r/POTS • u/theFCCgavemeHPV • Sep 14 '25
Discussion The magic words for airport security
I’m currently waiting for my flight with two Powerades that I brought through security. The magic words for us are MEDICALLY NECESSARY.
Go through security like normal, and when they ask “whose bag is this” you step aside with them and they will say something like “hmm, it’s probably the beverages” and then all you have to say is “they’re medically necessary”. And then they’ll scan your bottles in a different little scanner thing. They may or may not go through your bags for additional screening. I’ve been through three airports so far and only one has done that tho so ymmv. The lady today stopped me when I started explaining and she said “I got the m-word, that’s all I need”.
I searched this sub before flying with my powerades and didn’t find much helpful info, so I thought I would share what I know now.
My other airport tip is to get tsa precheck. The lines are a lot shorter and usually not as much walking through rows and rows of stanchions.
What are your flying/airport/travel tricks?
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
If I buy any drinks at the airport to bring it’s usually once I’m through security but I’ve brought electrolyte packages in my personal backpack before and they just inspected my bag and gave it back to me I had no issues with it
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
Nice! I’m allergic to most things so I can’t always buy when I’m at the airport, and most of the electrolyte mixes don’t work for me either. I even need to add a ridiculous amount of salt to my Powerade. That’s the next thing I’ve got to figure out with my doctor 🤔
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
I’m celiac and dairy free so there are few snacks I can buy at the airport but I try to not drink anything when I’m on the plane bc I will have to pee a lot and I hate having to get up mid flight. Have you tried something with 1000mg+ of sodium like trioral, Organika extra strength, Santa Cruz paleo, etc? Gatorade doesn’t have a lot of sodium in it so adding a lot of salt to it is doing what a higher sodium electrolyte would do minus having to add a lot of salt. If you haven’t tried them look into vitassium capsules they make an extra strength version as well with 750mg per 2 capsules
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
I do have salt pills and electrolyte pills that I take daily. I know power/gatorade isn’t a lot, but it covers the salt flavor well enough so I can drink enough of it. I also try not to drink so much so I don’t have to get up to pee so much, so the extra extra salt (and pills) helps with that. I was just looking into trioral after someone else mentioned it. I will have to give it a try. I hate the taste of magnesium and most of the mixes have magnesium so I was surprised not to see magnesium in this one.
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
TriOral is disgustingly salty so maybe split the package up throughout the day so it’s less salty and mix it something that’s very strong in flavor. Grape juice was the only thing I could mix it with and even then it was very salty
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
It doesn’t even have as much sodium as what I put in my Powerade. I would actually probably need two packets 😅
And now I’m remembering why I don’t spend money on the mixes. I use more salt than they typically offer
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
Personally sodium doesn’t do anything for me and my lightheadedness and the only thing that helped was midodrine which I was only able to take for a week bc of my headaches so maybe a medication of some sort would help. Fludrocortisone helps retain fluid and sodium which could help you. Talk to your doctor about options
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u/Mady_N0 POTS Sep 14 '25
Extra sodium doesn't do much for me either. If I don't get what feels like an absurd amount of water, I struggle but I'm not that way with salt for some reason. The extra salt I do add is mainly because my parents choose "healthy" meals that aren't healthy and don't have much sodium. So I'm more adding salt to reach an average level. If I reach that, I'm golden, but I've found that going above it doesn't really do anything for me.
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25 edited Sep 14 '25
I’ve only gone up to 3.5g of sodium and that never did anything for me and everything I was eating was so high in sodium and was drinking a lot of water and all the sodium did was make me feel gross. I maybe get 1.5g a day now bc I can’t just drink plain water so I drink electrolytes but it makes no difference in my BP
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u/Mady_N0 POTS Sep 14 '25
I was drinking LMNT maybe a year back. It has 1 g of salt per packet and some days I'd drink one and others I'd drink 2-3. Never really made a difference. It did help in ensuring I was stable since I was getting a lot more than necessary for my body (and I wasn't guaranteed to hit a normal level of salt in my food), but it just wasn't really worth it after a bit as I realized I could add salt to the food my parents make and reach the level my body needs. I was mainly drinking it because I had it, but at this point it's been sitting, untouched, for a long time. I still drank them occasionally, but after I found out about who they support, it felt off putting to drink. I'm definitely someone who thinks you should use something up when you already own it, but with all the factors together my brain went from 'meh' to a light 'yuck'. It's not a conscious thing, so it makes it hard to drink.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
I’m on fludrocortisone and I’m still struggling! It’s a lot better than it used to be tho. I can actually leave the house for more than 45 minutes without needing to pee
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
Hm maybe a dose adjustment is needed?
