Issues with shipping CPAP machines to Taiwan - Any advice?

[WWu777]

Hi Everyone,

I joined this forum because I need some advice on a few issues. Here's my situation.

I am in Taiwan now and was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago. The CPAP machines here cost around 2000 dollars, which is a ripoff and more than double what they cost in the US. I don't know why. But I don't want to pay that much. When I was in Philippines, the prices were similar too. So I was gonna buy one from CheapCPAPSupplies.com and have it shipped to me here. However the CPAP specialist I talked to here said that if I tried to do that, the Taiwanese customs may refuse the delivery and send it back, because there are customs restrictions on CPAP machines being imported here via mail. He said I'd have to go back to the US to get it or have someone bring it for me on their flight over here.

Is that true? Can you guys ask anyone you know who has tried to ship CPAP machines to Taiwan before? Or look up the customs regulations in regards to shipping CPAP machines to Taiwan? I'm unable to find anything through Google search.

If I cannot get a CPAP machine shipped here internationally, then I'll have to wait til I go back to the US which could be several months. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do? All the CPAP machines in Asia seem to be around 2,000 dollars or so. This is a travesty I think, because what if someone here is too poor to afford it? Then they would be putting their life at risk simply because of cost. Kind of stupid. Is sleep apnea supposed to be a "rich person's disease"? lol. It seems so, at least here in Asia.

What do you all recommend?

Thanks,
Winston

PS - One more question. If I have someone watch me while I sleep and they say I no longer choke or gasp for air while I sleep, does that mean I no longer have sleep apnea? How loud does the snoring have to be for it to be considered sleep apnea? And does one have to be heard gasping for air and choking for them to have sleep apnea? Thanks.

[WWu777]

Ok thanks I will contact Second Wind CPAP and see what they say. There's a language barrier in Taiwan between me and customs officials and the people in general. Feels awkward to talk to them, they seem like they're from a different world. It's not just language. It's hard to explain. So I was hoping to get answers from English speaking people.

I was just lost and confused and seeking someone with more experience to tell me what to do, since I feel confused and gridlocked about this whole thing. It seems so complicated. I wish I could just get it in Asia but they want 2,000 dollars for it. Crazy. What do people do if they don't have an extra 2k to spare and they have sleep apnea? Treatment shouldn't only be available to the rich and middle class. I was hoping by chance that someone here might have experience with international shipping for CPAP machines since the internet is now a global community after all.

[Julie]

Yes, but you still have to do your homework re details with which you're more familiar than we are. And you sound like you might need a course in cultural differences - something maybe you should have had prior to going there. Life is complicated, but gets easier if you dive in. Consider if you were from Taiwan and just landed here recently... don't you think it would be a whole new world for you? Maybe take a crash course in Chinese so you can talk to people and see that they're not aliens, but potential friends.

[WWu777]

Can you guys ask anyone you know who has tried to ship CPAP machines to Taiwan before? Or look up the customs regulations in regards to shipping CPAP machines to Taiwan? I'm unable to find anything through Google search.

What makes you think that my doing a Google search for you will lead to different results?

You need to contact the customs officials directly in Taiwan.

Brazil and Spain ....hard to deal with...extra charges and Spain sometimes simply won't let cpap stuff in.

I have never shipped to Taiwan nor do I know anyone who has.

You need to do your own homework directly with Taiwan officials because what they did last week might not be what they do today or next week.

Or...here's a thought...secondwindcpap.com ships internationally...call them up and ask them if they have had any experience.
We are just forum members here who aren't in the business of shipping machines except on a case by case basis.
Contact someone who is actually in the business.

Update:

Ok I contacted secondwindcpap.com and they told me that while they can ship to Taiwan, they do not know if Taiwan customs will allow it to go through. They told me I had to contact Taiwan customs about it.

