Airlines-radiation- what do you do?

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MariannaLaFrance
MariannaLaFrance Member Posts: 777
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

OK, I'm wondering what you ladies opt for when traveling through airports. I have "opted out" of going through the full body X-ray a few times now ( I travel a lot for work), only to be humiliated as I get an entire body pat down in front of everyone.  People STARE. I mean, they really stare.  On my last flight, I requested privacy, and it was obvious they don't get that request often. I was made to wait about 10 minutes while they found two women to take me to a room that didn't have a closed door. One guarded me, never wavering in her stare, while the other one performed the"procedure."

Just wondering what you ladies opt for when you are traveling? It's almost to the point where I'll take the additional radiation to be spared the humiliation of being searched!!! 

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  • Natters
    Natters Member Posts: 361
    edited March 2012

    Did your Dr tell you to avoid radiation from airport screening? I go through the full body scanner or the Xraymachine or whatever line I'm in because I travel frequently and because my DRs never told me that it was bad?

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  • MariannaLaFrance
    MariannaLaFrance Member Posts: 777
    edited March 2012

    Nope, nobody told me to avoid. I just figured that the less radiation, the better since I had to 6.5 weeks of rads on my breast. I know we get radiation from cell phones, television, etc, but you have to figure that if they can see your body structure via the equipment, it's utilizing stronger rays than a cell phone.

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  • AEM47
    AEM47 Member Posts: 297
    edited March 2012

    MariannaHB - my understanding is that the radiation is extremely low  - this is why the TSA Officers do not have to take any precautions while standing right next to the machine,  I think if you google it, maybe something will more detailed will come up, but I'm pretty sure it's a minimal amount of rad.

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  • MiniMacsMom
    MiniMacsMom Member Posts: 595
    edited March 2012

    I have the same concern.  I read that the reason that Europe doesn't use them yet is that they don't feel they have been proven safe... I don't like them either, it would be nice if they kept the metal detectors open, I would rather have to take my shoes off and bypass the screen.

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  • Kadia
    Kadia Member Posts: 314
    edited March 2012

    What is the degree of radiation from the TSA screenings vs. the radiation from flying?

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  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited March 2012

    At this point for me, I pefer to avoid all radiation.  Thankfully I don't fly.

    Kadia, I would love to know the answer to your question.  

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited March 2012

    I asked my RO this question - he flies all over the world representing Dana Farber and Harvard Medical School.  He goes through the xray machine, saying the amount is insignificant.  The "fellow" doctor who was working with him said she avoids the xray machine and opts for the patdown.  She's concerned that the machines may not be properly calibrated, saying "who is checking?"

    I've had rads twice (mammosite and a full course of "regular" rads, and I decided I wasn't going to worry about it.  I think you get more rads once you're up in the air or sitting out in the sun.  I can't worry about every little thing, and getting the patdown every time seems too onerous for me.  That said, the metal detectors are better and actually provide better security screening.

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  • Natters
    Natters Member Posts: 361
    edited March 2012

    LuvRVing - love your new pic - your hair is so cute :) 

    This thread prompted me to read some cool articles that look at the risk of radiation exposures, like this one that compares it to say, being overweight or smoking:

    http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/risk.htm

    Or this blog that explains that just living on our planet and flying to Europe and having a mammogram all expose you to way, way more radiation than those scanners:

    http://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/are-airport-body-scanners-safe/ 

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  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 2,095
    edited March 2012

    I get a patdown every time.  The trigger for me was the machine company wouldn't submit to outside safety testing. Dunno if they have by now, and it's likely minimal, but goodness knows I have enough radiation happening with my tests and such. 

    I've gotten completely used to it, and every time get treated with respect.  No problems whatsoever.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2012

    Hhmm...I understand your concern about radiation.  In our unique situation, I would be concerned, too. Isn't radiation over a lifetime cumulative anyway?  The official policy may be "it's safe", but safe for breast cancer (or any cancer) survivors? What is a "safe" amount of radiation for those like us?  The less the better, I"m thinking.

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