Travel advice and a little common sense

[arkis26]

Finally, after four years struggle from AI's in 30's and AHI >50 via prongs/CPAP through BIPAP, Full Face to AutoSV and still with AHI's 10-20's and quite erratic, found you guys and SleepyHead several months ago.(Deepest thanks to the site and its active players.) Have continued to optimize therapy and have achieved AHIs regularly .1-.5 using Full Face Mask, Soft C-collar and Brookstone anti-snore pillow. I've actually had minimal subjective difference at anywhere <AHI10. I'm traveling for two weeks soon, and packing the Brookstone is out of the question. Adding an airline "C" shaped travel collar is intolerable. Any suggestions, or am I getting crazy about this? if I can achieve <10AHI with the collar alone is it reasonable to ignore the issue for such a short time. Thanks for your thoughts, Bert

[torontoCPAPguy]

I have always found the airlines to be less than accommodating; even when presented with a doctor's note or prescription. TODAY, I don't think I would try to just carry a portable CPAP with battery pack and inverter onboard in a carry-on least I find it left behind somewhere. Funny, they permit me to carry on loads of electronics and backup battery such as my laptop, but no CPAP. Airline rules vary from airline to airline. In fact, rules vary from flight to flight. I have friends who have similar treatment checking in firearms for travel to competitions - something I would NEVER do even though I have a permit. Especially if I had a stopover in New York State.

I do not sleep well without my APAP. At one point, a few years back, many on this board will remember that I even had to infuse oxygen in order to get a restful and healthy/safe sleep. Today I just carry on the gear without opening it up for use - excepting for inspection(s) which are to be expected. I keep a prescription and any other documents I have in the bag with the equipment.

Try pulling out your CPAP onboard inflight and see what happens today. Depends on the airline, of course, but I, for one, would sure not do it without permission aforehand. An email or letter in advance from the airline would give me a level of comfort as well. I also use airline approved locks on my CPAP carry case in case they want to have a peek at it. And while my policy is to carry anything valuable or urgent/health related onboard with me, their policy may require that you check your CPAP with checked luggage, same as your firearms. Go figure. In this situation, bubble wrap can be your best friend and use lots of it... it weighs little and protects fairly well. Federal regulations used to say that medical gear, when certified, was "FREE" luggage and did not affect your total luggage allowance. Don't know what the rules are today, but worth asking.

After that guy tried to blow up his shoes I'm surprised they have not made every passenger check their shoes in as checked baggage. Sheeesh.

IF you are going to be away from home from more than a couple of days and need to be at your best I would take my spare CPAP along for sure. We were in NJ a couple of months ago and the APAP came with. Rather than deal with the airlines, we drove. The Ford Flex has a power inverter built in so we drove and if I wanted a nap I could haul out the CPAP in a jiffy.

Nobody said that using CPAP was going to be simple.

[Julie]

If you're travelling for business or even pleasure - for two weeks - you're not going to have a good time without a machine... you may end up being so useless work-wise, or miserable play wise that you'd have been better off to not go anywhere. You can feel o.k. for 1-2 nights without it (what I did last year on a very long return flight, but more than that won't work. I'm not even suggesting you use your machine in-flight, but at your destination, or else have a lousy and potentially dangerous time.

[Guest]

I am not following the question or any of the responses here. But suffice it to say there is no trouble at all traveling with a cpap today.

[Wulfman...]

Finally, after four years struggle from AI's in 30's and AHI >50 via prongs/CPAP through BIPAP, Full Face to AutoSV and still with AHI's 10-20's and quite erratic, found you guys and SleepyHead several months ago.(Deepest thanks to the site and its active players.) Have continued to optimize therapy and have achieved AHIs regularly .1-.5 using Full Face Mask, Soft C-collar and Brookstone anti-snore pillow. I've actually had minimal subjective difference at anywhere <AHI10. I'm traveling for two weeks soon, and packing the Brookstone is out of the question. Adding an airline "C" shaped travel collar is intolerable. Any suggestions, or am I getting crazy about this? if I can achieve <10AHI with the collar alone is it reasonable to ignore the issue for such a short time. Thanks for your thoughts, Bert

Quite possibly. (getting a little crazy about this)
I don't know why you seem to be contemplating going without the use of your machine for two weeks. It can only take ONE night without it to die.


