went through all that.

Rob: I echo JD. Be as dry as possible before you go through. If I must, I change just before I get in the TSA line; usually something to just get me through the check (I use the cheap Depends). Then I change into my regular diapers after clearing TSA. I also keep enough spares in my carry on for at least 6 hours more than my expected arrival time. Just to be on the safe side.

Sorry to hear about your encounter Ender. In my experience, this is not indicative of the TSA as a whole.

I travel weekly, mostly domestic, and I have never had any issue with the TSA. I make great use of my PreCheck registration, and sometimes I have problems of implementation at smaller airports. Sometimes my shoes do have to come off, and my laptops come out... but that is all. Because of my knee replacement, I have to use the scanners since I trip the magnetometers. Occasionally that causes a brief wait, but never a problem.

_________________
- Tom

Hij Ender, what a story. I'm sorry you had that experience. I traveled this month up and down between Europe and Canada. I had "the luck" on the way to Canada to go three times into a scanner. The second time I was a bit sloppy and did not change my incontinence pants (I have a lite form, but under stress I have more urge incontinence). The security person showed me what he could see, and it was clear I had a wet spot. He padded me down and was very professional. He said "thank you" and that was all. I'm sure they see this many times per day. I felt, surprisingly, pretty relaxed.
Bob

Hello Ender
Im sorry to hear about your problems. At least they was nice about it.
I have just recently received a postcard from Tewi (a member on this forum) from Hong Kong, and they had no problem from the TSA.
But im sure they was just lucky hehe

I didn't know that we have to be careful with our "explosive" diapers.
Just be glad that you didn't have diarrhea at the time.

I guess that the main thing for people getting ready to travel is to make sure you are as dry as possible when going through the TSA checkpoint.
Even if it means taking a cheep diaper just to go through the line.
I wonder what they would do if a person wore a cloth diaper through the checkpoint. Im sure that it has happened before but I just haven't heard of anyone.
Im sure the diaper pins would set it off.

Schoppy

Ender, I too have not had any issues with TSA when I have traveled. I know one time my hands had to get swabbed. The agent asked if I had handled any bullets in the last 24 hours or went to a gun range. He said people who shoot guns before coming to the airport trigger their sensors because of the gun powder.

Ender, thanks for sharing your story. My wife and I travel several times a year to Eastern and western Europe for the ministry that we work with. I always try to go through security with a dry diaper or pullup and then change into something much more absorbent after clearing security. We just returned this last Monday from a conference in Rotterdam, Holland. Our flight out of Amsterdam to Houston was delayed for over 4 hours. I was OK on boarding there, everything still dry when I went through the scanner in Amsterdam, I had changed just before boarding. When we arrived in Houston to transfer to our connecting flight we had to clear immigration, then collect luggage, then clear customs, and go through security again before going to our gate. When we arrived at the security gate I realized I had not gone to a restroom to change out of a very wet Abena M-4 I had worn on the flight.

I was in a bit of a panic as I looked around for a place to change, but all the restrooms were back in the baggage claim area. So I told my wife that I might get pulled aside for a check in a private room. We decided to chance it and not try to go back to find a restroom. When I went through they then swabbed my hands, I got patted down quite well, from my crotch down my legs and on my butt. He obviously was seeing something, but decided after the pat down that I was good to go. I was so thankful that we did not have to miss our short connecting flight after 11 hours on the trans-Atlantic flight! Just a reminder that we need to try to go through security with a dry diaper.

Well I just went through TSA in chiacago with what I though was a dry diaper. It picked it up in the scanner and I had to be scanned a second time. The man then put the back of his hand down my the front of my pants and said I was good to go.

This is probably because I tried to help him and his coworker identify the word corset for a woman who had gone in front of me. Being polite and helpful helps