Flying with the baclofen pump

[bluegiraffe]

Does anyone with a pump have feedback regarding flying ?

Am planning to go on an international trip and have heard both that the pump can be affected a high altitudes and should be checked, and the opposite; that flying will not affect the pump at all.

Since its an international trip; concerned about having a doctor to check it. Will contact Medtronic as well but figured some of you may have first hand experiences.

Thanks.

[BobOP]

Hi Blue

I have had no issues at all with the baclofen pump when flying. I haven't flown internationally but have flown accross country with no problems.

I would check with Medtronic for your options overseas. You may also check with your Medtronic rep about talking with the tech department.

Take Care, Bob

[rdmc]

hey bg,

Excuse me for being nosey, but where are you going?

[beckyd]

I have had a pump for 9 years and have flown many times. The only time I had an adverse reaction was when I flew a few weeks after it was inserted. It was a 3 hour flight and as soon as we landed, my legs became mush. It took about a day to get back to normal, and I was fine on the return trip and all flights since. Thank goodness my MS nurse warned me it could possibly happen and that it would be temporary. Otherwise, I probably would have gone to the ER.

[kmallory1]

Hi,
I have flown several times since I got the pump. I had read the cautions about altitude affecting it, so I called the nurse practitioner who refills mine. She said not to worry about it, she has over 100 patients on the pump and none of them had ever had a problem.

My flights have been long ones, to Copenhagen, Anchorage, London, Vancouver, and Seattle. I've never had a problem.

[bluegiraffe]

Thanks for the feedback !

Seems when I call the Medtronic 800 number; often the reps do not give much input and direct back to doctors (sense is liability concerns maybe ?). In any case my doctor gave me a direct Medtronic reps name/number that just relayed the same that not normally a problem but is getting an international doctors contact info (in case I need it) to have while away.

I also asked about any issues with the pump and getting a colonoscopy which I planning to do soon (first time) and not looking forward to it. Which she also relayed no issues with.

Becky,
So the one time your dose did get adjusted from the flight and corrected itself after a day ?

Hi rdmc,
Plan is to head to Germany (just outside Munich) where my husbands Mom and other family lives. We used to go often. I dread the trip in my condition (a long/tough trip for me) - it makes him happy to visit - I of course just like to stay home
How are you doing ?

[rdmc]

Thanks for the feedback !

Seems when I call the Medtronic 800 number; often the reps do not give much input and direct back to doctors (sense is liability concerns maybe ?). In any case my doctor gave me a direct Medtronic reps name/number that just relayed the same that not normally a problem but is getting an international doctors contact info (in case I need it) to have while away.

I also asked about any issues with the pump and getting a colonoscopy which I planning to do soon (first time) and not looking forward to it. Which she also relayed no issues with.

Becky,
So the one time your dose did get adjusted from the flight and corrected itself after a day ?

Hi rdmc,
Plan is to head to Germany (just outside Munich) where my husbands Mom and other family lives. We used to go often. I dread the trip in my condition (a long/tough trip for me) - it makes him happy to visit - I of course just like to stay home
How are you doing ?

Do you have one of those emergency instruction packets from Medtronics? I carry my card, but I also have a packet of info from Medtronics, housed in a credit card size plastic sleeve and I keep it in my wallet. It gives instructions to the ER about how to handle an overdose or underdose of baclofen. There's a plastic card called Emergency Medication Information and room to write in my physiatrists name/phone number, etc. But along with it is a folded piece of paper with explicit instructions about what to do in case of withdrawal (what to look for symptom wise and what meds to use,i.e. high oral baclofen and IV benzo ) and also, explicit instructions how to empty the pump in case of overdose (can't imagine anyone doing that without prior knowledge but it says Emergency Procedure to Empty Pump, and outlines exactly how to do it, including diagrams.)

Maybe you could get Medtronics to send you one of those packets if you don't have one. Anyhoo, I'm sure nothing will go wrong, but it helps to be prepared.

As far as rather staying home, I hear you. I bowed out of a get together with some friends last night because not quite up to it.

Spent 4 days in the hospital last week for a UTI that was resistent to all oral meds (except the ones I'm allergic to, LOL), so I had to have IV antibiotics...now how's that for luck.

I ran into lots of nurses who had never seen anyone with a pump before, and wanted to check it out and have me explain how it worked, about the implant surgery, etc. Funny, I felt like I was pregnant again, and everybody wanted to touch my belly

Hope you have a safe trip, and try to rest up whenever possible. Are you prepared for security at the airports? I know they say you can just hand them your card, but I haven't flown since I had the pump, and I'd probably run into an overzealous TSA worker and get a pat down once they spotted the hockey puck in my belly

Write and let us know how the trip went when you get back. I imagine traveling with your spasticity eased, now that you have the pump, will be easier than traveling with out of control spasticity, especially on a long plane trip...let us know.

[wkikta]

The altitude thing is probably concern over it working correctly at reduced pressure, altitude. Since Commercial Airliners are pressurized to an altitude of 8000 feet, not so low, it should not be low enough to cause a problem.

[bluegiraffe]

Thanks RDMC; I do have one of the emergency packets from Medtronic thanks to you and one of your previous posts telling about it !

Sorry to hear about your UTI/hospital experience. Not sure if you are susceptible to UTI's but I have been and am now convinced that Vitamin C plays a part for me. I drink juice that is high in Vitamin C and feel this has helped. I know everyone is different but I have been trying to figure out how to eliminate (cranberry supplements, lots of water, yogurt etc.) reoccurances (if possible) - so far so good. Hope you are doing better.

Not going on the trip for a few month, thanks for the tips.

Bill,
Thanks too - makes sense.

[rdmc]

Thanks RDMC; I do have one of the emergency packets from Medtronic thanks to you and one of your previous posts telling about it !

Sorry to hear about your UTI/hospital experience. Not sure if you are susceptible to UTI's but I have been and am now convinced that Vitamin C plays a part for me. I drink juice that is high in Vitamin C and feel this has helped. I know everyone is different but I have been trying to figure out how to eliminate (cranberry supplements, lots of water, yogurt etc.) reoccurances (if possible) - so far so good. Hope you are doing better.

Not going on the trip for a few month, thanks for the tips.

Bill,
Thanks too - makes sense.

Yep, I'm really prone to them. In fact working with my urologist again to try to come up with a plan. I've become allergic to three of the mainstream meds, probably because I've had to use them so much over the years.

We're not sure why I get them. I do have retention sometimes, but it's so on again off again. Most of the time I seem to void just fine. Having another urodynamic test next week to see if we can figure it out.

I take unsweetened cranberry juice and D mannose...but that hasn't helped. Do you take Vit C pills, or how do you get your vitamin C? Such a problem, especially now that I had a pretty resistant strain w/my last UTI. Any suggestions appreciated.

[bluegiraffe]

I drink a juice that has 100% daily value of vitamin C - when i don't drink it every few days or more I see some of my 'symptoms' creep up. I also have a yogurt every morning, cranberry supplements and drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. But for me the Vitamin C seems to be the important piece from my (and only my ) trial and error. When I goggled Vitamin C it sounds like it can make a difference. I have always taken multi-vitamins that I'm sure have the vitamin C but maybe I need more ?

Macrobid is what my doctor has always prescribed and confirmed after a culture- and not more than once in 60 days otherwise can become immune.

Hope the tests tell you more - keep me posted.