What do I need for trip to Europe?

[Hose_Head]

At the end of this month I'm off on my first trip (ever!) to Europe. Specifically, I'll be spending 11 days on a tour of Italy. I'd like some advice from those of you who are seasoned travellers to this part of the world. Specifically:

1) what do I need to take with me to power my Respironics M Series? I know it will operate on 230 volts, but do I need an adapter to fit their wall-outlets?

2) I'm flying "Delta, operated by Alitalia Airlines". Any idea what rules will apply re carry-on baggage? (My travel agent is next to useless in answering these types of questions. )

Other than never having been to Europe, I'm a seasoned traveler with cpap. I just need to fine-tune my travel kit and info for this particular destination and air carrier.

Thanks to all who reply!

[RandyJ]

You need a standard European adapter with 2 round prongs. That's it.

You can see what it looks like here:

http://www.magellans.com/store/Adaptors ... torsEA351D

You can buy distilled water ("acqua distillata") at a pharmacy ("farmacia") or grocery store ("supermercato"). Many Italians buy it to use in their irons because the tap water there has extremely high mineral content, especially calcium.

Buon viaggio!

[lktnky]

Don't forget to take an extension cord. Never know how far away the electric plug will be in your sleeping room.

Check Alitalia's website for carry-on rules. Each airline has different requirements. Most are pretty easy on the CPAP equipment but I definitely would NOT check it, even if you pad it in your luggage.

Have a wonderful trip!
All the best,
LKTNKY

[lktnky]

Forgot to ask ~ how do you manage your hose? Do you suspend it or tuck it under your covers?
I made a portable hose handler from PVC pipe that I used to use whenever traveling. Got the directions here on the forum. It was cheap to make (under $10) and easy to pack.

[Hose_Head]

Forgot to ask ~ how do you manage your hose? Do you suspend it or tuck it under your covers?
I made a portable hose handler from PVC pipe that I used to use whenever traveling. Got the directions here on the forum. It was cheap to make (under $10) and easy to pack.

I use a Cozy-Hose Boss to manage my hose, both at home and when travelling. It's like, compact, and it works! I used to have a home made unit, made of PVC, that I used at home. It worked ok, but it was ugly and not nearly as flexible as the CHB. PVC units are kinda bulky for travel, too.

Cozy Hose Boss: http://www.pur-sleep.com/products/prodD ... rch=&page=

[Gerald]

Hose-Head.......

Recently spent time in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and on a cruise ship. So long as you have adapter plugs and a 10' extension cord, you'll have no problem.

Use drinking water for your humidifier.....and swish / rinse every day. Distilled water not necessary.

Carry on your M-Series in its bag. Don't check it.

G

[Hose_Head]

Hose-Head.......

Recently spent time in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and on a cruise ship. So long as you have adapter plugs and a 10' extension cord, you'll have no problem.

Use drinking water for your humidifier.....and swish / rinse every day. Distilled water not necessary.

Carry on your M-Series in its bag. Don't check it.

G

Thanks. Looks as though my standard travel kit is good to go, with the exception that I need to get a travel adapter for operation on 240 volt.

Thanks to all who have replied!

[Gerald]

A last thought.......

When you buy your adapter kit, spring for the one with multiple plugs. The one I found has about (4) slightly different 220V plugs that all snap together and live in their own little drawstring bag. You'll be amazed at how useful a multiple plug system will be.

We also carried the lightweight hose hanger kits from CPAP.com and they did a fine job.

Have a good trip!

[Perrybucsdad]

And don't forget to pack clean underwear.

[apneawho]

Have a great trip. I have enough anxiety traveling 3 hrs to spend one night away with my cpap. I can only imagine going to Europe and hoping you have everything you need is a little anxiety provoking. Take a copy of your script in case something breaks while you are there. Someone may have already said that.

[RandyJ]

Use drinking water for your humidifier.....and swish / rinse every day. Distilled water not necessary.

This is debatable, not everyone agrees on this point. I would do whatever you do at home. Distilled water is easily available if you want it.

[Gerald]

Randy.....

I respectfully disagree with your position on "distilled water". At home, I do use distilled water....but on a trip I don't want the hassle of trying to find some while I'm on the move.

I realize that the manufacturers suggest the use of distilled water....but they don't give a reason "why" they do so.

So why is distilled water recommended? Why is it better than drinking water for use in a CPAP humidifier? What principles of Physics are involved here? What can go wrong when drinking water is used? What damage will drinking water do to Hose-Head's humidifier?

if I'm missing something, I'm eager to learn. Please let us know why you believe distilled water to be imperative while Hose-Head is on his trip.

G

[RandyJ]

Gerald

Not saying you are wrong - just saying that people do not agree. Depending on manufacturer, distilled water is recommended. The whys and wherefores and physics of the matter could populate, and probably have, many threads on this board.

Many bottled drinking waters have high mineral content; one really has to read the label carefully. If OP purchases the wrong one in Italy he could be putting a water with lots of sodium, zinc, magnesium etc into his humidifier. There are many more brands of water, each with different mineral profile, available in Italy than are available in US. While over a period of 10 days or less the effect on humidifier could be negligible, who knows how sensitive his mucous membranes are if he is used to distilled water?

For myself, I don't like changes to my therapy. If the OP uses distilled water all the time at home and then purchases a strange bottled water on holiday and gets a sore throat, was it worth it to make that change?

In most grocery stores in Italy the bottled drinking water will be near the distilled water, so it's not like he will have to go out of his way to find distilled water. If he can't find distilled water, by all means a bottled water with low mineral content (Evian, Volvic, Acqua Panna) would be my second choice. Never tap water in Italy though - too much calcium and chlorine.

I used to live in Italy and know that distilled water is readily available in almost every supermarket & pharmacy. I want him to know that if he prefers distilled water, he does not have to compromise and use bottled drinking water.

[john_dozer]

Randy.....

I respectfully disagree with your position on "distilled water". At home, I do use distilled water....but on a trip I don't want the hassle of trying to find some while I'm on the move.

I realize that the manufacturers suggest the use of distilled water....but they don't give a reason "why" they do so.

So why is distilled water recommended? Why is it better than drinking water for use in a CPAP humidifier? What principles of Physics are involved here? What can go wrong when drinking water is used? What damage will drinking water do to Hose-Head's humidifier?

if I'm missing something, I'm eager to learn. Please let us know why you believe distilled water to be imperative while Hose-Head is on his trip.

G

Distilled water will slow / prevent the build up of minerals in your equipment. There is also other 'stuff' than minerals in tap water. All the stuff gives bacteria building blocks with which to grow. Bacteria can't grow on water alone. Also distilled water is actually like an antiseptic or disinfectant to some bacteria since they can't live in a pure water enviroment ("diffusion through a semi-permeable membrane" I believe keeps pumping water into the bacteria until they explode in some cases).

[M.D.Hosehead]

RE: the 240 volt adapter, read your power brick. Most of them accept 240 v. so all you need's the plug adapter.