Den

.

[arkis26]

Oops....guess my post was totally unclear. I'm not considering traveling without my machine for even a second. The only item i'm leaving behind is the large anti-snore pillow. I'm trying to decide it it's important to find an alternate to achieve the extra neck extension it provides (in addition to the jaw fixation provided by the c-collar) or can igrnore this extra extension so long as I can keep my AHI <10 for two weeks (rather than the AHI<1 I usually manage now). If the difference is that important, what other strategy might members suggest. Hope this is clearer... Thanks again

[Julie]

Small, soft cervical collar available at most full-service pharmacies. Keeps your head from falling forward when asleep so helps your airway to stay open.

[arkis26]

Julie. As I said, I already use a soft collar, but for optimal AHI also need the hyperextension that the Anti-snore pillow provides. I am trying to devise another solution for that hyperextension, vs sacrificing optimal AHI as I said above.

[jencat824]

Why not just pack the pillow in your luggage with your clothes? Seems better than get less-than-optimal treatment for two weeks.

[webbie73]

I have always found the airlines to be less than accommodating; even when presented with a doctor's note or prescription. TODAY, I don't think I would try to just carry a portable CPAP with battery pack and inverter onboard in a carry-on least I find it left behind somewhere. Funny, they permit me to carry on loads of electronics and backup battery such as my laptop, but no CPAP. Airline rules vary from airline to airline. In fact, rules vary from flight to flight. I have friends who have similar treatment checking in firearms for travel to competitions - something I would NEVER do even though I have a permit. Especially if I had a stopover in New York State.

I do not sleep well without my APAP. At one point, a few years back, many on this board will remember that I even had to infuse oxygen in order to get a restful and healthy/safe sleep. Today I just carry on the gear without opening it up for use - excepting for inspection(s) which are to be expected. I keep a prescription and any other documents I have in the bag with the equipment.

Try pulling out your CPAP onboard inflight and see what happens today. Depends on the airline, of course, but I, for one, would sure not do it without permission aforehand. An email or letter in advance from the airline would give me a level of comfort as well. I also use airline approved locks on my CPAP carry case in case they want to have a peek at it. And while my policy is to carry anything valuable or urgent/health related onboard with me, their policy may require that you check your CPAP with checked luggage, same as your firearms. Go figure. In this situation, bubble wrap can be your best friend and use lots of it... it weighs little and protects fairly well. Federal regulations used to say that medical gear, when certified, was "FREE" luggage and did not affect your total luggage allowance. Don't know what the rules are today, but worth asking.

After that guy tried to blow up his shoes I'm surprised they have not made every passenger check their shoes in as checked baggage. Sheeesh.

IF you are going to be away from home from more than a couple of days and need to be at your best I would take my spare CPAP along for sure. We were in NJ a couple of months ago and the APAP came with. Rather than deal with the airlines, we drove. The Ford Flex has a power inverter built in so we drove and if I wanted a nap I could haul out the CPAP in a jiffy.

Nobody said that using CPAP was going to be simple.

I am not sure if you are just carrying your cpap on a plane as carry on or if you want to use it on a plane.
If you are just taking your cpap on as carry on there is no problem. I use a roller carry on and I just put it up in the overhead bin. Even going through security is now a breeze. You don't even have to take it out! I fly all the time and never have a problem. Just recently TSA changed the policy about Cpap. It is so nice to breeze through security now!

[Guest]

Julie. As I said, I already use a soft collar, but for optimal AHI also need the hyperextension that the Anti-snore pillow provides. I am trying to devise another solution for that hyperextension, vs sacrificing optimal AHI as I said above.

I am not sure what this Anti-snore pillow looks like or what it does and you have not mentioned what sleeping position you use it in but ...
If you are sleeping on your back - you should avoid that, period.
The cervical collar will keep your neck straight no matter the position.
If you must sleep on your back for some reason you can take a towel (motel rooms usu have plenty), roll it up, then place it under the nape of your neck to hyper-extend your neck. Do not use a pillow.

All you may have to bring with you is a couple rubber bands to keep the towel rolled.

If that is not it, I am still not understanding your question/dilema.