do you use a "travel" machine or your usual one

[kwcrnp]

I have 2 big trips in the next 6 months and I was wondering about the small travel machines.

They seem smaller and more compact but I'm not sure I would do as well on a machine I'm not use too. Also, these travel machines don't have all the features like
decreasing pressure with expiration and rainout reduction. I certainly don't want to have issues while on a wonderful vacation!! But they are half the size and weight
so it made me wonder.....

Anyone use a travel machine different then your home machine when traveling? If so, which one?

[plr66]

I am one who swears by having a travel (& back-up) machine, for several reasons:

1) I want a smaller, lighter weight cpap to carry when traveling.

2) I do not want to have to bother taking down my home machine, packing it up, worry about whether I've included everything I'll need---and then having to clean it up and re-connect everything before I hit the sack upon return from a journey, when there's often so much else to do to settle in at home.....and when exhausted. Sounds a little silly in print, but boy has it been a nice luxury in that sense.

3) If I happen to have no choice but to stay in hotels/motels where odors are not what I want to bring home and breathe again (you know what I mean--nothing awful, but just not the home smells).....I can "air it out" without sleeping with it after returning home.

4) Because I love traveling to lots of 3rd world countries, I much more often feel the need to bring along a back-up light-weight lithium battery (not the huge & horrendously heavy battery usually available)--and so want a lighter weight machine to balance out that extra weight.

Now I would also mention that because I love to travel, I may have been motivated and psychologically ready to simplify my originally conceived cpap "needs." Within my first 6-9 months of cpap use, I discovered that I did not need apap or a-flex, and was entirely happy and had much better data results with simple & straight cpap. I also found that passive ("pass-over") humidification was fine for me at any time of year, and that I needed no humidifier at all if in humid places. I hadn't anticipated that, and was delighted.

So my little Everest2 (sadly no longer available) is my trusty travel & back-up. I carry it with me to work when the winter weather looks like I might not make it home. Love having the option, always packed and ready to go without any thought at all about whether I've at the last minute forgotten anything. (I keep a separate mask, hose, extension cord, surge protector, and all connecting cords packed at all times).

Sorry to drone on, but it's a favorite subject of mine, because it makes travel with cpap so painless.

[GumbyCT]

They seem smaller and more compact but I'm not sure I would do as well on a machine I'm not use too....Also, these travel machines don't have all the features like decreasing pressure with expiration and rainout reduction. I certainly don't want to have issues while on a wonderful vacation!!

All good reasons to use the same machine when you travel.

But like plr66 said it helps to have a machine, mask, hose, filters, etc. all packed and just for travel. I keep my 2nd machine packed too. But I need a Bipap so a Bipap is also my travel machine.

Check Craigslist for a machine of your choice. Using allofcraigs.com helps to search a wider area. All of the cautions should be enforced when buying from some of the unknown crazies who frequent CL. We have gotten some deals on CL and others have been not-so-lucky or even been killed by some crazy from CL.

All kidding aside, I do prefer to have a separate machine for travel but also prefer to have one that I am intimately familiar with too.

I especially like not having to set up my machine when I return home. Or worrying about something being left behind, lost, or broken as a result of traveling.

HTH

EDIT:
Do NOT forget to pack a copy of your prescription separately when traveling. What if you need to buy something while away? Packed Separately in case your machine is damaged or stolen.

[Bookbear]

I am lucky enough to be able to afford a travel/backup machine... this one: AeioMed EVERest 2. It is battery powered, has a humidifier and battery pack that mate conveniently with the main cpap unit. It is a 'dumb' cpap... no data, cpap only. But it IS lightweight, compact, has a ramp feature, and is reliable. The battery aspect is nice for backup use if power is out, and will run the unit for two nights w/o humidifier, one night and perhaps a nap with the humidifier running. Everything packs nicely, and it will run on 12v DC w/o complaint. It also auto-adjusts to 220-240v current.

I travel for business perhaps 6 times a year (always flying) and this unit always goes with me. That saves me from breaking down the home unit and packing it. I have everything I need packed in the AeioMed bag (cord, extension cord, foreign plugs, multi-tap, hose, mask, unit,)... all I have to do is grab it and go. That way, I don't forget anything at home.

