airplanes and liquid diet

[Lanette]

Airlines have all their liquid rules. How is a person on a liquid diet supposed to survive on a 10 hour flight day? Do the airlines sell Ensure or something similar? Are you allowed to carry powdered protein? Does it have to be in store packages or can it be in baggies? Labeled of course. You have to get to Mexico while on a liquid diet and then you also have to get home.

[RehabNurse]

It's simple. You purchase some water or milk at one of the shops near the gates. You mix some protein powder with the water or milk and sip it while aboard the flight. Problem solved.

Yes, you are allowed to take protein powder on flights. I flew from Texas to New York yesterday and brought several packets of protein powder along. It doesn't have to be labeled.

However, I do not think you will be hungry or thirsty enough to drink an appreciable amount of protein on the way home. Your newly sleeved stomach will feel too swollen to drink much of anything.

[Kindle]

I brought protein powder and tea bags. You can get milk and water in the airports. I even found muscle milk protein drinks. Warm fluids went down easier postop so I just ordered hot water on the plane and used my own decaf herbal tea bags. You could bring chicken bouillon, too. Surprising enough, TSA in San Diego let me through security with two bottles of pedialyte. I explained about my surgery, they did some test on the bottles and let me keep them. But I wouldn't count on something like that happening.

[Ann2]

Several times, after WLS, I've taken protein drinks onboard a plane in my carry-on luggage and/or purse. Simply declare it as food when you go through security. Any kind of food is allowed (at least it is permitted by the US T.S.A. authorities).

[Lanette]

Thank you everyone. Don't fly often. Will give it a whirl.

[azladyrider]

I didn't know that about declaring it as food thanks! I travel quite often and I always carry a bottle of water wherever I go anyway - car, house etc - I finally learned to just take an empty bottle with me and fill it at a water dispenser (whatever the heck those are called lol) rather than paying 6 bucks for a flipping bottle of water in the airport.

When I came back from my sleeve in 2012 I came through San Diego of course and the TSA people must have alot of experience seeing surgical patients flying back home so the gal at security waved me through and didn't make me dump anything out. She did ask me if it was just water which of course it was.

[tobysgirl]

I took protein powder and bouillon cubes with me on the plane on my way to surgery. These were easy to mix into the liquids served on the plane. On my way back, I didn't feel the need to have anything at all but I did still have the protein powder and bouillon cubes with me.

[Lanette]

Thank you all. I have a tendency to over think and over pack. This makes me feel much better about not taking so much stuff

[Kindle]

When I came back from my sleeve in 2012 I came through San Diego of course and the TSA people must have alot of experience seeing surgical patients flying back home so the gal at security waved me through and didn't make me dump anything out. She did ask me if it was just water which of course it was.

Yeah, can you imaging how many fat people with incisions on their abdomens they must see! LOL. I never thought about it, but no wonder they let me through with my pedialyte. Gotta remember that next time I want to smuggle drugs over from TJ.

[KikiHill]

I was advised to go to starbucks in the airport and get some hot water to mix with the chicken broth powder packets I was advised to bring along with me. I love those packets. When I had gallbladder surgery that is what I had in the hospital and it was so good and felt like a life saver.