Exploding Prosthesis??
Comments
-
I am flying overseas tomorrow. During the flight I'm planning to wear my camisol bra with the softee insert as it is so much more comfortable than my mastectomy bra with prosthesis. (Sorry if these questions may have been asked before but I don't really have time at the moment to search through all the posts)
1) If I pack my prosthesis in my big suitcase in the luggage hold, is there a danger of it exploding due to the pressure? A friend of mine just returned from overseas and during the flight, a small bottle of shampoo ruptured in her bag. So now I am worried that my expensive prosthesis might meet a similar fate. As the container with its little hammock is bulky I didn't want to take it in my hand luggage.
2) If I did take it in my hand luggage, am I likely to be asked what it is? With all the rules and regulations about what can and cannot be taken on board these days, is it going to be an object of suspicion? (Isn't anything containing a gel suspect?) I can imagine that it could be quite a funny situation but airline staff who check you in are often lacking in a sense of humour!
Any advice will be very welcome!
gb
-
I can't answer the first question since I have only flown a few times since my mast. and have carried on. But I can answer the second question. When I packed my swim pros. in my carry on bag I had no issues with it at all. They did not even ask me what it was. I thought they would have questions but they did not. Hope that helps.
-
Thanks caaclark. I just rang the store where I bought my prosthesis and was told that, yes, it is best to take the it on board because the extreme cold in the cargo hold can damage it. She also said that they don't advise wearing a silicon prosthesis on long flights because your body heat combined with the pressurized cabin can cause blistering - I should have asked if she meant me or the silicon! She said it would be fine to just nestle the fakey in something soft in my carry-on luggage.
So, problem solved.
gb
-
I have worn my silicon prosthesis on the plane and they are fine.
I have also had a set in my baggage on three different flights with no damage. The luggage compartments in planes are pressurized now aren't they? They have pets in crates in the luggage compartments, so I would think they would be heated too.
I wouldn't worry about it either way.
Deb C
-
After a number of uneventful flights with breast forms on and extras in my carry-on, my carry-on bag was tagged for a search yesterday on a flight from Boston to Miami. I had my silicone forms on, but the boxes for them were in the bag. Plus, there were a pair of foam and a pair of Still You non-silicone forms in the bag. The guy searching didn't bat an eye, but took out the boxes to re-scan them. I thought he wasn't going to give them back to me and said "Those are for my breast forms, which I'm wearing right now, but I need those boxes to store them!!!" I'm not sure he really understood what I meant. Turns out the problem was two tiny glass jars of baby food I use for treats for my toy poodle, who came with me on the flight. They let me keep the boxes AND the baby food.
I really didn't feel embarrassed. In fact, I thought it was sort of amusing (though I didn't enjoy having all my stuff rifled). I would have been upset if they had confiscated anything. Regarding the effect of cold on breast forms, I'm shipping my car down here and I packed my extra pair of silicone prostheses in a bag which is in the trunk. Sure hope the cold up north doesn't harm them (the car will sit up there a few days before shipping).
Barbara
-
I've worn my protheses when flying and had absolutely no problem. I haven't ever carried them onboard or packed in luggage. I had the empty boxes for storage in my luggage. Unfortunately they take up quite a bit of space.
-
I have worn mine and also put it in my luggage with no problem. I generally pack things in 2 gallon ziplock bags so that I can easily redistribute things if the luggage weight is a problem. On a recent trip at the last minute I put a ziplock bag containing bras and a gel swim form in my carryon luggage as it wouldn't fit in my other bag. Apparently the swim form showed up as something strange so my luggage was searched. I had forgotten it was in the bag and the guy searching my bag looked really confused as he was handling the zip lock bags...he was about to open the bags when I remembered the swim form was in there. I told him I had a mastectomy and was carrying a prosthesis....he couldn't give me back my luggage fast enough (glad he didn't pull out the pros to examine it....but makes you wonder about security). I got upset over the incident and started crying...not sure why as I don't get embarrassed easily any more. This was over a month ago and now I can laugh at it, but from now on those things will be in the checked luggage.
Liz
-
Wow! This is a really interesting thread.
Liz, I'm really sorry about your experience. I've surprised myself more than once with unexpected tears and had to stop and realize what troopers we all are to go through such upheavels in our lives and just keep marching forward. We think we're doing so well AND WE ARE! But those sudden demands for explanations really can unravel us. Glad you're laughing now. You're one sturdy lady!
gb, I'm glad for the explanation about the "blistering" -- who knew? A friend had her prosthesis split on a flight to Ecuador. She felt something itchy sort of creeping down her stomach.
It turns out that silicone is very, very sticky and very hard to get off your skin (not to mention your clothes), especially in one of those airplane bathrooms. And Ecuador is a long, long way to go.
Not one of her better travel memories.
I wonder, would keeping it in a prosthesis cover help prevent the blistering, does anyone know?
Happy trails!
Binney
-
Binney...thank you for the kind words.
OT...I am going for routine scans this week and am like a demon with PMS. Anyway, I've had a bad case of canceritis the past few weeks. Thank heavens for Advil...it did get rid of the brain tumor I had last week.
I make sure to wear a tank top instead of a bra so there is no metal on my body and I don't have to put on a hospital gown and look lopsided. It doesn't bother me when I go for mammos, but does for other tests if that makes any sense.
I will be glad when my tests are done and I see my onc for the results and then I hopefully will go back into happy to be NED mode.
Liz
-
Hi, Liz,
Yeah, I sure hear you. (Ativan is my drug of choice for "doctor week"
) Please let us know how it goes. I'll be thinking of you.
