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CPAP use - on vacation survey
I just recently went on vacation with 18 other people. Four of us are diagnosed with Sleep
Apnea. I decided to try and talk to everyone about their machines and compliance. Three of us use our machines regularly and one has put it in the closet. No one else knew anything about the settings on the machine or had any interest in seeing/tracking their own data. Everyone, except the woman who is not using hers brought their machine on vacation. I did not get to talk to the woman not using hers any more about why. Her roommate told me she was not using it, but before I could ask her why, she got a message that her 57 year old brother had died in his sleep and she went home. I don't know why her brother died, or if he had OSA.
Views: 1551
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rette Tyrrel on
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Thanks for you welcome note, Mary.
Hate bringing my machine with me but have no choice. In addition to the sleep apnea, my nose is stopped up 24/7 and closes up so much that I can't breathe when lying down. I was offered surgery with no guarantees, tried every med on the market. Then used Zicam (which worked better than any prescription) and lost my sense of smell, now use the Breathe Rite strips with the machine. Was told to lose weight because it would help and I lost 37# with no change in the apnea. I turned down a great opportunity to teach English because the remote village didn't have electricity.
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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i bring the machine with me every single time i sleep away from home. if i didn't have it one night, i think i would panic at first, then just set up pillows so that i'm as elevated as possible in the bed to counter the force of gravity on the tissue in the back of my throat.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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I have seen posts from some people who feel that they shouldn't need to use their CPAP while on vacation, camping, or on a business trip. I have no idea where these people are getting the idea that they don't need to use their CPAP while away from home. Are DMEs telling people that they don't need to use their CPAP while on vacation?
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I always take my CPAP with me when I go on vacation. I was diagnosed with Apnea over 10 years ago and have only missed using my CPAP two nights in that time.
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I always bring and use it on vacation and I get my BEST sleep on vacations. The distractions of being at home always keep me up later and thinking about commitments for the the next day always wakes me up early or in the middle of the night. It would be such a shame to waste the opportunity for great sleep without the machine. (I love vacations).
But I haven't been camping in the years since my diagnosis and getting the machine (and having two kids)- I'm not sure what I will do the next time I go camping! (What are the options for going camping without an electrical outlet near your bed with a CPAP?)
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Permalink Reply by Karen Moore www.padacheek.com on
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I do use my CPAP everytime I sleep. Naps, nightime, away from home, they all get me on the hose. I love the sleep I get when I use the CPAP, and I hate the lack of sleep I would get without it.
Simple, I use CPAP when I sleep, wherever I sleep. It is for my health. We camp and go on trips and do all the things normal people do, I just have an extra bag with me. No problem as I see it.
I do hope more people will get the message that if you have OSA, you need to use a CPAP when you sleep.
Karen
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I just got my cpap in feb. so don't have a lot of experience with it yet but I did go camping with it twice this summer, the second time for a week and a half, and it worked just fine. Slept really well. I brought along a marine battery to power it. I plan on bringing it on all vacations in the future.
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Permalink Reply by TorontoCPAPguy on
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1. If one uses a CPAP/APAP machine - it is not for pleasure but rather is for sustaining life and anyone who would go on vacation and not take it with is not thinking straight.
2. Not only do we take our APAP machine with us on vacation; we take our spare as well (but leave the humidifier, etc. at home). If we are going somewhere that has regular power issues/outages, we leave the spare and take a UPS with us.
3. Most folks who put their CPAP machines in the closet have no clue as to the importance (URGENCY!) of using CPAP once diagnosed with OSA/etc. It is LIFE sustaining and is considered by law as such in the United States and most airlines to the extent that it may be brought into the cabin as carry-on without being counted as carry-on luggage. These folks simply don't get it.
4. The gal that lost her brother at 57 in his sleep? I would bet my bottom dollar, barring any terminal illness that was missed, that the brother died as a result of having OSA/etc. and NOT being diagnosed or being diagnosed and not compliant. Regretably, MOST ALL cases of "he died peacefully in his sleep" are the result of untreated OSA. Untreated OSA causes many critical organs in the body to perform below par but the biggest threat comes from SpO2 desaturations during apnea/hypopnea events; when the blood oxygen saturation plummets, the blood pressure can spike sky high, causing heart attack, stroke, aneurism, etc. And as "he died peacefully in his sleep" a post-mortem is rarely done.
I not only have a data recording APAP (ResMed S9 Auto), I also have a fingetip pulse oximeter to provide myself and my MD's with a fuller picture of what is going on with my body even with APAP in use. The use of APAP/CPAP is no guarantee that your SpO2 is remaining in the 'healthy' range. In terms of what paramedics are taught? Any SpO2 below 90% is considered to be respiratory distress and O2 is administered. I would be willing to bet that most CPAP users have no idea of what their SpO2 is on a regular basis. A pulse oximeter (Contec CMS50E for example) is about $120 and can save your life in the long run.
I would not dream of going on a vacation anywhere without one of my APAP machines in tow. Out of the question. Period.
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I always bring my CPAP. I travel alot for business and it's always with me. I have the airport routine down.
Mike
Ashburn, VA
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If I want to sleep comfortable while on vacation, I have to take my machine with me. I hate taking it through airports, because they practically dismantle it to check it out. We usually take driving vacations, so it is no big deal. I have found, however, that I must carry a 3-way plug. Not all motels/hotels have adequate plug-ins.
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope www.hope2Sleep.co.uk on
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I would rather miss my flight than get on in without my faithful friend :D Holidays are very precious to me, and no way would I ever ruin a holiday through extreme tiredness/exhaustion. I also take more than one mask with me, just in case...... I agree with Karen too, and am always stressing the importance to people of using CPAP even for daytime naps.
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I have been taking my machine on business and vacation trips. However, I have been told that one can mitigate the effects of leaving the machine at home, by substituting an oral (mouth piece) device for short trips.
Could/would anyone care to weigh-in on that suggestion?
Thanks,
Bob
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