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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: 1555
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul R on
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Frankly, I don't understand the question. As someone whose life was changed the second he started using CPAP, I can't empathize with fellow apneacs who complain about the discomfort of the mask or pick and choose when they will wear it. I'm guessing not everyone pre-treatment would wake up several times a night gasping for air with pflegm fast filling up in one's mouth like I had for the better part of 10 years.
Prior to my CPAP, all i heard about was a "simple" surgery in which they cut out all the alleged excess tissue in your throat. Since that scared the heck out of me, I procrastinated, spending even more horror filled nights gasping, spitting, and choking. (Not to mention those fun days of falling asleep at my desk at work.)
When I heard that all these problems would disappear if I would just wear this mask that pumps air down my nose, I couldn't sign up fast enough.
It's been 13 years now since I wore my first CPAP. I am addicted to my machine. Should I forget it when i go away, I cannot fall asleep. Instead, I'll lie awake staring at the ceiling until morning, then walk around like a total zombie the entire day.
Given the choice between sleeping with my CPAP or my wife, I'll take the CPAP every time. Thankfully, my wife is not a jealous woman.
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Permalink Reply by Rock Conner RRT on
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I don't intentionally sleep without CPAP because I just feel like crap without it. I take my CPAP wherever I'm gonna sleep.
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i have not been diagnosed with sleep apena but do have sleep problems, most nights without a sleep aid i cannot sleep at all. gone for several nights without sleep. then when i do finally fall asleep i have very vivid scary dreams. would i need a sleep study ? i have heard you have to sleep at least 2 hours of sleep without a sleepaid to get results of the sleep study and i am afraid i would not be able to sleep without some sort of sleepaid. what are the symptoms of sleep apena ? i go for hours without being able to fall asleep and most nights not at all. when i do fall asleep i have very vivis dreams to the point i wake up very scared and afraid to fall back to sleep so the sleep is not a restful sleep. my doctor does not want me to take any sleep aids and i do not either, would rather be able to go to bed and go to sleep without any problem at all but that is not the case. have diabetes and high blood pressure so am not in perfect health. when i take ambien i do sleep good and sleep sound for at least 6 hours and wake up feeling rested and with about a year of sleeping in a recliner with the help of ambien i have been able to start back sleeping in a bed again which feels so very good. did have a brother with sleep apena , would you suggest a sleep study ?
thanks
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This is the first year I am using the machine and I'm going overseas so I'm not sure if I should lug it around or not. Thought about using a mouth guard type thing, but haven't tried it yet.
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Permalink Reply by 99 on
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i was thinking of the carousel at the airports and our cpap
does the law state that it must go on the carousel if it is hand held luggage and does not count as luggage
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I did travel a few times and ALWAYS took my CPAP with me. I WOULD NOT sleep w/out it no matter WHAT!! The company that supplies my equipment components has a portable oxygen thingy that has a battery attached to it..and it all sits on a stand w/ wheels and pop up handle to roll it along with you. The oxygen is not a ~ tank~..it is a portable electric oxygen travel unit thing. I needed it for the supplemental oxygen I use only at night with my CPAP. I was glad I had it as upon arrival to Carslbad NM hotel..a storm was brewing and we lost the power almost the moment we put the key in the door and walked into the room. It was only off a short time tho' so during the night I didn't need to use battery back up portion of it. It had a very loud alarm so if the power went off it would wake up people 2 rooms away on either side of us. They even supplied me with a back up battery so I was actually traveling with two battery packs in case I needed to change one out while I was away. I would be petrified to fall asleep without my CPAP..and IF the power went off I imagine I would just sit up all night and sleep when the power came on again. I wish I knew exactly what kind or where to get a back up battery to RUN my CPAP and oxygen should I lose the power for very long. Perhaps one of the CPAP users among us could enlighten us as to sites or brands and/or price ranges of back up batteries or generators that would at least help us get through an outtage for our CPAP purposes. Is this a discussion that has already been addressed? Sorry.. as I am fairly new to this group. Just slap me on the hand and tell me ~ LOOK it UP..lady~..