So I found their number and contacted the Taiwan Customs Office and then the FDA, after Customs told me to contact the FDA. It seems that I cannot import a CPAP machine here without a medical license from the FDA first. Otherwise, the Customs will not allow it through. However, I have no idea how to get this license from the FDA. When I call the Taiwan FDA, the person on the phone keeps transferring me to someone else, and so I keep getting passed around endlessly. It seems no one knows anything and they keep telling me to call someone else. And when I go to the Taiwan FDA website, there is no info on how to apply for an import license and no email or contact form, only a list of phone numbers on the contact page, which if I call, will result in the same thing again where I keep getting transferred and passed around. Some of the phone staff did give me an email to write to, but when I write to them, I get no response. You would think in a first world country like this, this kind of thing would be a little easier than that.

So this doesn't seem to be going anywhere and seems like a lot of trouble. I guess the only way would be for me to go to their office in Taipei and apply for the medical import license, but Taipei is far away from me, and I have no idea whether it would even be approved.

It all just seems like too much trouble. I might as well just get it in the US. However, with this coronavirus thing and lockdown, I'm not sure when I will be able to return to the US. Or when international flights will be allowed into the US again. I hope this virus fiasco is over soon. It's more trouble than it's worth and way overblown.

Or I can look for a special sale or deal in Taiwan. With the global economy going down, a lot of companies are slashing prices, so I may be able to get a good deal now on CPAP machines here.

Anyway, sorry for the disappointing update. But it means I probably can't have a CPAP machine shipped here, even if I found a great supplier.

One more thing. What do you think of this other travel CPAP machine I saw online which also looks very small?

https://www.cheapcpapsupplies.com/z2-cpap-auto



Have you heard of it? How does it compare with the Resmed AirMini?

Thanks for your help.

[WWu777]

Yes, but you still have to do your homework re details with which you're more familiar than we are. And you sound like you might need a course in cultural differences - something maybe you should have had prior to going there. Life is complicated, but gets easier if you dive in. Consider if you were from Taiwan and just landed here recently... don't you think it would be a whole new world for you? Maybe take a crash course in Chinese so you can talk to people and see that they're not aliens, but potential friends.

Hi Julie,
I don't think you understand. I speak basic Chinese and Taiwanese. I am Asian American and Taiwanese by descent. I do understand the culture here, at least on paper and mentally, but I don't jive with it. It doesn't fit my own flow, rhythm and personality. I am more like an Italian soul, French soul or Latin American soul. More like a Latin/Slavic type soul. Not American or Asian, because American and Asian cultures tend to be workaholic and uptight and controlling and strict about following rules, and have a "live to work" attitude toward life, which I don't agree with. In contrast, I am more about cultivating one's soul, and having meaningful rich experiences, and living for romantic and passionate pursuits, like Europeans and Latins do.

Therefore, I thrive best in very freespirited, uninhibited countries like Mexico, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, etc. But Northeast Asians are different. They are very reserved. Never outspoken or expressive or articulate or assertive. Thus it feels awkward for me to talk to them, they are on a different wavelength. It's not about language.

Imagine being in Seattle or Portland, where people are very reserved, like Finnish people, then times that by 10, and that is how it's like here in Taiwan (and also in Japan I've heard). 10x more reserved than the Pacific Northwest, which if you've been to, you'll know what I mean. But even if you haven't been there, I'm sure you've heard about the demeanor of Washingtonians and Oregonians. The thing is, I'm not reserved, so I don't jive well with people who are very reserved. It feels awkward talking to them. Sorry if I sound overly sensitive, but that's just the way I am. Some people are sensitive to things that others are not. We are all different, not just as individuals, but in different cultures and locations as well.

I know language has nothing to do with this, because when I was in Russia, even when I didn't speak any Russian at all, I was able to communicate with people easily. They were very expressive and skillful in communication, and I was able to connect on their wavelength well. And of course, they were not reserved at all, but the exact opposite - very expressive, brave, upfront, confident, strong and passionate - the exact qualities I love and connect with. We could relate and connect well, and almost read each other's minds. I even used my Pictionary skills to get points across, which worked well for me. So you see, I never believed in this "language barrier myth", as it never applied to me.

