Hotel?

[Gizmogidget]

I'm a little worried about someone stealing my cpap when I go to a hotel. What do you all do with yours?

[SleepingUgly]

It's never occurred to me that anyone would want it! We can hardly get the people who need it to want it, let alone the ones who don't!

[GumbyCT]

I'm a little worried about someone stealing my cpap when I go to a hotel. What do you all do with yours?

I put mine out of the way of the cleaning people BEFORE I leave the room.

[SleepySydney]

I put mine in a drawer if it is available but I have not had any issues.

[KSMike]

Never worried for a second about it.

[BlackSpinner]

Just tucked mine away or covered it to prevent it from getting cleaning toxins on it.

Empty the humidifier to prevent accidents.

Oh and bring an extension cord/power bar. The power outlets are never close where you need it.

[GumbyCT]

Empty the humidifier to prevent accidents.

Excellent advice...
I forgot to mention - I do too

[ozze_dollar]

I went away last year with mine and had no problems. I think your travel insurance would cover any loss. If you feel concerned just disconnect it and put it in a drawer.

[the_nap_ster]

I too am more worried about accidents than theft, so I empty the humidifier tank as well.

Once emptied, I do tend to leave mine out and not worry (even though it's cute and pink, ha! ). But if I wanted to be extra-careful, I would treat it like other electronics I travel with: I put them in my suitcase and lock the suitcase. I developed this habit because I often have to travel to conferences with pretty blingy electronic toys that won't fit in an in-room safe, and I don't see any reason not to err on the side of caution. A cheap travel suitcase lock for in-room use has served me well. I think it's far less likely that someone to steal a whole suitcase out of your room than a particular piece of electronics.

I'm a little worried about someone stealing my cpap when I go to a hotel. What do you all do with yours?

[Captain_Midnight]

Here are a few tips that I can offer from fairly frequent travel with my xpap.

1. Keep your unit squeaky clean. For the TSA xray, remember that the grey bins are worse then filthy (think foot fungus here). Put the unit in double plastic, the outer layer of which is a grocery plastic bag. After scanning, toss the (now grimy) outer layer.

2. If you can go without humidification, skip it for travel. It's a pain.

3. As mentioned, carry at least one extension cord with you. Guaranteed to come in handy.

4. When you first arrive in your hotel room, clean the top and sides of the lamp table (where you will place your xpap) with a damp cloth. I do this at least twice.

5. Each morning, put the unit and mask completely away. Leave the electrical transformer out, if you like, but don't leave your unit or mask out. (A year ago, I saw this extremely cute lizard crawling around on the lamp table at a 4-star hotel in Hawaii. Also, you don't know what the chambermaids are using in their spray bottle cleaners.) Your mask should be covered with a clean washcloth whenever not in use, even when put away.

5. Take an extra filter with you. If you lose or tear one, it will be worth it.

6. I always carry a copy of my Rx. Just in case.

7. Like a lot of folks hereabouts, I have a back up machine. And, this is what I use for travel. So, it's all set up, scrupulously clean in a carry case, in a back pack. That said, I sometimes test the circuit before I travel. You would hate to be abroad and be missing a key component.

8. Don't check your unit, carry it on board the airplane. If (actually, when) your luggage is lost or unavailable, you don't want to be missing your xpap.

9. Again, squeaky clean. Ask yourself, what would Howard Hughes do?



.

[sleepinglass]

To captain midnight I would add the following to also bring some plastic electrical tape. It comes in many colours white yellow green blue etc incase you get a leak.

It has saved the day for me on numerous trips when for what ever reason a piece of the mask has broken off at the very beginning of the trip or the hose has become perforated.

I have see others use duck tape,that is not my favourite and it is more big and bulky.

Also whilst going through x ray and for the the hand luggage being checked for drugs I request the following:

1 ) To put on a pair of fresh gloves as this is medical equipment.

2) ) The little white square or swatch that they rub over all the machine I ask that they use a new one, again to avoid cross contamination.

3 ) I request that they do not to use the wand that they normally attach the swatch to, but to do the rubbing of the swatch by hand.

In a hotel I always put my mask and hose in my suitcase and because I once walked into my room and found a hotel maid with my mask on her greasy sweaty face!!!

I also separate the water container from the machine and put to one side in case it gets knocked,then it is nowhere near my machine and I cover the machine with a tea towel and the water container with a napkin.

If it is a really dubious hotel I put the lot in my locked suitcase,if I trust the hotel I do the above.

I always bring 2 extension leads as I have often been caught short and the wall plug just happens to be one mile from the side of the bed and one extension lead on numerous occasions, just has not sufficed.

I also always travel a small fan because again on numerous occasions for what ever reason the air con in the room does not work, I aim the fan at my face and I can just about cope with the night. Sometimes I phone a head and ask the hotel to provide a fan and ask them to call me back to let me know whether they can or not. I still bring my own,and use the second one aimed at my body!

[nanwilson]

If I am traveling by car I have a clear plastic tub I put everything in. It is clearly marked "MEDICAL EQUIPMENT" on the top in big red letters. When I traveled by plane I used the bag the machine came in but put the same label on the top.

[Gizmogidget]

Wow. Great ideas and stories! What do most people use fora back up machine? Is there a travel type that is budget friendly and reliable?

[GumbyCT]

Wow. Great ideas and stories! What do most people use fora back up machine? Is there a travel type that is budget friendly and reliable?

I prefer to use the same make/model machine for a backup, when possible. Not only does it make for fewer mistakes, it is a source of spare parts when/IF needed (esp. during long weekend machine failures).