Be well!
Binney
-
Binney..."doctor week" is when I break out the Xanax. Had my PET/CT to day and will have a CT with empahsis on the thorax on Thursday....that one I've never had and I didn't think to ask my doctor why he was scheduling me for one..so that one makes me nervous. When he tells me I'm doing well...I tend to run out of the office before he changes his mind so I didn't think to ask. He was rattling off a bunch of tests...mammo, bone density, etc. and kind of snuck in the CT one.
I see him next Tuesday so I will know my results then. I could try haunting them by calling...but if it is bad news, I'm in no hurry to hear it!
Liz
-
I've been on a 13 hour and 15 hour flight and wore my silicon breast form without any problems. I've worn mine for 18 years and never take the box when I travel. I just keep it in my bra and make a nest of towels to lay it in.
~elaine~
-
This is the first time I have checked this thread since I flew to Canada. Lots of interesting answers! I think your reaction was very understandable Liz.
Interesting to hear that many of you have worn your pros on board or left them in the luggage section with no bad results and yet Binney, your friend had hers rupture all over her! Eeooh!
Well, I wore my fluffy in my camisole and took my pros in my hand luggage. Nobody questioned me about it at any of the airports. They must be used to seeing them.
gb
-
I did have one pros that started oozing silicone, but it was because my dog got hold of it and by dragging it with her teeth, put holes in it....I had a cover from when I used foam inserts right after surgery...so I put some duct tape on it and covered it before putting it in the bra pocket until I got a new one. Now I am very careful about putting it away.
Before I had LE I was comfortable wearing a pros for long periods of time, but now I tend to take it off as soon as I get home from work.
Liz
-
Hi, Liz!
Thinking of you today, and hoping it's all good news. So, what DID he want with the thorax CT?!
Be well,
Binney
-
Thanks Binney. All is well...PET/CT and CT normal. Some scarring on my lungs from radiation treatments. Guess he just wanted to be thorough. Tumor markers and BC markers in normal range....whew! I was diagnosed IIIC, borderline 4 so the longer my scans are clear the better it gets!
Liz
Categories
- All Categories
- 679 Advocacy and Fund-Raising
- 289 Advocacy
- 68 I've Donated to Breastcancer.org in honor of....
- Test
- 322 Walks, Runs and Fundraising Events for Breastcancer.org
- 5.6K Community Connections
- 282 Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 53 Australians and New Zealanders Affected by Breast Cancer
- 208 Black Women or Men With Breast Cancer
- 684 Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer
- 1.5K Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
- 455 Caring for Someone with Stage IV or Mets
- 260 High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer
- 22 International, Non-English Speakers With Breast Cancer
- 16 Latinas/Hispanics With Breast Cancer
- 189 LGBTQA+ With Breast Cancer
- 152 May Their Memory Live On
- 85 Member Matchup & Virtual Support Meetups
- 375 Members by Location
- 291 Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 177 Singles With Breast Cancer
- 869 Young With Breast Cancer
- 50.4K Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis
- 204 Breast Cancer with Another Diagnosis or Comorbidity
- 4K DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
- 79 DCIS plus HER2-positive Microinvasion
- 529 Genetic Testing
- 2.2K HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
- 1.5K IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)
- 3.4K IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
- 1.5K ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
- 999 Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis
- 652 LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ)
- 193 Less Common Types of Breast Cancer
- 252 Male Breast Cancer
- 86 Mixed Type Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned
- 189 Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care
- 488 Second or Third Breast Cancer
- 1.2K Stage I Breast Cancer
- 313 Stage II Breast Cancer
- 3.8K Stage III Breast Cancer
- 2.5K Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- 13.1K Day-to-Day Matters
- 132 All things COVID-19 or coronavirus
- 87 BCO Free-Cycle: Give or Trade Items Related to Breast Cancer
- 5.9K Clinical Trials, Research News, Podcasts, and Study Results
- 86 Coping with Holidays, Special Days and Anniversaries
- 828 Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues
- 101 Family and Family Planning Matters
- Family Issues for Those Who Have Breast Cancer
- 26 Furry friends
- 1.8K Humor and Games
- 1.6K Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts
- 706 Recipe Swap for Healthy Living
- 704 Recommend Your Resources
- 171 Sex & Relationship Matters
- 9 The Political Corner
- 874 Working on Your Fitness
- 4.5K Moving On & Finding Inspiration After Breast Cancer
- 394 Bonded by Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Life After Breast Cancer
- 806 Prayers and Spiritual Support
- 285 Who or What Inspires You?
- 28.7K Not Diagnosed But Concerned
- 1K Benign Breast Conditions
- 2.3K High Risk for Breast Cancer
- 18K Not Diagnosed But Worried
- 7.4K Waiting for Test Results
- 603 Site News and Announcements
- 560 Comments, Suggestions, Feature Requests
- 39 Mod Announcements, Breastcancer.org News, Blog Entries, Podcasts
- 4 Survey, Interview and Participant Requests: Need your Help!
- 61.9K Tests, Treatments & Side Effects
- 586 Alternative Medicine
- 255 Bone Health and Bone Loss
- 11.4K Breast Reconstruction
- 7.9K Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 2.7K Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment
- 775 Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results
- 7.8K Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 50 Immunotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 7.4K Just Diagnosed
- 1.4K Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
- 5.2K Lymphedema
- 3.6K Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment
- 591 Pain
- 3.9K Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 8.4K Surgery - Before, During, and After
- 109 Welcome to Breastcancer.org
- 98 Acknowledging and honoring our Community
- 11 Info & Resources for New Patients & Members From the Team