So you see, it's not the language barrier that's awkward. I feel awkward because the Taiwanese people's mannerisms, facial expressions, reserved nature, repressed nature, negative vibe, closed posture, sour/grim face, and uptight body language, simply turn me off and weird me out and CONFLICT with my soul, personality and demeanor. And vice versa too, because they also find me weird since I don't act the way an Asian is supposed to act by their standards. (they seem to hold white people and asian people to different standards) Being assertive, confident, blunt and outspoken here makes you a freak, and you stand out like a sore thumb, because no one here is like that. It's hard to explain. But basically I'm not allowed to be myself here, which I find suffocating.

Another problem is that in Asia, people are not assertive or articulate at all. For example, any Western expat in Asia will tell you that if you ask people for directions, usually they just point you in a direction with their hand. They never give you step by step directions. And YES this is even true if you speak their language or you are a local person. (Locals have told me they experience the same in their own country) This is a common complaint among expats in Asia, they all know what I mean when I bring this up. And it has nothing to do with language. For some reason, Asians just aren't as good at giving step by step directions as Americans and Europeans are. Maybe because they are trained not to think for themselves and to not be an individual, since they are a collectivist culture, and also they are taught not to have an opinion or express themselves and definitely not to be outspoken. Any sociologist can tell you that Asian cultures are more collectivist and people are never encouraged to express themselves or be outspoken or to have their own opinions. It's all about groupthink, similar to corporate America. Thus being articulate or assertive is not part of Asian culture or people. That's why when someone like me, who is very assertive and articulate, tries to talk to people here, it feels awkward. My style and theirs just doesn't jive well. We are like on a different frequency and wavelength. They and I are more like oil and water, rather than ketchup and fries.

I have heard though that Japan is an exception, and that the Japanese are much better at giving step by step directions than other parts of Asia, which would not be a surprise since Japan is the most advanced nation in Asia. I haven't spent enough time in Japan though, to verify this.

Anyway sorry for the lengthy explanation. I'm a very deep and intellectual person so I feel that I need to explain things in greater detail than just a short summary. I hope you get what I mean.

The reason I'm here in Taiwan is because my parents retired here, because Taiwan gives them full national healthcare, at a small price, which is important to elderly people. So the healthcare system is far better than the US of course. Even though it doesn't pay for CPAP machines.

I came to visit my parents and also write some books and update my websites in a quiet environment for a month or two, but then the coronavirus pandemic started and stranded me here for a while, until who knows when.

So I'm here because of family, not because I fit in or love it or because it's the best place for me. No way. If I didn't have family here, I'd never come here, since I don't jive with the culture or people here at all. But I know the problem isn't me though, because when I'm in Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, etc, and most other countries, even in mainland China, I don't have a problem connecting with people as much, and don't feel awkward like I do here. I feel a lot more normal as long as I'm not in NE Asia or West Coast America (which I don't jive with either). So that gets me off the hook, since if the problem was me then I'd feel the same everywhere, but I don't. I only feel weird in some places and cultures, but not others. Location is what makes the difference for me, not my attitude, as is commonly assumed, which I believe is a myth and doesn't apply to me.

Anyway sorry for the lengthy explanation. Hope you found it interesting. And I hope you understand where I'm coming from. If not, then nevermind. Not everyone can understand me, even if I explain myself very assertively and clearly, because we are all on different wavelengths. Some do understand me, some don't. That's just life and I accept that. Nothing I can do about that, except to be honest with myself and control what I can control, and let be what I cannot control. I'm sure you all know that. Thanks for listening.

[Julie]

Hi, good morning... wow, thanks for the explanation (and I get it because I also tend to overexplain things and drive some crazy). And I can see I was way off course - no 'ugly' American there! And not a good time to be navigating a culture you may understand but don't jibe with. Too bad you're having a lousy time just at a lousy time! I wasn't aware of the nuances on the West coast in the US regarding people, but did live/work for a short time in Minn, so know what you mean about Finnish. You sound more Zorba-ish, which is a great thing!

That little machine is strictly for travel and would not be appreciated full time - noisy, no useful data beyond maybe a bit of screen stuff and probably not that sturdy for full time either. What are the chances you could either get to or at least be in touch with e.g. better connections in e.g. Hong Kong or Singapore, etc? Though I suppose in a temporary pinch if you can afford it...

Maybe others will see your note today and have better ideas... good luck and stay safe.

