Plane travel questions!

In addition to being new to my APAP I also get to fly with it in a week! Woot! (um, NOT!!). So I've read up on going through TSA and carrying on my machine but still have a few questions.

1. Do y'all just leave your machine set up in your hotel rooms? Mine is brand new and I couldn't afford to replace it if something happened to it. Do you stick it in a drawer?

2. How bad is it to use bottled (not distilled) water for 5 nights? Not sure if I will be able to get distilled water since I won't have access to a car and my conference is way out of town at a resort (far enough they have had to arrange special transport buses as the airport shuttles don't go out there).

3. I have a special cut-out CPAP pillow so I can sleep on my side more comfortably. Is this included "medical equipment" as far as my carry on goes? I have a bag that it, and my machine will fit in, and still fit under my plane seat but I don't want to get to the airport and then have issues. I know the fiber fill at the hotel will be horrid-I didn't even use those pre-APAP and hotel stays have been an issue as far as pillows go before this.

4. Any other hard learned travel lessons? I'm staying in the states so I don't have to worry about power conversion and such.

For distilled you can bring an old soda bottle with enuff distilled to last 5 days.
Or you can call the resort to ask them if they could supply some.
Or just use the bottled water. I prefer to bring my own.

You can leave the machine out or put it in a drawer during the day. Not sure what kind of resort that would cause excess worry.

You could put your pillow, distilled water, or medicines in the cpap bag. Just be sure not to put in things that are not part of a medical need such as socks, underwear, or even a toothbrush as some devious agent could reject the carry-on bag as NOT Medically Necessary.

Always carry this cpap bag on board - never ever check your cpap as it may not go where you are going and if it does it may not work.

Pack an extension cord and Multi-outlet adapters (in cpap bag) as often the outlets will be full or not convenient.

I have found it useful to place the cpap in a ziplock bag when packing up so that if asked to take it out of my bag at security, it doesn't sit in a bin where everyone's shoes have been. I have a Resmed S9 which fits in a 2 gallon bag if humidifier is left attached or a 1 gallon bag when separated.

While staying in a hotel, I always place the cpap gear inside of a packing cube in a drawer so that I know it won't get damaged accidentally. Better safe than sorry.

I have found it useful to place the cpap in a ziplock bag when packing up so that if asked to take it out of my bag at security, it doesn't sit in a bin where everyone's shoes have been. I have a Resmed S9 which fits in a 2 gallon bag if humidifier is left attached or a 1 gallon bag when separated.

While staying in a hotel, I always place the cpap gear inside of a packing cube in a drawer so that I know it won't get damaged accidentally. Better safe than sorry.

I should clarify I'm not really worry about the machine being stolen at the resort. More...accidents happen and if it were to be knocked off the nightstand by housekeeping and broke sort of thing.

I hadn't read the medical liquids TSA page. I don't think I want to even try to take water with me. The TSA doesn't exactly have a great reputation of being helpful.I won't be checking a bag so everything is being carried on.

I'm always the super prepared traveler. Shoes off, laptop out, blah, blah. I do NOT hold up a line...now i'm going to be one of 'those people'. *sigh*

If your. Machine gets screened by hand ask the TSA Agent nicely to use fresh gloves. As I have traveled I find the big airports (atlanta, vegas, NY) will let it go through, no problems, you don't need to take it out. Mid size or smaller (Houston, st lewis, Denver)will be an ordeal.

I always call the hotel ahead and tell them I need distiller water and they usually have a 1quart or 1 liter bottle for me at check-in. If I'm there for more than a night or two, they tell me if I need more to let them know in the am and they will have it for me in the PM.

Travel safe,

Geoff

Best to have a back up machine for travel. Lots of them available on Craigslist. If you will only be gone a few days there is no problem with using regular bottled water. When you get hom e just clean out your humidifier cup with vinigar. Suggestion...bring a long extension cord with you. You never know where the outlets are in a hotel room.

A power strip is a good idea. Some places have too few outlets, and you have other stuff to plug in.
Don't forget your hose management, or scrunchies, tape, and binder clips, for McGyver-ing.

If you are going overseas, then you should consider both a power strip and an extension cord. Many hotels in Europe have only one or two power outlets. Also, if you travel overseas you will need a power cord converter. The units (both Resmed and Respironics) can run on either 120Vac or 220Vac. A good resource for these adapters is Magellan's (see: http://www.magellans.com/portable-elect ... converters).

I typically just leave the unit out for the day at a hotel. If it looks as if it might get knocked off, I will put it into a drawer. But I don't worry too much about it.

I always take an extension cord - you never know where the plugs are located. It stays in my bag so I never have to worry about packing it.

I have packed underwear, toothbrush and makeup,in my CPAP bag as well. NO ONE at the TSA has ever said anything about the extra stuff in the CPAP bag.

When leaving for the day - I stick. Y CPAP in a drawer just so it won't get knocked down or something spilled on it. Doesn't hurt to be extra careful. Hope this helps,

Thank you so much everyone!! It helps to hear from folks who have already done it!


And I might get a travel machine in the future. Right now I'm less than three weeks into treatment and still paying for machine number one (and proving compliance) so that will have to wait a bit. Even for a cheaper online machine.

I've flown with mine several times and have carried water sufficient for a 4-night stay in a rather hard-sided plastic bottle that I pack with the PAP machine. They have insisted on testing the water with a test strip, which I am good with as long as I can continue to carry it. Most of the time there is a drugstore somewhere close to where I stay, but not always, and I like the convinience of having my own supplies ready to go, as I often travel for conferences, etc., and get into the room late! Nice to rack in and not waste time looking all over. Calling ahead would be next best bet, especially if the NSA removes your water supply.

Now, if we could just get sealed shrink-wrapped distilled water in half-liter bottles... That would be perfect!