Hi everyone!
I was diagnosed with type 1 about 2 weeks ago. I’m flying to visit family in a week. I have a dexcom g7 and use insulin pens currently. I’ve talked to dexcom twice and have gotten different/confusing answers. Can I go through the full body scanner? What about the ones I’m packing should they not go through the luggage x-ray? Any other travel/flight tips?
Thank you!!!
Hello Sidney @kiwifuzz and welcome to the world of autoimmune diabetes - these days referred to as TypeOne.
Better than talking with agents, trying to explain your needs, going directly to Dexcom written stuff on the Dexcom web page makes things easier. Here is a link: https://www.dexcom.com/faqs/can-i-wear-dexcom-g7-through-security-or-while-flying
Your pens and insulin are safe in all scanners / x-ray. PLEASE make certain that you carry your insulin on-board with you - don’t take a chance with lost bags. Also, Cary extra “everything diabetes” with you especially if your trip is extended.
There is much you will need to learn about managing your diabetes and becoming your own manager of diabetes. After you enjoy your family visit come back here, read what appeals to you [use the search] and ask questions. There are many people on here who have wived for decades with diabetes and understand and can offer suggestions to help you find the right path. Best wishes for your success! Look below in “related postings”.
A couple of things I should have mentioned earlier, Sidney @kiwifuzz.
I haven’t yet gone through airport security with my G7, but I have many times worn G6 and G5 through checkpoint scanners - all types - without any issues. The Breakthrough T1D main pages [tap the Breakthrough at top left] has lots of stuff to help you; here is a link to the Travel Section:
Before you go, check the timing of when you’re supposed to change your sensor. If I’m supposed to change on the day I’m traveling I’ll do it the day before so it doesn’t run out while I’m at the train station or the airport, or on board.
On a side note (veering of topic here) since you’re new toType1 I highly recommend you check out the book Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner. He has Type1 diabetes and works in the field so has a unique personal perspective that is particularly helpful. Could make for some interesting reading on your flight (back on topic😊).
I always make sure to have low blood sugar snacks in a easily accessible pocket on my bag. That way if I go low in the airport or on the plane I won’t have to root through my entire bag just for some glucose tabs. Taking some other low-carb snacks can also be nice to snack on in the plane.
On the topic of lows — while some airports have new tech that allows you to bring liquids through security, most don’t. For low snacks I highly recommend taking glucose tabs or some other non-liquid sugar source. That way it just saves you the hassle. Your insulin pens will be fine since they’re medication and the vials don’t exceed the 3 oz limit.
If you go through a metal detector (or another scanner) you might want to let the agents know that you’re type 1 just in case the metal in the sensor triggers the alarms, or if the alarms go off for another reason and they have to do a search.
Also, definitely take extra supplies. If your sensor fails or an insulin pen goes bad it’s good to have an extra on hand!
I admire your daringness to get on an airplane just a few weeks after stepping on this rollercoaster ride called diabetes! Try not to get too nervous. Traveling can be stressful and diabetes adds another layer, but many many many people with diabetes regularly fly on airplanes. You can do it too!
Following up on @6yGodsGr 's suggestions about treating lows - liquids generally work faster but you’re limited to what you can take on board. Have you tried glucose tabs? Personally I don’t like the texture, and I mention that because it’s important to find something you like to use. I recently discovered Welchs fruit snacks - one pack has 17g of carbs and I toss a few in my bag in case I need them. Lifesavers and similar are good too, but might fall out of the pack.
Hi @kiwifuzz welcome to Breakthrough T1D. I agree with most of the above but want to add a few thoughts. I travel for work in the US as well as abroad i just returned from a trip to Amsterdam and Wales UK. Airport security will not know that type 1 diabetes is but they do know what “Medical Device” is so when my dex gets pinged on the body scanner I say Medical Device and show them. Works every time. The G7 only gets detected about every 3-4 trips through the scanner in my experience.
Insulin in the USA stays in your carry on and you send it through. I have never had TSA call medicine a liquid and require anything. Manchester England on the other hand treats it like shampoo and so I had to put it in a ziplock. A big bottle of juice will definitely get you delayed in the airport so if you really need juice to fix a low they buy it in the other side of security and do not take it through passenger security yourself.
If you use cold gel packs it can be a problem for some TSA but if you explain “Medication” then they will swab it and check it for explosives, usually a 15 minute penalty. I do not bring cold gel or anything really for keeping insulin cold it’s been fine for me while traveling.