[WWu777]

Hi, good morning... wow, thanks for the explanation (and I get it because I also tend to overexplain things and drive some crazy). And I can see I was way off course - no 'ugly' American there! And not a good time to be navigating a culture you may understand but don't jibe with. Too bad you're having a lousy time just at a lousy time! I wasn't aware of the nuances on the West coast in the US regarding people, but did live/work for a short time in Minn, so know what you mean about Finnish. You sound more Zorba-ish, which is a great thing!

That little machine is strictly for travel and would not be appreciated full time - noisy, no useful data beyond maybe a bit of screen stuff and probably not that sturdy for full time either. What are the chances you could either get to or at least be in touch with e.g. better connections in e.g. Hong Kong or Singapore, etc? Though I suppose in a temporary pinch if you can afford it...

Maybe others will see your note today and have better ideas... good luck and stay safe.

I'm glad you understand me to a point. Well I'm ok here with family and in a nice area up in the mountains. But I don't go out much cause I don't connect with the people or vibe or culture here. It just feels weird. Have you ever felt like a fish out of water somewhere? Not everyone has. Some people are very positive and able to fit in anywhere they go and attract good people. I guess I'm not one of those. I'm an introvert, not extrovert, so I'm more particular about where I fit in and where I don't than an average extrovert would be.

I guess I could have just said that in a nutshell, it's not the language barrier that's awkward. I feel awkward because the Taiwanese people's mannerisms, facial expressions, reserved nature, repressed nature, negative vibe, closed posture, sour/grim face, and uptight body language, simply turn me off and weird me out and CONFLICT with my soul, personality and demeanor. And vice versa too, because they also find me weird since I don't act the way an Asian is supposed to act by their standards. (they seem to hold white people and asian people to different standards) Being assertive, confident, blunt and outspoken here makes you a freak, and you stand out like a sore thumb, because no one here is like that. It's hard to explain. But basically I'm not allowed to be myself here, which I find suffocating.

I know the western media considers Taiwan to be an icon of freedom and democracy in Asia, and also dub it as "the free face of China", but they are wrongly assuming that freedom is all about being able to vote and having political freedoms given to you by the government. That's simply not true, because a country's social culture and customs have just as much to do with freedom, if not more so, than government control. In fact, I'd say more so, because social culture is something you interact with everyday and have to conform to, but government is not something the average person interacts with everyday (unless they are breaking the law of course). So the social culture can definitely affect your freedom much more than government can. People don't get that for some reason. Everyone thinks freedom is all about the degree to which government controls you, which makes no sense and is weird. I don't get why I see so many obvious things like this that other people don't see. Sorry for the philosophical rant.

Btw, what is "Zorba-ish"? I'm not familiar with that term.

I like places like Texas or New Mexico or Utah where people are very down to earth and not afraid to talk to strangers. Unfortunately, CA and NY do not fit that bill. Neither does Taiwan or Hong Kong or Korea. I've never been to Singapore, but I heard it's the same. Super uptight and cliquish. Yes HK is close by, but according to my research, anywhere in Asia, a CPAP machine is gonna cost $2,000. Plus I think international flights are all on lockdown now aren't they? If you meant, would I connect better in HK? Oh no. HK is similar to NY city. People are cold, rushed, rude and workaholic, and everything is all about money. No down to earth vibe there at all. No old souls either.

However, it depends on who you ask. Everyone seems to be in a different universe or dimension. There are people who go to NYC or HK and claim everyone there was very friendly and wonderful, and there are those who claim the opposite, that people there were cold and rude and grouchy to them, like me. Go figure. So it seems everyone is in a different universe, even if they go to the same place. I don't know how else to explain it. I know the New Agers will say that your attitude determines what kind of people you attract, but I disagree with that, because I've noticed I can have the same attitude everywhere I go and get vastly different results. Like I can have a very positive outgoing attitude but meet nothing but rude, grouchy, cold, unfriendly people too, and vice versa. That's happened many times. So I see no correlation at all between my attitude/personality and whether people are friendly to me or not. It's one of those New Age cliches that just doesn't hold water, but tries to give you the illusion that you can control things, because that's what sells, when in reality you cannot control many things, especially when it comes to other people.