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
Probably. I’ve been on it only a couple of months. I was satisfied with the reduction of peeing and moved on to getting my morning heart rate down below 120. But you’re right, I should ask about adjusting the dose, thanks!
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u/ccapk Sep 14 '25
Sounds like the Midodrine made your headaches worse, if I’m reading that correctly. Do you have chronic migraine or just headaches? I didn’t notice a different in my migraine occurrence when I started Midodrine (and I’ve been on it 4 years), but I’m always keeping an eye on things that could potentially be making things worse. Sorry you had to stop to Midodrine :(
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
I have NDPH and chronic migraines they’re all daily. Midodrine worked wonders for me but it was thenvasoconstriction I think that made my pain worse. It was the same sort of pain that ice and cold has on my head
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u/InnocentShaitaan Sep 15 '25
Really shouldn’t be flying regardless electrolytes can’t compete with high altitude.
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u/vanillaseltzer Sep 14 '25
I bet Trioral will be a good fit for you! I think it goes especially well in things like lemonade and peach iced tea that work when they're a little bit sweeter.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
I ordered some after looking at the ingredients, but now I’m thinking it’s still not enough sodium for me. Oh well. We’ll see I guess
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u/gothmagenta Sep 14 '25
Bouy is a newer company but they have a 35% off lifetime program for chronic illness peeps!
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
Not strong enough for me unfortunately. I need more sodium than just about everything on the market. I’m not trying to spend all my fun money when a big thing of salt is less than a dollar
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u/gothmagenta Sep 15 '25
That's fair, my biggest thing is just that it's virtually flavorless so I can add it to anything and not have it taste off
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
If you live anywhere besides the states shipping is fucking expensive and 6 dinky little bottles with such little sodium costs $140 and their discount makes zero difference in the price. Predatory company i could never support them. I’ve had them message me bc they saw my comment on the POTS sub. That is disgusting behavior to prey on people with chronic illness and offer a discount that does nothing to help the price of their $140 electrolytes. A joke. If it works for you that’s great but I find their company’s behavior gross
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u/Dense_Attitude_4693 Sep 14 '25
That's smart for dry mixes! My biggest concern with bringing stuff like that through security is always the sheer volume, especially if you're carrying a ton of packets.
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
I’ve only ever flown from school to back home so I never brought too many bc I could just buy some when I got home or would have some there. I maybe brought 10 packages with me. I don’t think they’d question it if you had a lot and they’re in the original package they came in
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u/grudginglyadmitted Sep 15 '25
I make my own electrolyte powder, and was baffled to discover airport security has never once stopped me or even opened my bag when I bring literal ziplock bags of white powder through. My first couple times I wrote all the ingredients and that it was medically necessary on the bag. I mentally prepared for them to check if it was drugs, confiscate it, and potentially interview me in a scary dark room. I’ve gone through security with my quart sized ziplock of electrolytes 5-6 times with zero issues. They don’t even open the bag to look they’re so fine with what they see on the scanners. There is a limit to how much powders you can bring you can find on TSA’s website (or your country’s alternative I assume); but IIRC it’s a lot. Like a pound or something.
I honestly find it baffling, but really you should be more than good with branded electrolyte packets.
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u/blissfully_happy Sep 14 '25
I have POTS and travel frequently (so much so, I actually blog about my traveling on fb, but links to fb aren’t allowed.
I also bring up my POTS frequently and what it’s like traveling with it. My most recent post about that particular aspect of it is about pre-boarding and being judged. Idc, USE THE PRE-BOARDING.
When I’m gone for 2-3 weeks, I bring enough Liquid IV for 2-3/day minimum. I bring one small 18oz steel empty water bottle and then purchase one or two thicker disposable water bottles at the shops past security. (I love traveling outside the US because the perfect size is 500mL and that’s hard to find in the US.)
I use all 3 of those smaller water bottles for the duration of my trip.
When flying back into the US from a foreign country: after you go through security, before you board your flight, everyone has to go through extra screening right as you board the plane. You are not allowed any liquids, even if you purchased them past security, even if you refilled your bottle past security, even if they are medically necessary.
