Emergency Help!

thr61 · Post by **thr61** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:36 pm

I have just found myself stranded away from home during this very nasty east-coast storm. I am unable to make it back to my house as it took me two hours to drive 2 miles to the nearest hotel.

Since this was supposed to be a day trip, I do not have my cpap gear and wonder what other folks have done in this situation. Obviously I cannot get my nightly does of pressure (setting is 11) and am trying to figure out the best position to sleep and if there is anything else I can do to mitigate the negative result of no machine or mask.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks from snowbound in Providence

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:51 pm

Sorry about your situation. Not much to do I guess. You'll get through it.
Would the hotel giftshop have any of those Breath rite strips, or that spray? Some people say those help with snoring.
Definitely don't eat alot of carbs before bed or alcohol.
Sitting up in a chair to sleep might help.
You'll make it through okay! Stay safe with the driving in this stuff. Soon you'll be home.

Perchancetodream · Post by **Perchancetodream** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:58 pm

Although unpleasant, I don't know that you will suffer any permanent long term damage from spending a night without your machine. I just talked to a friend who has been on CPAP for about 12 years and he routinely travels without his on overnight trips. By choice. He is still alive and appears to be okay otherwise.

Try to avoid sleeping on your back and try to keep your shoulders and head elevated - request extra pillows to help. And, as has been said, avoid alcohol.

Stay warm!
Susan

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:51 pm

A good chinstrap--a couple socks tied together? ACE wrap? the infamous nylon stocking? Under the chin and over the top of your head. Don't use anything that pulls your chin backward. Plus the aforementioned head elevation, nasal strips, and avoiding alcohol.

stevoreno · Post by **stevoreno** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:43 pm

I wish you the best of luck being away from home without your machine and hope that you don't experience any dangerously low O2 levels during the night without your machine.

tedanderson · Post by **tedanderson** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:12 pm

Sleeping in the chair works best for me. But I doubt that a couple of nights without the machine will kill you. I too was concerned about that because of all of the horrible things that I read.

After I went in for my initial sleep test, 2 weeks went by before I was issued equipment. And then once I was at the office getting fitted for the mask and headgear, they reccommended that if I had a bad cold, that I should stop using the machine until I regain the ability to breathe through my nose.

So after citing these 2 examples, the medical professionals made this out to be less of a big deal than I thought it was. Before that I always thought that if you go in for a sleep test and get a positive diagnosis, they wouldn't let you leave the hospital without a machine.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:18 pm

tedanderson wrote:Sleeping in the chair works best for me. But I doubt that a couple of nights without the machine will kill you. I too was concerned about that because of all of the horrible things that I read.

After I went in for my initial sleep test, 2 weeks went by before I was issued equipment. And then once I was at the office getting fitted for the mask and headgear, they reccommended that if I had a bad cold, that I should stop using the machine until I regain the ability to breathe through my nose.

So after citing these 2 examples, the medical professionals made this out to be less of a big deal than I thought it was. Before that I always thought that if you go in for a sleep test and get a positive diagnosis, they wouldn't let you leave the hospital without a machine.

It probably depends on how badly you desaturate.

O.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:47 pm

Having had A-Fib during sleep before XPAP-I don't leave home without a plan and supplies. Have a back up power source at home and an appt with our local RV place to set up my soon-to-be-retired Auto CPAP in my vehicle-permanently. I always did call it my dream truck.

catbirdgirl · Post by **catbirdgirl** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:40 pm

depending on how long you are stranded, call your doc- maybe they can arrange for a loaner machine from a local DME. Also, post where you are here, maybe someone in the area has an extra machine sitting around you can borrow for a night, if they know how to adjust pressure?

just a thought.

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Resmed HumidAir 11 for humidifier

Mask	Humidifier