Also, as we all know, modern society is very isolating now. Everyone is on their smart phones and people don't talk to others or interact much anymore. And that's sad. But no one talks about the social disconnect in modern society for some reason. It's a taboo subject. All everyone talks about is racial and gender equality, which is useless and over-emphasized to the point of obsession, as if that's all that matters. Very odd. If you ask someone who grew up in the 1970's and prior, they will tell you that America was a much friendlier social place, with lots more interaction, and more inclusive too, not awkward and isolating like today. It was easier and more natural to make friends and meet people just by going out. That all changed sometime in the 1980's for some reason. That old world friendliness still exists in some countries, like in most of Europe for instance, and in many poorer countries too, like Latin America and Southeast Asia. But not in America. I'm sure many of you know what I mean.

Anyway, sorry for being long-winded. Now, about using travel CPAP as an everyday machine, well I saw on YouTube that experts were saying that the Philipps Dreamstation Go was the ideal travel CPAP that could be used everyday. Have you heard of it? This is what it looks like.

https://www.cheapcpapsupplies.com/respi ... go-cpap-pb



Is that the best travel CPAP machine that can be used as a regular home device as well?

[Julie]

OMG - someone who doesn't know who Zorba is!

Rent, steal, buy, the movie Zorba the Greek somewhere... and then come back and let me know what you think/felt/awoke to ! It's a fabulous (and fabulously famous) movie (from the book, and eventual Broadway hit) from '64 about a studious Englishman who goes to Greece and hires Zorba - his total opposite - and learns you can be an intellectual but still love life. I don't want to tell you more and spoil anything, but seriously, how have you escaped hearing about it, seeing it, and loving Zorba?

For a taste though, go to YTube and go to https:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AzpHvLWFUM - I KNOW you'll recognize the music even if you haven't realized where it came from.

PS Loved your explanation above... and so sorry you're in that atmosphere... must be hard!

[WWu777]

Loud in terms of like wind blowing? If so, that's not a bad sound. I can get used to it. Wind blowing is not that annoying. And if it is, you can just use ear plugs right?

What about the Philipps Dreamstation Go? Does that make a loud sound too? I heard it's the best one recommended by experts.

Yes I heard about that limitation with the ResMed AirMini. But the Dreamstation Go allows you to use any mask you want. There are reviews on YouTube about it.

What about the black/gray device I mentioned above and showed the picture of? Is it loud too? Can it use any mask or only brand specific ones?

Btw one more question: If I want to test my sleep apnea again, do I have to go to the hospital and order a sleep session again? Because the waiting period for that is quite long. I heard there is a portable device that you can get that will test your breathing while you sleep and how often it stops. Right? If so, where can you get that?

Thanks.

[WWu777]

OMG - someone who doesn't know who Zorba is!

Rent, steal, buy, the movie Zorba the Greek somewhere... and then come back and let me know what you think/felt/awoke to ! It's a fabulous (and fabulously famous) movie (from the book, and eventual Broadway hit) from '64 about a studious Englishman who goes to Greece and hires Zorba - his total opposite - and learns you can be an intellectual but still love life. I don't want to tell you more and spoil anything, but seriously, how have you escaped hearing about it, seeing it, and loving Zorba?

For a taste though, go to YTube and go to https:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AzpHvLWFUM - I KNOW you'll recognize the music even if you haven't realized where it came from.

PS Loved your explanation above... and so sorry you're in that atmosphere... must be hard!

Oh that sounds familiar. I heard it somewhere before, maybe in a trivia game. lol. The music does sound familiar. Is it an old movie. I'll check it out sometime if it's good. I love old films, they are more original, romantic and have better stories and characters than modern films do. Modern films are all CGI nowadays and feel like video games with hollow characters. They feel cheap as if no one put any heart and soul into them. You know what I mean?

Yes it's true that you can be an intellectual and be passionate and enjoy life. That fits me. But there's this stigma that in America, intellectuals are nerdy or geeky and aren't cool or hip and don't enjoy life. However, if you go to Spain, France or Italy, you will see the opposite, that intellectuals enjoy life a lot and are very passionate and creative. Even 18 year olds are intellectual there and there's no negative stigma about it like in US culture. No one in Europe calls you a geek or a nerd if you are intellectual. But this is the Europe of before, I don't know about now though. I heard a lot of bad things about the new millenial generation and how things have changed. Oh well. I guess we can just hang out with older folks there then.