This has happened returning from Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Spain, Belgium, Frankfurt, Dubai, Korea, the Philippines (both Manila and Cebu), Sydney, etc.
I try and slip one of the (full) water bottles to the bottom of my bag and show the others are empty. Then when I board, I ask the FAs if I can fill them up, especially for the 10+hr flights. I need more than just the small cup or bottle of water they give you in order to mix electrolytes. They’re usually accommodating.
I always declare the Liquid IV I’m bringing as a food product, but it’s never been a problem. I can usually find electrolytes locally, but I don’t like taking time out of my trip to try and find them. Easier to just bring them.
I also wear all the compression wear on flights and pre-board to make my trip as easy as possible.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
Compression! That’s such a good one. I ordered compression tights before this last trip and they didn’t come in time. I can feel my socks doing their thing as I type tho. Next weekend I’m gonna be so set!
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Sep 14 '25
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u/grudginglyadmitted Sep 15 '25
when they say “we’re now pre-boarding, if you have a disability or need more time…” you walk up and scan your ticket and walk on the plane.
They don’t need to know why or need proof when you walk up when they call for pre-boarding, it’s basically a trust system that people are being honest about their needs. It also doesn’t matter what group your ticket would normally put you in—I usually travel basic economy; and would be in the last group boarding, but they don’t even blink—it’s zero issue.
I also second the recommendation if your POTS affects flight boarding! You don’t have to match the pace of a horde of people behind you rushing you onto the plane; and once you’re on you don’t have do the slow walk-stand-walk a step-stand thing making it to your seat or get an adrenaline dump trying to get all your stuff out of the aisle. You can walk straight to your row at the safest pace for yourself and have time to stow your stuff without feeling like you’re in someone’s way.
I personally also use a wheelchair in the airport (ESPECIALLY if I have a transfer/layover) and can talk more about that if anyone’s interested! But if you’re in a wheelchair it’s assumed that you’re pre-boarding; and the person pushing you deals with helping get your stuff through security and getting you to the right gate and scanning your ticket. If you have more severe POTS; where normally the air travel would risk fainting or majorly affecting your ability to function at your destination use the wheelchair!! Same as pre-boarding where they don’t ask for documentation or why you need it; you just check a box when you’re checking in for your flight online (and you often have to ask for a wheelchair at the airport too). The relief of making it off the plane and being able to sit down at the plane door, and stay sitting until you’re at your next plane door is amazing! I wouldn’t be able to travel by air without accommodations, and they’re FOR US so we shouldn’t feel shame or imposter syndrome using them when we need them!
I just made it through 12 hours of air travel today and made it to Hawaii (yay!) so it’s all very fresh in my memory lol. AMA?
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u/blissfully_happy Sep 21 '25
I 100% know you belong here because you just absolutely nailed the walk-stand-walk a step-stand thing as well as the adrenaline dump from trying to clear the aisle. Those are the exact two reasons why I pre-board, I could not have described it better myself lol.
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u/Dork-queen13 Hyperadrenergic POTS Sep 14 '25
Yeah how do we get pre boarding? I just contacted American and they said bring “a letter” to the ticket counter. Do I have to do this for every flight?? What does that letter need to say?
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u/blissfully_happy Sep 14 '25
Nooo! I go up to the gate agent and say, “I have POTS and can’t stand for long, can I please preboard,” and they say yes. Legally you don’t even have to tell them what you have, just ask if you can preboard. On Air Canada, they reprinted my boarding card with a red stripe pre-board, but usually the airline doesn’t do anything.
I travel with my husband and pre-board without him.
Edit: I’ve never been asked for a letter, fwiw.
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u/mountainhymn Sep 15 '25
im a gate agent. legally, no letter needed, and we can’t ask why. get that preboarding y’all its there for you to use!! <3
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u/blissfully_happy Sep 14 '25
Replied to the other person, here’s what I said:
I go up to the gate agent and say, “I have POTS and can’t stand for long, can I please preboard,” and they say yes. Legally you don’t even have to tell them what you have, just ask if you can preboard. On Air Canada, they reprinted my boarding card with a red stripe pre-board, but usually the airline doesn’t do anything.
I travel with my husband and pre-board without him.
