Cdn with a question and Concerned about ordering from US

[DaveL]

Last year while on vacation we had a near miss while travelling in the US> In rural Massachusetts we had a lightning strike nearby. I had my cpap plugged in to a surge suppressor, and it saved it. The tv in the room didn't restart.
So, question is, as a Canadian treated for OSA in Ontario, how do you order replacement equipment while travelling? And how do they ship to you, while staying in hotels and motels?

Today I tried to order a simple mask from a cpap supplier. I know...prescription.

But--our orders are placed with a requisition from my Sleep Doc to an assigned vendor. Not a prescription. I have had 2 cpap units in 15 years of compliance. I think I saw my Sleep Doc for a requisition about 4-5 years ago. I have a prescription for the pressure used then, at 9-11...

This situation makes me nervous about travelling. I know for a fact I can't reach my Sleep Doc at the drop of a hat. So I could wait 2-3 days without care and be unable to get a replacement machine, or even a mask.

As a photographer ( a pro, in the past) I know that some suppliers are reluctant to ship to hotels, even if they have a credit card number, for high cost equipment. I think I better be prepared if I am to travel in the US again.
What do you do?

ps Very frustrated after trying to buy a simple mask on the internet; darn it's hard to be compliant!

[Julie]

Hi, get your MD to write a proper prescription that you can use anywhere... just be sure it says loud and clear exactly what you want it to say... e.g. not just Cpap if you want Apap, and if Apap, then possibly add the range of pressure settings you use... or as another Canadian, did I miss something at all?

[BlackSpinner]

Buy a back up on craigslist. and use that one for travelling.

If you go on our host's site there is a page with forms for cpap prescriptions. Print one out, fill it in and bring to your regular doctor (or dentist) and tell him/her to sign it so you can buy what you need when travelling.

[ozij]

I know from personal experience that cpap.com do deliver to hotels.

[tschultz]

Just get your family doctor to write the prescription. My family doctor wrote my prescription so I could get my S9 AutoSet after the Sleep Doc reused to do so for me. With the prescription you are free to get the equipment wherever you chose. But there are some companies, such as ResMed, that do not "allow" the US companies to ship their equipment to Canada. They do this simply to keep the prices inflated in our market.

[nanwilson]

Morning
I fax'd a copy of mine to cpap.com and they accepted it. I do carry a copy with me when I travel and only use my backup machine when I do too. Last time I was in Yuma at an rv resort with friends, my friend needed a new hose, he just ordered on-line to a U.S. supplier and got it delivered to the resort in a day or two. I too use a surge protector wherever I go...even at home

[BlackSpinner]

Another thing is that if you travel anywhere out of your province you should buy travel health insurance. Always!

Most american health facilities will not accept your health care card and will either expect you to pay cash in advance or show you the door.

In case of issues with your cpap machine you would buy a new part and get it reimbursed (partially) when you get home - eventually....

[Postman]

I used cpap.com (after faxing a copy of my script - I phoned Dr's office and requested a copy that I picked-up at his reception desk - requested for travel) and they delivered to front door using Canada Post. I have also in the past used a Niagara Falls, USA mail drop (USD$5.00) for deliverys. NO duty or taxes on sleep apnea devices in Ontario.

[DaveL]

I have the sleep doc from h--- My rant would last a long time if I got started.

Thanks for the responses. I couldn't buy a mask from the US because I don't have a current prescription. Bothers me...and I need to be proactive if I travel to the US.

DaveL

[Elle]

Mr regular doc has written a prescription when sleep doc not available. I scanned my prescription on to my computer and keep a copy in a folder in gmail to access from anywhere. You can even keep it on your smart phone if you have one.

[chunkyfrog]

Ask your dentist for the RX;
just say your reg. doc is too slow in response to phone requests.
And you need to leave in a hurry.
Be 'creative'

[Hawthorne]

My GP wrote my prescription for me 10 years ago when I was first diagnosed. I have a copy of it with my backup/travel machine. I also scanned it to my Documents on my computer.

While that old prescription is no good to me in Ontario anymore, I have it on file at cpap.com. They know sleep apnea is usually for life and honour that 10 year old prescription for masks, machines and parts (except for Resmed now).

Ozij replied that cpap.com will ship to hotels. Get a prescription from your GP - not the sleep doctor. Then you have it in your hands.That way you can buy from any Canadian supplier and probably anywhere. If you were travelling in the US, you could get even have Resmed equipment delivered to you from cpap.com.

Of course, in Ontario, an old prescription is no use. The suppliers here require a fairly recent prescription. Can't speak for the rest of Canada.

[Elle]

In BC mine is still good (mid 2006). My pressure on my RX is 10 and I am now using 10-14 (hover over 13 mostly) with no change to the prescription.

[-tim]

Go to one of the doc in a box places with your prescription and the form from cpap.com and your current prescription. They will give you a US one that the US on line shops can deal with.

Also when ordering to a hotel, just use the street address and your name. It will get to you... You may have to tell your credit card company to add that address to their file.

[DaveL]

Thanks everyone.
I have been compliant for 15 years. I have only missed one night..up all night traveling from Newfoundland. SleepDocFromHll is hard to get to. Time for a change? But I don't know who is good.
Won't write a prescription or an auto pap machine. And cost is so high here anyway.
I do have aa copy of the requisition for my cpap machine, but couldn't buy a mask with the vendor here with that.