long air flights

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
musiclady

long air flights

Post by musiclady » Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:45 am

I'm taking an overnight flight soon. What do I do about sleeping on the plane? How have others dealt with this?

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Boomer
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Post by Boomer » Sun Aug 07, 2005 9:58 am

You may find this link helpful.


http://www.seatguru.com

Boomer

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ozij
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Post by ozij » Sun Aug 07, 2005 11:50 am

I was too uptight to really sleep and I flew coach - during the loooong (Dallas to Zurich) flight the following happened:
1. There's very little reclining in the seats
2. My neighbor slept through the movie and the natter from her earphones disturbed me.
3. Every phone call in the movie came though loud and clear, and I jumped.
4. The flickering of the lights on the movie screen - (American Airlines, screen hanging down from the ceiling every so many seats), disturbed me.
5. My not so thin neighbor dropped an empty liquor bottle on me (I'm not so thin either). It disturbed me. She apologised.
5. Later my slightly tipsy neighbor dropped a non empty glass of ice water on me - this time she didn't aplogize.
6. My blanket got wet, and American didn't have a replacement blanket.
7. My neighbor's neighbor and companion very kindly offered me her still packed blanket and I accepted.

I don't want to think of what a coke soaked CPAP sounds like on the night after you fly...

I'm sure it's different in business class.


O.


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Barb (Seattle)
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Post by Barb (Seattle) » Sun Aug 07, 2005 10:43 pm

when I've flown, I've pretty much just not used it. I figure I'm sitting up straight sleeping any way right? Maybe no apneas? I'm just not brave enough to put that mask on in front of a plane full of people

kathleen
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Post by kathleen » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:20 pm

I flew Dallas to Nice and back this spring.

On the way there, I was too stressed to sleep. Has having work issues, the plane broke and we sat on the tarmack for about 3 hours, etc....

On the way back, I was so strung out from not sleeping I didn't care. I connected my CPAP to the battery, slapped the mask on my face and slept.
Next time, I will take my humidifer with me, as I can't sleep without at least a passover humidification.

Oddly enough, the closer I got to home, the better I slept, though my face hurt, I was so dry.

Needless to say, I'm not going to Europe again anytime soon.

FYI: Having a battery has saved several hours of sleep now. We live in Dallas, and have very violent storms, which causes a loss of power. I've used the battery much more because of that, than flying.

Some things to think about.


midnightcry

Long flight solution

Post by midnightcry » Wed Aug 10, 2005 7:25 am

I have the Puritan Bennet 420G that runs off a 12 volt battery. Before they came out with a battery pack for it, I made my own. I went to Walmart and got one of those $39 units that are used to jump off a car battery (it has a carry handle and doesn't weigh any more than my old CPAP). I opened it up and disconnected the jumper cables and sealed the small openings where the wires went inside. I made a label that looked like it would come on a medical device (instructions to connect the unit). Charged the unit up and it worked like a charm. From Memphis to Amsterdam was no longer a nightmare...I slept like a baby. I later used the same device to the Philippines...again no problem.


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Post by NeurosurgeryNP » Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:46 pm

They dodn't give any problems bringing a battery like that on the plane?
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rock and roll
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Post by rock and roll » Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:33 pm

Good question, I can't imagine that passing through, but a neat idea.

I travel a lot but I just can't do cpap on a plane, too tight, too many other things to carry like computer and too many nosy neighbors wanting to know why I am sitting next to them when I obviously am dieing and should be in a hospital.

One thing ,though, I can't get off the ground in a plane before I am fast asleep, but any otherv time and place, I have trouble sleeping period.


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neversleeps
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Post by neversleeps » Wed Aug 10, 2005 9:34 pm

rock and roll wrote:.... and too many nosy neighbors wanting to know why I am sitting next to them when I obviously am dieing and should be in a hospital.
You crack me up!!!