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Thank you David.. I will look for it
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If you have severe apnea it is best to bring your CPAP along - however, if there are circumstances that will not allow CPAP an oral appliance may be helpful- the oral appliance may not eliminate the severe apnea but it may reduce the the apnea as much as 70%- of course patients who have mild-to-moderate apnea should achieve significantly more improvment using an oral appliance than a patient who has been diagnosed with severe apnea. Many times patients who travel on planes for long distances will wear a custom made oral appliance for the trip- also patients who are visiting relatives for short weekend visits often opt to wear an oral appliance. These are some examples of when an oral appliance may benefit a patient who is otherwise using CPAP.
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Permalink Reply by David Starobin on
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Sure enough, there's battery backup discussions elsewhere on this site. Just did a search and found plenty of links and info.
I'm enjoying this discussion about traveling with *PAP machines. It's all about staying healthy.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Katzung on
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How crucial your machine is probably depends on the severity of your apnea, but if you've got a machine, it probably means it's crucial!
Taking a vacation from XPAP is like someone taking a vacation from heart/blood pressure meds, a rescue inhaler, insulin, etc.
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Thanks, Doctor. Never thought of that use for an oral appiance. I recently traveled and was afraid to take a nap on the plane for fear of making a racket and disturbing others. I never got an oral appliance because I though it's be in leiu of a machine. Store-bought or Dentist fitted . . . . Which is best?
dr. martin bassiur said:If you have severe apnea it is best to bring your CPAP along - however, if there are circumstances that will not allow CPAP an oral appliance may be helpful- the oral appliance may not eliminate the severe apnea but it may reduce the the apnea as much as 70%- of course patient who have mild-moderate apnea should achieve better improvment using the oral appliance than a patient who has severe apnea. Many times patients who travel in planes for long distances will wear a custom made oral appliance for the trip- also patients who are visiting relatives for short weekend visits often opt to wear an oral appliance. These are some examples of when an oral appliance may benefit a patient who is otherwise using CPAP.
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I think a sleep study is definitely in order but it sounds to me you're more of an insomniac than an apneac. People with sleep apnea usually don't have any problem at all falling asleep because they're sleep deprived. The problem for apneacs is that their breathing passages close up as soon as they fall into a deep sleep and have to wake themselves up to breath. Then they fall back to sleep, stop breathing, wake themselves up again, fall back to sleep, etc. This can go on hundreds of times a night. By morning, they're exhausted.
A CPAP will force air through your breathing passages to keep them open and to ensure you don't stop breathing as you fall asleep. It's so wonderfully simple and effective, a miracle if you ask me.
Ernestine Webster said:i have not been diagnosed with sleep apena but do have sleep problems, most nights without a sleep aid i cannot sleep at all. gone for several nights without sleep. then when i do finally fall asleep i have very vivid scary dreams. would i need a sleep study ? i have heard you have to sleep at least 2 hours of sleep without a sleepaid to get results of the sleep study and i am afraid i would not be able to sleep without some sort of sleepaid. what are the symptoms of sleep apena ? i go for hours without being able to fall asleep and most nights not at all. when i do fall asleep i have very vivis dreams to the point i wake up very scared and afraid to fall back to sleep so the sleep is not a restful sleep. my doctor does not want me to take any sleep aids and i do not either, would rather be able to go to bed and go to sleep without any problem at all but that is not the case. have diabetes and high blood pressure so am not in perfect health. when i take ambien i do sleep good and sleep sound for at least 6 hours and wake up feeling rested and with about a year of sleeping in a recliner with the help of ambien i have been able to start back sleeping in a bed again which feels so very good. did have a brother with sleep apena , would you suggest a sleep study ?
thanks
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I take my machine everytime I go on vacation. When I go through the Airport in Aroniza they take me off the line and swab my machine, some airports open the case and some don't. Next year I will be taking it to Italy with me for three week.
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