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Medtronic new advice on taking loan pump abroad

Riri

Riri

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,174
Location
Mid Wales
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
The conservative party, people who are cruel to animals and aggressive people
I'm going to Greece in October and Medtronic have sent me this advice with my confirmation email of a spare pump. TBH, I'm a bit uncomfortable at chucking a £3k piece of medical equipment into my suitcase. I have loan pump insurance but even so I think it's more prudent that we carry them in our hand luggage. I have no idea what 'new security' system they are referring to. Do people out there think I should go back to them and question the sense of this?


'We ask that you do not break the seal on the replacement pump packaging and only open it in the event of an emergency.

Important. Please be advised that due to the new security system at aiports, we would advise that the holiday loan pump be packed safely in the middle of your suitcase.

Please note: If the seal is broken on the package on its return to Medtronic, the pump has to go through rigorous testing before being placed back in the loan pool for re-use and this may in turn cause un-nessary delays in holiday pumps orders being processed.

However, should you choose to carry it in hand luggage, you may be asked to break the seal and insert the battery for testing.'
 
Hi Riri, I guess what they mean is that security now can ask you to turn all your electronic devices on. This works not just for an insulin pump but also for iPad or iPhone. To be fair I had my medtronic loan pump last month and I was not asked to put a battery on, but I knew it could have happened.
 
Would you put it in your case? Don't think I want to risk that.
 
I haven't put it in my case this last time....but actually I did in the past. I also always check that a pump is actually inside the box and that I am not receiving an empty box ( which, to be fair, wouldn't surprise me ). I know medtronic says this could create delays but actually it took them 2 weeks to recollect the pump. I had to ring them 3 times and eventually I was asked to go to a post office and post it. Clearly they were not in such a hurry to have the pump back.
 
Same happened with me Stefano re: last collection, think I'll do my usual box checking and carrying it in hand luggage to be on the safe side. My DSN and Medtrnoic rep had always told me previously to put in all the setting beforehand! Thanks for replies.
 
whats a loan pump..............?

i can take a guess but would rather hear it from you lot........
 
It's a spare pump for when you go abroad for longer periods of time normally (not just a weekend away say). They arrange to send you a loan in case your main pump stops working whilst away. It's just an extra 'insurance'. Glad to say I've never needed to use it but I always feel more comfortable knowing I have one.
 
I would guess by "new security" they mean the imaging body scanners? There was a thread a few months ago on pumps vs imaging scanners. Some of the US ones are more dangerous to electronics than the kind used in the UK. We don't use the X-ray backscatter type here. But I guess it depends where you fly to.
 
The new security is this thing about having to prove the machine/device works as it's meant to before you go on the plane. Thus you have to put a battery in it or turn it on if a battery already in it.
 
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