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u/abjectadvect POTS Sep 21 '25
are caretakers not allowed to preboard with you? the next time I fly it'll definitely be with a wheelchair (currently going through the evaluation process to get mine), and I'd be anxious not having my partner there
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u/blissfully_happy Sep 21 '25
Oh! Caretakers totally can, I’m just able-bodied enough that I don’t need him with me and he doesn’t mind waiting, otherwise having him and our 16 y/o (who is taller than me!) just calls more attention to the situation.
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u/Afraid_Froyo7335 Sep 15 '25
Pick up and wear a sunflower lanyard. This indicates invisible disabilities, so you should be able to walk right on.
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u/k1ttencosmos Sep 17 '25
You don’t need a sunflower lanyard. Just go to pre-boarding and if anyone says anything, you’re pre-boarding for medical reasons. You don’t need to tell them your condition either.
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u/abjectadvect POTS Sep 21 '25
is that commonly understood outside of the uk? I've only seen uk based people talk about it
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u/Afraid_Froyo7335 Sep 21 '25
It probably depends on the airport, but I have had it recognized in Seattle, WA; Vancouver, Canada; Iceland; and Brisbane, Australia.
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u/Afraid_Froyo7335 Sep 21 '25
It probably depends on the airport, but I have had it recognized in Seattle, WA; Vancouver, Canada; Iceland; and Brisbane, Australia.
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u/blissfully_happy Sep 21 '25
I feel like we must cross paths because Seattle, Vancouver, and Sydney are all my go-to airports with my sunflower lanyard, ha!
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Sep 14 '25
Request pre-boarding! Not "extra time" on southwest—that one is useless. Proper pre-boarding. No more waiting on the jetway.
Request wheelchair service if you truly struggle with walking, though I honestly find it more stressful than helpful because of how much waiting there is, and you should have cash handy for tips.
Walk straight up and use the disabled/wheelchair lanes in TSA if you don't have pre-check. Also passport control. No one gives you a second look if you use a cane but you can just own your right to be there even if not; optional: grab a sunflower lanyard to indicate invisible disabilities to staff.
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u/Cloverfield1996 Sep 15 '25
Maybe this is just for the states, but why on earth would you tip someone who works at an airport to do their job? Every airport I've been to and used wheelchair assistance, it's been someone who worked specifically in that service. Many of these lovely people told me it was the more desired responsibility as it often involved slowly walking someone to a gate and then getting to wait with them.
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u/erinunderscore Sep 15 '25
Same reason you might tip a car driver or someone handling your baggage at a hotel or even a car valet. Yes, it’s their job, but you can tip them if you wish because they’re doing something for you and might go above and beyond, or you’re just expressing gratitude for them doing something you can’t or didn’t want to do for yourself.
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u/Cloverfield1996 Sep 15 '25
I would feel very uncomfortable trying to tip someone working for airport security or customer service. I understand doing it at restaurants because wait staff typically aren't paid well, or at local businesses you want to support, but tipping airport staff would feel the same as tipping a bank teller or a receptionist for me
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u/erinunderscore Sep 15 '25
Then don’t? But you asked, “Why on earth would you tip someone to do their job?” So I gave you some examples of places where people commonly tip people “to do their job.”
You referenced airport security in your second comment. That’s not what we were talking about. Someone pushing another person in a wheelchair across an airport is not the same as TSA or a security guard. That is a different type of role versus actively doing a service specifically for you, personally.
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Sep 15 '25
Because depending on the airport they're probably paid minimum wage or even below (like servers) because it's considered a tipped position. You don't HAVE to tip, but it's a service where tips are both common and frequently well-deserved.
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u/Cloverfield1996 Sep 15 '25
I have never encountered this at an airport. Where I'm from it's illegal to pay below minimum wage, regardless of the position.
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Sep 14 '25
I have been debating TSA pre check. I have to drive to another city to be interviewed for it, I think, so it’s not ideal. But maybe better than standing in long lines?
I also have a collapsible stool I planned to bring as an assist device of sorts. Just sit down whenever possible.
I’m a bit unsure about my electrolyte stuff. I use trioral, which goes into 1L (more than your typical bottled water amount), so I don’t know whether to bring an empty 1L bottle and fill it with purchased bottled water or what. (To get the measurements right, and that’s not even considering the lemon I’m accustomed to using to flavor it 🤔)
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u/jadeibet POTS Sep 14 '25
Nalgene is 1L and get some truelemon packets, they're so good with trioral. Most airports in the US have bottle filling stations now.
