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What kind of water do you put in your humidifier?
Does it have to be distilled? I don't seem to go through very much water-is this typical? Also do I have to take the humidifier when we go to the Caribbean next month? We are flying on a "puddle jumper" from Sr. Maarten to St. Barts and are limited to 44 lbs. total each. Just trying to take the essentials.
I guess I will have to get an adapter too since it has the French outlets. Will any adapter work?
I guess I will have to get an adapter too since it has the French outlets. Will any adapter work?
Views: 13914
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by susan mccord on
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Carolyn, I use nothing but distilled now. I used to use purified water but it left a residue on the container that had to be soaked off. Distilled water is the only kind that doesn't do that. I've heard it's easier on equipment as well, but I can't attest to that. I figure, though, if it leaves residue on my container, it may be putting stuff into my sinuses that I don't need. Distilled is cheap--you can usually get it anyplace. IF you can't find it on vacation, I'd (personally) use bottled spring water. You can always find that. If you end up with residue (and it takes awhile), it soaks off completely in warm water and white vinegar. (You can't immerse it--just make the solution and fill up the receptacle, let it sit, and rinse well).
Based on what I've been through since my trip to AZ, an entirely different humidity situation, I wouldn't (again personally) EVER travel without my humidifier.
This is only my opinion about what I'D do traveling. Others may have other ideas. But the humidity factor is deserving of respect in my experience.
Susan McCord
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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I use Reverse Osmosis water that my roommate gets from a dialysis center. You can buy a small RO water setup for an aquarium. Otherwise distilled water is the way to go due to the mineral buildup in the humidifier. You know how you have to clean your coffee brewer out with vinegar and water every now and then to get rid of the build up of minerals...? It's the same idea.
Depending on your humidity setting you may not use much water. Maybe put less in the humidifier to conserve. I don't know your pressure, but if they are not real high and it's humid where you are going you may get along without the humidifier. Maybe take some saline nasal spray. I might try to do without mine for a few days.
Mary Zimlich
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Permalink Reply by Nate Rodriguez on
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Same here Susan. I use nothing but distilled water. I Las Vegas, NV out water is very hard and is known to damage humidifiers. Plus, depending where you live you water might have other chemicals that can harm you or just make your water stink.
You shouldn't have to take your humidifier with you to the Caribbean.
1. Natural Humidity.
2. It should not be that cold.
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Permalink Reply by Carolyn on
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We will be sleeping in air conditioning though so I don't know if that makes a difference.
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Permalink Reply by Jan on
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Distilled water here...my guess is that you might not need it in the Caribbean for the reasons stated. Personally, if I were traveling in the Caribbean I would rather try to replace a book I didn't take or a pair of shoes I left behind than to risk the possibility of being uncomfortable or unhealthy while on vacation. Doubt it would be easy to find a humidifier for the machine while traveling.
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I'd take it, just in case. If you get into humidity trouble and don't have your receptacle, what will you do? I'm pretty careful, but being that far from home I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Besides, if you're traveling commercial airlines, they have to let you carry it onboard. It doesn't count as a carry-on 'cause it's considered life support. Federal law. They can't hassle you AT ALL~~do you have a carrying case made for CPAP? Your DME should have given you one.
Susan McCord :-)
Jan said:Distilled water here...my guess is that you might not need it in the Caribbean for the reasons stated. Personally, if I were traveling in the Caribbean I would rather try to replace a book I didn't take or a pair of shoes I left behind than to risk the possibility of being uncomfortable or unhealthy while on vacation. Doubt it would be easy to find a humidifier for the machine while traveling.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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You might want to see if you even need a humidifier. Many people don't need actually need to use a humidifier and only use it because it came with the CPAP. You might want to turn the humidifier off and see how well you do with just a passover humidifier; if you do well with that, you might want to try using CPAP without a humidifier at all.
I used CPAP for about ten years before I got a CPAP with t humidifier, and I couldn't stand using it. Not using a humidifier makes using CPAP much easier. One major advantage is that you don't have to take it with you when you travel..
Make sure to take a cheap, lightweight 12 foot extension cord with you. Depending upon where you go, you may or may not need to use an outlet adapter; many Caribbean islands use standard American type power plugs, but some of them use other type of plugs. Call your hotel to see if you need an adapter -- some hotels have combination outlets that will take both the local style of plug and the American style of plug. Wikipedia has a table that shows what sort of plugs various countries use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_power_around_the_world Don't tell anybody, but I carry a roll of packing tape and short extension cord that has stripped and tinned wires instead of a plug -- I can make it "fit" into any sort of outlet.
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For some reason I can't edit my previous post.
I just noticed that where you are going uses French power plugs. A simple adapter is all you will need to adapt your cord to plug into the outlet, your CPAP should automatically adapt to 220 volts -- check the specifications on the machine to see if it will work on 220/240 volts. It may be more difficult to find a French outlet adapter than other types, if you get a pack with several adapters, make sure that it includes a French adapter. Check with your hotel to see if the outlets by the bed will take standard American style plugs -- some hotels use outlets that will take both types of plugs. Sometimes the bathroom will have a combo outlet, but the room outlets won't take American plugs.
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We have stayed at this hotel before and I definitely need an adapter. It's not our big jet flight into St. Maarten that is the problem. For safety reasons we are limited to 44 lbs each due to the 6 seater propeller plane we have to take to St. Barts. Just trying to lighten the load. This is what I'm talking about:
http://www.stbarthcommuter.com/eng/index.html
I guess the humidifier doesn't really weigh that much. Better be safe than sorry!!
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CPAP machines aren't a problem because they will usually work on 100-120 volts and 220-240 volts. Humidifiers are not always as flexible as CPAP machines; check to make sure that your CPAP will work off of 220 volts.
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Don't worry about it if you can't find distilled, demineralized, or reverse osmosis treated water in St Barts; it won't hurt your humidifier to use bottled drinking water or tap water (not mineral water) for a week or so. You may want to remove the chlorine if you smell chlorine in the water. Let the water sit in an open container for at least 12 hours, boil it a microwave, or heat it in an electric kettle to remove the chlorine (depending upon the amenities in the room),. Melted ice will also work. After a few days you may find a bit of water deposit in the water tank, it can be removed with vinegar when you get back.
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