Flying with nebulizer/liquid meds

[Jen500]

If you have done this, did you carry on the nebulizer or put it in checked baggage?

And, we have albuterol vials in a sealed foil pouch. They won't try to open the pouch at security, will they?

[Mom-ninja.]

I would call and ask.

[hsbaby]

We've never had a problem. We take dd's albuterol, epi-pen, benadryl, etc. in our carry on. They have never even asked about it (and we fly a few times a year).

[hsbaby]

Oh, and we have also taken a nebulizer when she was younger. Now she is old enough for the inhaler. I just make sure everything is labeled with the pharmacy label. But, like I said, we've never been questioned about it.

[Lawana]

We travel with medical items. Pack them in their own ziplock bag and pull the bag out of your carryon and place in a bin (with other items is fine). Take them in their packaging with the prescription labels. That will cover all your bases. You would likely get away with doing less (leaving them packed, no prescriptions), but doing the above should ensure no problems at all.

[Lawana]

We travel with medical items. Pack them in their own ziplock bag and pull the bag out of your carryon and place in a bin (with other items is fine). Take them in their packaging with the prescription labels. That will cover all your bases. You would likely get away with doing less (leaving them packed, no prescriptions), but doing the above should ensure no problems at all.

[Rivka]

At my airport, there is a separate security line for people traveling with small children and/or "medical liquids." It's helpful to use that phrase and just ask the TSA agent at the checkpoint what they would like you to do. "Hi, we are traveling with medical liquids and a nebulizer machine. How do you want to handle that?" They certainly shouldn't ask to open the foil packets, although they might want to swab the outside for chemical residue.

 

Do not check the nebulizer unless you could do without it for 48-72 hours if they lose your luggage.

[sixpence1978]

We have always carried on our nebulizer with the vials of medication and epipens. They usually look in the bag after it goes through the scanner machine, but nothing else. Never had a problem with it, never had to explain it, and never had to do any special reporting of it.

[prairiewindmomma]

We fly with stuff all of the time in our carry-on bags. We put everything into ziplocks and make sure we have a prescription with us. If it is an OTC med, some very fussy TSA people require a doctor's note (ie if you are also carrying a bottle of Benadryl).

 

FWIW, they generally WILL pass it through the x-ray machine. The only time we've had stuff swabbed was when dd was in her wheelchair (nonambulatory) and she was wearing medical devices.

[JFSinIL]

Here, let me add - if your kid wears a metal Medic Alert necklace or bracelet, do they have to take it off (with other metals) to go through security???

[Lawana]

Here, let me add - if your kid wears a metal Medic Alert necklace or bracelet, do they have to take it off (with other metals) to go through security???

No, they don't *have* to. But if it sets offf the metal detector, s/he will be subject to a wanding/pat down. If it

's easy enough, I would recommend taking it off, just to avoid the issue. Dd has had TSA ask her to remove her insulin pump, which she very clearly is not required to do. We declined, and dd got yet another pat-down because it almost always sets off the metal detector.