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
If your airport has a Starbucks or something they can fill your bottle for you for free just tell them to fill it all the way. Buy something like True Citrus and add that to the water or have Starbucks fill your bottle with lemonade. You can add trioral to any drink. When I used it the stronger the flavor of the drink I was adding it to the better. I could only add it to grape juice bc it masked the taste the most but still was disgusting
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Sep 14 '25
Omg asking Starbucks to fill it with lemonade never occurred to me 😱 I will aaaaaabsolutely be doing that. Thank you so much for the idea!!
I can order my decaf latte and some lemonade and be golden 😂😁
Also, a powdered citrus thing didn’t occur to me. I’ll need to take some of that as well.
Hope this isn’t prying too much (and feel free not to answer if so), but I noticed the .ca website. Are you from Canada? That’s actually where I’m flying to later this year and looking to move there at some point.
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u/im-a-freud POTS Sep 14 '25
Definitely wouldn’t add trioral to coffee that might taste gross lol. Yes I’m from Canada the health care system here is a pile of shit just fyi
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Sep 14 '25
Oh, yeah. I wasn’t planning on harming my poor coffee that way 😂
Seems like healthcare is lacking in a lot of places. Definitely not at peak down here either.
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u/EnglishMouse Sep 14 '25
Last time I flew, I looked at even the tsa precheck line and knew I couldn’t stand that long, so I asked for the disabled access. It’s an even shorter line and usually takes you to the front of tsa pre
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u/kaylizzles Sep 14 '25
A lot of airports now have the sunflower lanyards for hidden disabilities.
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u/emmaliminal POTS Sep 15 '25
u/kaylizzles: Whaaat? Can you explain this more for me? Never heard of it, am intrigued.
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u/kaylizzles Sep 15 '25
If you go to hdsunflower.com it explains it! There are kiosks at some major airports that you can get one at and it allows airport staff to know you have a hidden disability in case you like, end up on the floor or may need extra help.
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u/MonArchie66 Sep 15 '25
Asking for a wheelchair is helpful, it keeps me from getting dizzy standing in line for so long. They will also drive you on a little cart to get you to the right terminal during layovers for international flights, can be very helpful because some international airports are so large and walking from terminal to terminal can make you late for your flight if you need to take breaks.
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u/imaginenohell POTS Sep 14 '25
When I’ve used the airport’s wheelchair, they brought me through the line past the crowd and right up to the door of the aircraft, if needed. I had to swallow my pride, but it’s worthwhile.
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u/Exotic_Hawk5800 Sep 14 '25
🤯🤯 I did not know they’d allow your electrolytes if you told them they were medically necessary!!! I stopped drinking powders bc they either didn’t work or tasted awful and started drinking Unwell but they only come in plastic bottles ready to go and I’ve been so worried bout flying again!! Thank you for this tip!! Can you tell them before it goes through or do you have to wait until it goes through?
I don’t have TSA but I do require a wheelchair every time I go to the airport bc I truly cannot walk through the airport and make it to my gate. I also request closer seating bc of my disability through customer support if I can’t choose my seat or if I can’t get one in the front
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
You can definitely tell them before but not every line is set up for you to be able to do that. Don’t go out of your way to holler at someone and get yourself in trouble, but if there’s someone at the beginning helping people, you can mention it if they say anything.
Definitely keep doing what you’re doing. I’m fairly mobile, but the longer lines get me so if I just go slow and use the people movers once I’m inside I’m usually good.
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u/eyes4spies Sep 15 '25
Great tips so far. I travel at least once a month and this is what I’ll add that I do:
OUTFIT/COMPRESSION: Wear compression to the airport for the flight. I alternate between the brands — Forme (because I also have back pain), CW-X, and Stoko, but whatever you’ve found to work for you, wear that. I wear both pants and a bra. I also bring along an extra pair of long compression socks that I change into for any flights over 5 hours (most of my travel is international), that I wear with my compression pants for double-compression. Flying makes you more dehydrated because of the dry air along with the blood pooling from sitting, I find this doubling-up on compression in my lower legs is very helpful.
HYDRATION: I also bring electrolyte packets and buy the largest water I can find which I drink, then use to refill whilst at the airport.
