Has anyone had any problems being checked with the wands they use in the courthouses? I went into a courthouse in California this past summer. I told them about the ICD. I didn't have to go through the metal detector but they used a wand on me. In just about a minute or so I started feeling like my heart was racing in the Indy 500. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

It's ok to use the wand on our lower half but they shouldn't get it anywhere near our device.

I would expect it to slow you down if it paces you, not speed things up. It should feel like when they test it. Don't know what's up with that!

Once you walk away from it, there shouldn't be any lasting effects.

 

but the officer asked where my pacer was and he avoided that part of my body completely. In the future if you have to be wanded again, make sure they stay away from that area.......tell them! Your racing heart might have just been nerves over fear of what it might do to your pacemaker? Just a thought...... Sue

 

In one form or another, this has to be the most asked question on this site.

My manufacturer recommends just going through the security detectors, whether court room, airport, or retail, and if the alarm goes off just make sure they don't hold the wand directly over the device for any length of time. They go on to say that the detectors should not affect your device but any effect will cease and the device will go back to normal operating mode immediately after moving away from the source.

Personally, I've had no problems with interference in nearly 3 years of operation. Well except when my wife shuts it down during the night, but that's another story. Anyway I sincerely believe that far too much is made of potential interference and many people live in fear of nothing. But that's just my opinion.

 

I go through courthouses in California almost every working day and always tell them that I have a pacemaker. They usually ask me to put the stuff from my pockets on the conveyor belt and go around the detector to get patted down. My doctors have told me never to allow a wand to get near me and not to walk trough the detector. Several times in Nevada, the guards insisted on using a wand and came toward me. I yelled for them to back off and said that if I dropped dead they would be guilty of murder. We have had a lot of dialog here about wands and detectors but why take a chance when it is so simple to just ask for a pat down search.

 

are aware of the metal detector being a detriment to us but one i had came at me with a wand and i screamed no way. i taught her that day that wands can be dangerous too . body search is the only way. lol

 

Thanks to all of you for your input. Its greatly apreciated. The first time I went through the security there they did pat me down. But not the second time. I don't live in fear with my ICD. But I am hesitant to allow this to happen anymore. Is it worth the chance? After all these things are man made.

 

I am 100% pacemaker dependent and don't want anything to interrrupt my heart rhythm. Both times I've had jury duty I just handed the guard my card and went on the other side of the scanner for a pat down. I'm used to pat downs now and they don't faze or embarrass me at all. Like Ted says, why take a chance when it's so simple? I fight a continuing battle with the local CVS clerks who have that little scanner aimed at ME when I walk up to counter. Everybody knows of course that DO YOU HAVE YOUR EXTRA CARE CARD is the most important of any CVS transaction.