Yes the situation is a little hard, but ok. At least I'm in a comfortable house up here. Lots of things are harder and things could be worse. I could be hospitalized with coronavirus for example. In life, you just gotta stay centered when things get hard or unpleasant, and not take things too seriously. That's the key, unless you wanna go through years of Zen Buddhist training. lol. Just kidding of course. Thanks for being understanding. You sound very open minded and empathetic, which is great.

Btw did you mean Minnesota when you said Minn earlier? If so, then yeah I heard Minnesota is not a very social place either. Someone from there told me in that state, everyone keeps to themselves too and doesn't talk to anyone. But most Americans see that as normal nowadays anyway and think nothing of it. I remember a time before 1985 where that wasn't normal, but people seem to forget that. I mean that in the mid 80's, people began getting more and more closed off, mean spirited, and isolated, in the US. Maybe because of rampant materialism, superficiality and pretentiousness, I don't know. But others like me told me the 70's were a lot more down to earth. You can see it in the music videos of the 70's. The people in them were not as pretentious or superficial as in the 80's. There were also no teen drama movies either showing the shallowness or pretentiousness of high school until the 80's. I don't know if you were around during the 70's or not, but I remember a little of it.

Sorry for going off topic. lol

I guess a more on topic question would be: So what kind of CPAP machine do you use Julie?

[WWu777]

Wow check this out. I found a travel CPAP machine for $249 here:

Apex Medical XT Fit CPAP Machine
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/apex-x ... ap-machine

Wow that's the cheapest I've ever seen. Yet the reviews are very high for it, almost 5 stars. Is there any drawback to it? Why is it so cheap? What's the catch? If it's not good quality then why are the reviews so high on there? Can you trust the reviews on that site? Could they be rigged by the manufacturer and filled with fake reviews? What do you think?

[WWu777]

Does this humidity thing put water vapor in the air of the CPAP, so your mouth doesn't get dry while you sleep? Why is it important?

What does the data matter? As long as you get good quality sleep, isn't that what matters the most? The data stuff is too complicated for me, and filled with a lot of jargon I don't understand. I wouldn't know how to analyze it. Don't you need a nurse or specialist to analyze it?

You said traveling with a CPAP machine isn't a big deal. However, are we talking about traveling with a car on a road trip across the USA? If so, that is no big deal since any sized CPAP could be placed in your trunk. Or in an RV. What about traveling abroad where you have to check in bags at the airport, and then when you arrive, you have to take trains and buses and haul luggage into the storage compartment, and then drag luggage around cobblestone streets in Europe, like Rick Steves on his Europe travel TV show? That's a totally different matter you know? In that case, luggage becomes very cumbersome to drag around. In fact, Rick Steves recommends traveling with only one bag on his show. So you can't carry much at all, not even much clothes. There would be no room for a CPAP any larger than the ResMed AIrMini if you went that route. See here: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/ ... king-smart

Also, some people like to bring a lot of clothes and accessories and vitamins and supplements in their travel bag. I'm like that too. So it's hard to fit a CPAP in that unless it's very small. Once you have a lot of clothes in your luggage, a home sized CPAP would feel a lot heavier than it normally would. Especially when you drag it around. It will feel bulky and take a toll on your body, especially if you aren't very strong and in shape. You know what I mean?

But of course, if you are in a car or RV on a road trip, then it doesn't matter, because you can put any CPAP size in your trunk.

[Julie]

.

[Goofproof]

Maybe if you are to frail to travel, you should stay home... Or make better decisions in what you pack.

You seem to like to argue, NEWS, you won't win here! Jim

Buy any CRAP you want, Hopefully it's your money.

[ChicagoGranny]

Well I'm ok here with family and in a nice area up in the mountains. But I don't go out much cause I don't connect with the people or vibe or culture here.

Maybe your problem is being back in the sticks with the hicks?