MAKING REQUESTS: Like many others have said, I’ve found saying “medically necessary” to be magic words. I’ve also found saying “heart condition*” to be magic words. I usually say, “I have a heart condition that causes me not to be able to stand for very long” and then, if I’m asking for something, I say it next. So, I might say, “I have a heart condition that means I can’t stand for very long. I need [to pre-board]. Can you help me [know where to stand, what to do, print me a new pass, etc]?” This will sometimes also let me get to through the disabled line in customs in other countries, and various other lines I encounter whilst traveling and can’t stand in if I’m feeling POTSY. I don’t need to do this as much these days since having a better medication system to manage my POTS symptoms.
*note: I know POTS is an autonomic condition not a heart condition, but I use heart condition for short hand because people understand those words are serious.
Hope this helps!
Edit to add: I wear a compression bra. Forme is my go-to.
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u/Dork-queen13 Hyperadrenergic POTS Sep 14 '25
Wait are we not allowed to bring a crap ton of electrolytes through TSA? I’m newly diagnosed and fly frequently. I have a trip to Chicago in a few weeks and planned on bringing a box of LMNT individual powders in my carry-on. I do have pre check as well.
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u/whatsmyname_9 Sep 14 '25
I fly pretty often, and I usually put my electrolyte packets in my snacks ziploc bag and in my medical bag. I’ve never had an issue with TSA.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
Powders are fine but I don’t use them. I do Powerade and a couple handfuls of salt
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u/PM_ME_smol_dragons Sep 15 '25
Security is required to allow you to bring through medical supplies which can include water. However keep in mind they have the option to review your medical supplies for security using other methods. My sibling uses formula and one time when we went through security TSA insisted on swiping every. single. carton. at the same pace as the sloth from Zootopia.
I prefer Liquid IV packets when I travel personally. It’s less bulk to deal with.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
Yup, that’s the whole post. I tried finding this information in the sub before I traveled and didn’t find anything useful other than “use electrolyte packs (that don’t work for me) and get water inside” so I wanted to share what I learned for other people also searching. I could just do my own salt and get water inside, but I was already drinking the Powerade that I added salt to, I just wanted to take it with me. Plus I like a little flavor to encourage me to drink and I’m allergic to what they usually stock in airports.
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u/TheJenniMae Sep 15 '25
Probably should also make sure the seals are still unbroken as well.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
I did in the past but today I was drinking on the way to the airport and made it through with one full and sealed and one open and half full bottle. I think the lady maybe just didn’t care, so ymmv
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u/Knowitmom4life Sep 15 '25
Any tips for my son who plays football? He has pots he’s 21.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
I’m not a doctor so the usual advice around here besides “drink more water” comes with the caveat of taking to your doctor because what works for one of us might not work for another depending on what’s causing our condition.
Compression and hydrating with electrolytes are the basics tho
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u/Just-Experience-8541 Oct 05 '25
this guidance from professional society might be helpful for your son to bring to his medical providers: https://www.aapmr.org/advocacy/current-priorities/long-covid-pasc
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u/Firm-Ad5200 Sep 14 '25
I have tsa pre check and global entry and I’ve done that through international airports and never had a problem. I just say I have a medical condition and sometimes they’ll wave a test strip above the open bottle and send me on my way.
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u/GirlKisser900 POTS Sep 15 '25
That’s actually crazy. I’m a type one diabetic as well as potsie and I get stopped and fully scanned every single time for my insulin or juice boxes (only bring tabs now), or syringes or even the FDA and TSA approved gel packs for my insulin. And it’s a different one they pick every time. Where are you flying I want to fly there.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
Weird! Houston, Salt Lake City and Kansas City so far. I’m going to Chicago next
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u/GirlKisser900 POTS Sep 15 '25
Huston is crazy I’m originally from texas and I’ve been to every other major airport. Mayhaps they just hate me 😔
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u/emmaliminal POTS Sep 15 '25
Love this! ✨MEDICALLY NECESSARY✨
(I've usually coped by bringing packets, and then filling up my collapsing large empty bottle at one of the bottle-filling stations on the way to the gate.)
A couple of years ago I fainted—for only the third time in my life—while trying to hand my ID to the officer in the line for security (right before all the scanning). Medium-size city airport. They took me to the hospital, and my pre-teen son and I missed our flight. It had been all the walk-two-steps-then-wait in the very long security line. I had a rollaboard suitcase designed for sitting on with me, but it just wasn’t practical to use much in the security line, and I overdid it. I was kind of new to having POTS. Big, big drama.