I keep a copy of Rx and DOT/TSA regs and letter of medical necessity packed permanently in my carry on bag, separate from the cpap bag.

[plr66]

We seem to be repeating ourselves, so I guess you get the idea!

[kwcrnp]

Thanks for the insight! I'm actually leaning toward an intelliPAP Plus or Auto as my home and travel machine, then I'll plan to get a second unit for travel and back-up as you all suggested.

[Emilia]

My Intellipap is my one and only machine.... I didn't buy it as a 'travel' machine; I bought it because of its reputation and small footprint. The fact that it will travel easily....with no power brick needed, is an added plus, in my book! BTW: it comes with an awesome carry bag.

[Uncle_Bob]

I am lucky enough to be able to afford a travel/backup machine... this one: AeioMed EVERest 2. It is battery powered, has a humidifier and battery pack that mate conveniently with the main cpap unit. It is a 'dumb' cpap... no data, cpap only. But it IS lightweight, compact, has a ramp feature, and is reliable. The battery aspect is nice for backup use if power is out, and will run the unit for two nights w/o humidifier, one night and perhaps a nap with the humidifier running. Everything packs nicely, and it will run on 12v DC w/o complaint. It also auto-adjusts to 220-240v current.

I travel for business perhaps 6 times a year (always flying) and this unit always goes with me. That saves me from breaking down the home unit and packing it. I have everything I need packed in the AeioMed bag (cord, extension cord, foreign plugs, multi-tap, hose, mask, unit,)... all I have to do is grab it and go. That way, I don't forget anything at home.

I keep a copy of Rx and DOT/TSA regs and letter of medical necessity packed permanently in my carry on bag, separate from the cpap bag.

You might want to stock up on supplies for your Aeiomed machine

http://www.aeiomed.com/products/everest/

[MsBea]

Only one machine for me. It came with a nice carrying case which I put it in and it has a front zipper pocket where I keep spare supplies and my medications. I've traveled with it several times and no problems.

[Hawthorne]

I bought an Intellipap Autoadjust as a backup to my PR System One Auto. I bought the Intellipap used and so tried it out for a while to make sure everything was fine. Liked it but I then went back to my System One as my home machine and the Intellipap for backup and/or travel.

In November I decided to go back to the Intellipap and found that I now like it better than the pricier System One! I now use it as my regular machine and bought another Intellipap Autoadjust from cpap.com when they had a new year's sale. I use the new one all the time now and the used one is the backup. I still have the PR System One as a backup to the backup but I doubt I will use it much.

As long as my machines are Autos with exhalation relief and are very quiet, I am happy. The plus is that the Intellipap really travels well. I just keep the spare one in its case with the cord, hose and a spare mask and I'm ready to go anytime with no gathering up to go somewhere and unpacking when I get home.

[cortez356]

I bought an Intellipap to use as a travel machine. I did have some problems at first with the adjustments but got some help on this forum and all is well. I am on the road right now and using it every night. It is smaller than my S9 and works fine. BUT I miss checking all my data. The Smart code is very basic and if you want all the data the small machine becomes bigger. I doubt there is a machine as good as the Intellipap at the same price. I too keep it all packed and ready to go and it is my backup.

Bob

[dtsm]

I have two S8 autoset II, one at home and the other always packed with hoses, extension cords, extra mask, etc. etc. I do not use a humidifier so have no problems with rain-outs, etc. I've been overseas for the past 6 weeks using my 'back-up' unit and all is fine. I'm leaving for home tomorrow - when I arrive, my travel unit will be put away for my next trip and I go back to the one at home.

I see you're using S9 autoset -- if you can find the S8 autoset, that's a great backup and travel unit. secondwind.com might have some open box units.

[Bookbear]

You might want to stock up on supplies for your Aeiomed machine
http://www.aeiomed.com/products/everest/

Thanks for sending that along, Bob. Third party batteries are still available for the machine (I just got one last month), but obviously any replacement parts are going to be scarce now, given that the letter you reference was dated well over a year ago. My unit was bought new, and registered with them... odd that I didn't get a notice of this. My unit is now out of warranty, so it's sort of a dead issue for me. Sad, though. It was a good unit, but it's whole purpose was as a power failure backup at home or on the road, so when batteries are no longer available....