Good luck safe travels! 
Thank you all so much for your responses!
I’m definitely very nervous to fly and to be away from home since this is all so new, but didn’t want the diagnosis to get in the way of doing what I want. I’m sure I’ll be back here with more questions as you all are very nice and knowledgable! I’m going to get some glucose tabs or fruit snacks or something similar for the plane since I’ve been treating lows at home with juice boxes. I think I’m most nervous about the x-ray technology messing up the dexcoms I’m packing! Still figuring out what I should do on that front.
Thanks all again!!
Here’s some info from Dexcom:
You can wear your Dexcom G7 sensor when going through walk-through metal detectors and Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) body scanners. Alternatively, you may ask for hand-wanding or a full-body pat-down and visual inspection. Ask for visual inspection of any part of your Dexcom G7 in the baggage scanning machine.
Most security check points require you to temporarily give up your smart device* and receiver.
Dexcom G7 is safe to go through luggage scanning and will not affect product performance.
Hopefully you got some helpful information about protecting your supplies on your trip.
For when you arrive and need to dose for those delicious home cooked meals I wanted to suggest you try to find out in advance what you’ll be having so you can do your best to guesstimate the carbs. There are a lot of good tracking apps (Glooko, SugarMate and MySugr are a few popular free ones) and I find they’re pretty accurate for restaurant items, which are pretty consistent. But home recipes vary so you’ll have to estimate and you may find yourself higher or lower than you hoped. That’s hard to measure so don’t expect to be perfect - you can always correct later. Make sure you have guidance from your doctor on how long to wait before adding in insulin though.
@kiwifuzz Dorie brought up a good point. If you need resources for carb counting new foods here are my favorites:
My favorite app for carb counting is the calorie king app. its got lots of restaurants and brands in it like Kroger and Starbucks and all the data downloads with the app, so you can use it anywhere. I’ve used it when camping, sailing, backpacking, and on the airplane with no issues. It’s especially handy in the airplane when they give you meals/snacks with no information and you’re trying to figure out how many carbs are in this rice thing!
My favorite website that calculates the nutritional information in recipes is Recipe Calorie and Nutrition Calculator
You just type in the ingredients (like 1/2 cup flour) and the amount of servings and it calculates the amount of carbs, fat, protein, etc in a serving. You could take a screenshot or take note of the carb count of the food in case you make it again.
(Yeah we’re getting off topic 
)
Thank you all for the suggestions! I haven’t been out to eat yet at a restaurant so I’ve been wondering how that works/a-little nervous to try since it seems mostly like guess work. I don’t have a correction factor yet from my doctor, so if I go high all I can do is exercise/wait it out. I’ll check out the apps you both suggested.
And no worries about going off topic! Any and all information on topic or not is welcome 
Hi Sidney, you’ve already discovered the best remedy for a blood sugar correction and that is exercise. If you find yourself spiking go work out. Chasing blood sugars with a shot can sometimes backfire. If you have a constant monitor you can see blood sugars plummet with strenuous exercise. Congratulations! John.
Sidney @kiwifuzz, exercise can be an effective means to lower your Body Glucose Level [BGL], but yo need to be aware that the type of exercise is important. All “exercise” types/levels are not equal - relative to you BGL; areobic exercise such as walking, jogging, casual bike-riding usually lower BGL/BG while anaerobic exercising such as running, sprints, weight-lifting, i.e., “strenuous exercise” can often increase toy glucose leve. and may be dangerous if you are already “high”.
Hor your guide, I’m posting a link to the Breakthrough main pages Exercise Guide. Exercise and Type 1 Diabetes - Breakthrough T1D
PSA here: you will probably have a wonderful trip and be pleased at how well things went. But I’ve noticed that occasionally people (on this forum and elsewhere) write in late at night or on the weekend asking what to do about an issue they’re having in the moment. We can’t give medical advice so call your doctor’s office/answering service, or the nurse helpline listed on your insurance card.
Hopefully you’ll never need that but I thought I would mention it.
Hi @kiwifuzz ! I’m at my friend’s house for the holiday weekend. This morning she had a couple of packages of muffins on her kitchen counter soil checked the carb count and bolused accordingly. When I went to serve myself she said they weren’t for breakfast - she had taken them out of the freezer to thaw.
Sometimes the unexpected happens and you just have to go with the flow…
Hi all! I made it to Seattle! All fine no problems with TSA or flying or anything! I’ll be here for a few weeks before flying again. Thank you all again for the support and answers!!!