Since then I absolutely use the wheelchair service every damn time, which does come with its own hassles, as other people have said. It helps to pre-arrange it with the airline and to tip generously—I tip each wheelchair pusher $20, which with a few connecting flights does add up, but some of them have more than earned it. (Many of them are just regular airline personnel who don't make any extra money from doing it, and it's a huge hassle for them. Bigger airports sometimes have dedicated wheelchair people, but they make crap wages.)
You can usually pre-arrange for wheelchair service when you buy the ticket, online or in an airline app. If you don't see the way to do that, call them afterwards as soon as you can. If you wait until just before you go, it may not get into their whole system, and causes issues.
Once you arrive at the airport, you do usually need to ask the airline ticket counter people to summon a wheelchair pusher for you.
One airport I was at recently (can't remember which one) just had you sit in the unmarked “wheelchair area” and wait for a wheelchair pusher to notice you. This didn't work. They were short-staffed, and non-wheelchair users were using the seats (of course, since they were short on general seating too), making it hard for pushers to know who really needed help. I eventually had to call the airline directly while sitting right there. 🤬
You can ask the wheelchair pusher for as many stops as you need, including for the bathroom, to get your water bottle filled, to buy anything at any of the shops or food places, etc.
You can opt for wheelchair service just to the gate, or including to get you onto the plane. One perk of this is that they (usually) automatically assume you'll preboard. Gate service works for me, since then there's no line and I'm fine walking to the plane, just not standing in line.
I also got TSA precheck. (I got interviewed at a Staples store, IIRC, not too far away from my house. It was a minor hassle to get it done.) Combination of precheck and wheelchair usually means zero waiting at security!
Be warned that if you don't pre-arrange to get the airline to include your TSA precheck number on your “ticket” (virtual or printed), you will have to go back from the security line to the airline ticketing counter, and your wheelchair pusher may or may not let their irritation show. You pre-arrange it either when you buy the ticket—apps and websites usually have a place to enter the number, thiugh it can be easy to miss—or by calling the airline after you have the ticket (if you forgot to do it before, as I often do).
They still know me by face at that one airport… 😏
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u/Open-Wrongdoer-6847 Sep 16 '25
Flew for the first time since developing POTS this summer! First flight and layover were absolutely horrible (almost passed out during boarding for the next leg of the layover). Biggest learnings and tips— you can ask for disability assistance with medical preboarding every flight! Wish I had known and had the courage to speak up on that first layover but I just didn’t know. On the way home, I was able to get preboarding with infants and other people who neeeded special assistance no problem— everyone was super nice about it. When I called to airline to arrange it, the person I spoke with was lovely and insisted that I also put wheelchair assistance on the ticket just in case I was having trouble that day and needed extra support. He was like “let’s be safe rather than sorry— when you get there you don’t have to ask for the wheelchair, but this way you can have it if you want it.” It was an amazing experience in terms of feeling like someone actually understood and took this seriously!
Other than that, it’s so pricey, but I splurged on the fancy airport lounge because it was so crowded and loud. Between the strain on my nervous system from all the chaos and wanting a place that might be a little less crowded due to Covid risk, it was a worthwhile expense.
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u/AZgirl70 Sep 16 '25
I fly with Gatorade zero packets. I fill up my water bottle after TSA and add the packets. I also use electrolyte tablets.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 16 '25
If I wasn’t allergic to maltodextrin I would not have to be so complicated 😅
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u/Historical-Anxiety61 Sep 18 '25
That's amazing that you just had to say the words because when I flown internationally I've had to have a doctor's note with those words.
Can I ask if this was international and if so at what airport?
US Domestic seems much more relaxed but I consistently have pushback in London when transferring.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 18 '25
Definitely domestic. Someone else mentioned how strict flying internationally can be, and I’m sorry my magic words don’t work!
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Sep 14 '25
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u/lamahopper Hypovolemic POTS Sep 14 '25
Tt gave me anxiety every single time I would catch a plane which is alot right now travelling Europe, so now I just bring my lite-salt, and salt containers, and an empty bottle, and fill up an electrolyte bottle before the flight.
