travelling with ensure
 

DH needs to drink multiple bottles of Ensure Enlive each day, as he cannot eat enough to keep body and soul together. We will be flying home from Denver to Milwaukee on Feb 18, 1st class and we have TSA pre-check, but I don't think that matters re: liquid
On the TSA website, there is a reference to "medically necessary" liquids, but I couldn't find any specifics. I'm sure the Nurse Practitioner DH sees every day in the hospital would write a prescription for the Ensure. Do you think that would pass TSA muster?
Thanks.

I think a letter saying it is "medically necessary" and perhaps a brief (one sentence) explanation of why will take care of it.

Thanks! Hope so.

It's a two-hour flight and-a-bit, with check-in etc. three hours. Can he last that long without a drink? If you put cans in your checked luggage, he can have a drink as soon as it comes off the carousel.
Take one can with you and see if the TSA lets it through. If yes, he has sustenance on the flight. If not, he'll have sustenance three hours later.

It will be 4-5 hours from the time we go through security until we get our luggage. That's too long for someone weak and malnourished.
I'll ask the NP to write a letter stating medical necessity.

Medically necessary liquids are definitely allowed. He just needs a prescription or doctor's letter.

You might put Ensure in 3 oz. plastic bottles and fill two quart-sized bags just to be safe side.

I don't have any way to get small bottles.
The hospital gift shop/pharmacy doesn't have them, and I have no transportation to a store, even if I were willing to leave DH, which I am not.

Three ounce bottles? I can't even imagine doing that. As doug stated, a doctor's prescription or letter will be fine.

Pouring ensure into 3 oz bottles makes no sense. TSA will allow the larger cans with a health care provider's letter.

Thanks.
I'll ask the Nurse Practitioner for a letter today.

The 3 oz. bottle suggestion was an "if all else fails" suggestion!
Certainly not if abram is able to get the letter!

Yes, I was actually thinking of my 1 and 2 oz bottles which I use for shampoo etc. when traveling. I took Boost while in chemotherapy. Things are difficult enough for a patient without trying to get needed nutrition through doll- sized bottles. Really all that is needed would be a letter from doctor.

I think the letter stating its medical necessity would work best.

but another thought, does Insure (or similar) come in a powdered form? That you could mix with water after you're on the plane? I'm picturing Carnation Instant Breakfast envelopes.

Yes, Amazon has Ensure in powdered form, so it might be available someplace nearby. Then you just have to ask the flight attendant for water to mix it with! What a good idea!

<<Then you just have to ask the flight attendant for water to mix it with! What a good idea!>>

Or just buy some water after you get through security. There will be various shops to get Dasani or whatever you need. No reason to wait for takeoff.

BTW, Walgreens and Target both list nutritional shake powders as available for sale. The Ensure brand isn't the be-all (although Walgreens has Ensure powder). Wal-Mart, CVS and a given supermarket (Kroger, Safeway imprint, Giant, etc.) should also have some powdered nutritional shake available. So if you're not currently where you can get Amazon shipment, there's likely a store thisclose to you.

The problem you have is that you specifically noted Ensure enlive - that only comes in liquid form. That said, a powder can get him the caloric intake he needs because 1.4 servings of the powder will have the same calories as one serving of Enlive (250 cal/8 oz v. 350 cal/8 oz). Talk to your RNP to see if that will hack it for the trip.

Got a note from the NP.
I had no way to get the powdered form. Even if I could have left DH (which I could not), I had no car, no stores in walking distance.