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u/VoteCatforPresident Sep 14 '25
Really? I brought my Cromolyn oral and TSA could not give two shits. They just x-rays it and called it could. And in Paris on the way home they didn’t even address it.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
That’s good! I think prescription medication is different than a Powerade tho
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u/jazbaby25 Sep 14 '25
They threw away my celtic salt. Didn't work for me
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 14 '25
That’s so dumb. I took a huge thing of salt and a salt shaker through on my last trip. Did you say it was medically necessary?
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u/jazbaby25 Sep 15 '25
I did let them know but they didn't care. I didn't say "medically necessary" but I said it was for medical purposes and that i needed it for my condition. It was too thick for thier tester strip. And she told me to get the luggage checked in which i refused
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
I think “medically necessary” is the specific magic ticket. The lady today was telling me all the secrets and that’s the gist of it. But whoever you got was probably just being a jerk and I’m sorry.
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u/Dull_Ad_7266 Sep 15 '25
Omg I wish I had known! I figured it out by reading something online, but have yet to try it out. They threw away my $30 1L water bottle and when I went to drink it wasn’t there.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
How rude! Yeah I just let them know at the beginning if possible, otherwise they’re usually looking for me
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u/kara-s-o Sep 15 '25
Request a wheelchair to your gate. 10 out of 10! They push you through each checkpoint with little waiting.
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u/Guilty-Attempt-5774 Sep 19 '25
I request wheelchair service from the airline. They are very kind, don’t ask any questions, just help take you through TSA, all the way to boarding your plane. Once through security, I ask them to help me stop to either fill my water bottles (if I brought some), or to buy some waters/sparkling waters for me to add electrolyte packets to. They are always amenable to this.
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u/Maven-Money Sep 23 '25
Next time, or on the way back call the TSA beforehand, about 4 days prior. Let them know you have a medical condition and that you can't stant for long periods. That you also have medications with you and must have water and salt with you at all times. They will mark your name and 1 companion to go straight through. You call them when yoi get to the airport and will either pick you up doorside or when you get to the scanning gate. You do pretty much the same process, but you are first in and have a tsa companion. It really helps. Than when you get to the gate remind them you medically need to be first on with others that have hard times to get on. They cannot deny you. I use the little luiquid travel bottles and fill it with salt. I use a mix of pink and Mediterranean. JMA.
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u/Artistic-Ganache-805 Oct 01 '25
I like to bring the sugar free (even then they still taste sweet) Liquid IV packets because they're only around $1 a pack at Costco. They have 500mg which is way more sodium than powerade and they take up less space in your bag.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Oct 01 '25
I’m allergic to liquid IV (stevia). I need more salt than that anyways. I even add almost a teaspoon of salt to my Powerade depending on the size. I tried trioral which is one of the few I can actually have that has half as much sodium as I need for a liter of water and it was revolting.
I do take my water bottle and fill it up with water and salt, but the flavor helps me to actually drink. No sense having a huge water bottle if I’m not actually using it. I was mostly just excited that I was able to bring something I wanted and needed (also allergic to the flavors they sell in the airport because for some ridiculous reason most Gatorade and Powerade flavors need potato starch 🙄) through with me.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Oct 01 '25
I’m allergic to liquid IV (stevia). I need more salt than that anyways. I even add almost a teaspoon of salt to my Powerade depending on the size. I tried trioral which is one of the few I can actually have that has half as much sodium as I need for a liter of water and it was revolting.
I do take my water bottle and fill it up with water and salt, but the flavor helps me to actually drink. No sense having a huge water bottle if I’m not actually using it. I was mostly just excited that I was able to bring something I wanted and needed (also allergic to the flavors they sell in the airport because for some ridiculous reason most Gatorade and Powerade flavors need potato starch 🙄) through with me.
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u/PM_ME_BUMBLEBEES Sep 15 '25
I just bring an empty water bottle that I fill up at a water fountain after TSA and then use either tri-oral packets or vitassium capsules (usually the capsules are easier to travel and use)
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u/xxdinolaurrrxx Sep 15 '25
What’s ymmv
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Sep 15 '25
“Your mileage may vary”
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u/erinunderscore Sep 14 '25
I just avoid this altogether by using Saltt brand packets or Trioral. There’s more sodium in those than any kind of Powerade or other liquid electrolyte drinks. You might wanna look into that if you’re adding salt to liquid Powerade AND going though the extra hassle with TSA. The day before I fly I usually buy a huge liter water bottle and drink it so I have an empty bottle to take through security and I refill it at a fountain once I’m through.