Feeling bad that I cannot afford to camp

[jamesbond007]

I signed up to ride the California Coast Classic this year. For those who don't know what it is, it is a 525-mile bike ride along HWY-1 spanning 7 days. We have to camp(the hotels are very expensive). But the problem is that I have a CPAP machine now. I am still in an insurance compliance period and have to use it for 4 hrs each day for the next 6 months. If not, insurance won't pay for the machine. So I need to find an external battery. No matter which option I take, an external battery is costing me about $400 plus sales tax. I don't have that kind of money to spare. One option is to not ride.

Feeling like crap just thinking I may not be able to do it. Sorry for venting here.

Does anybody have experience with how this compliance period works? Anybody successfully able to convince insurance?
Edit: Removed depressed form the title and replace it with "Feeling Bad". I am not actually depressed and not even sure what the means. Sorry for the mischaracterization.

[D.H.]

If you wait out the compliance period, you don't have to worry about the insurance taking away your machine.

Also note that if you treat you Apnea successfully, you'll be much less prone to depression.

[LSAT]

I signed up to ride the California Coast Classic this year. For those who don't know what it is, it is a 525 mile bike ride along HWY-1 spanning 7 days. We have to camp(hotels are very expensive). But the problem is that I have a CPAP machine now. I am still in an insurance compliance period and have to use it for 4 hrs each day for the next 6 months. If not, insurance won't pay for the machine. So I need to find an external battery. No matter which option I take, an external battery is costing me about $400 plus sales tax. I don't have that kind of money to spare. One option is to not ride.

Feeling like crap just thinking I may not be able to do it. Sorry for venting here.

Does anybody has experience with how this compliance period works? Anybody successfully able to convince insurance?

Double check with your insurance on the compliance period...It does vary by insurance company but MOST insurance follows the Government Medicare Guidelines.....During the first 90 days, you must average 4 hours per night, 70% of the time during a 30 day period.

[Cardsfan]

$269 +tax for the Freedom battery at www.cpap.com. It is on sale now.

[Goofproof]

May you never find out what Depression really is, and or have to deal with it. Jim

[Pugsy]

Reaffirm...check with your insurance company and don't trust what the DME told you about compliance period requirements.
What you stated is not normally a requirement and sometimes DMEs tell people something that is more strict than is what really required to put the fear of God in them.

Call up your insurance directly and ask them.

[jamesbond007]

May you never find out what Depression really is, and or have to deal with it. Jim

Agreed. I am not really depressed literally. I meant it figuratively. Apologize to those who suffer from depression. I meant no disrespect.

[Goofproof]

May you never find out what Depression really is, and or have to deal with it. Jim

Agreed. I am not really depressed literally. I meant it figuratively. Apologize to those who suffer from depression. I meant no disrespect.

I'm not depressed just once after a quad by-pass two days, trapped in there wired up, no one there you feel abandon, to much time to think is a bad thing. I have lived around depression, it's hard to understand if you aren't depressed yourself, after that short exposure I can see a little better the feeling.My Concern is now days Depressed and Bully Ect. are used to describe any of life's problems that don't make one happy. As terms they are used to provoke "Look at Me!" usually over things that are just a part of life and for many years were considered just a normal part of day to day living.

Life for most isn't easy, many time we are our own worst enemy, causing our troubles, or in the least making them worse, by our own poor choices.

Pay me no mind , just a non-liberal, in a liberal world. Now officially a minority, but not a popular one!

Jim

Good luck with your trip. There's usually a way around things.

[nanwilson]

James, you definitely can camp out while going on a long ride. My son has done it for the last 4 or 5 years, he even goes to Sturgis every year. He has a very small battery that fits in the bags on his bike and uses whichever propriety cord that is needed with his machine. Now I know for a fact that it did not cost him anywhere near $400 bucks, since he is the worst skin- flint ever . He has gone hunting a few times and has used the battery on his truck..... so why can't you hook up to your bike battery and not use an extra battery?????? And yes, he has gone on very long rides... how about across Canada and most of the northern US states. Do some more research James.... you CAN do it for way less $$$$$$
Happy camping.
Nan

[Goofproof]

James, you definitely can camp out while going on a long ride. My son has done it for the last 4 or 5 years, he even goes to Sturgis every year. He has a very small battery that fits in the bags on his bike and uses whichever propriety cord that is needed with his machine. Now I know for a fact that it did not cost him anywhere near $400 bucks, since he is the worst skin- flint ever . He has gone hunting a few times and has used the battery on his truck..... so why can't you hook up to your bike battery and not use an extra battery?????? And yes, he has gone on very long rides... how about across Canada and most of the northern US states. Do some more research James.... you CAN do it for way less $$$$$$
Happy camping.
Nan

Not Motorcycles or Cars or Trucks, Real Bikes, two leg powered type 8 days. 525 miles, San Francisco to Los Angeles, for the Arthritis Foundation. 250 Riders. Jim

[ChicagoGranny]

Feeling like crap just thinking I may not be able to do it.

Why did you have a sleep study? What were your symptoms, and how severe was your apnea?

Do you know that people with untreated sleep apnea are at higher risk for heart attacks and stroke? The risk only increases when the body is put under a lot of physical stress.

If you do come up with a battery, remember you need a way to charge it.

[Mogy]

If you get creative there are ways to do it. Especially if you have one of your buddies help you charge a battery.
It is about 4 Ahrs at 12V to run your machine for the night. Small deep cycle SLA non-spillable batteries in the 3Ahr range can be bought for about $20 to $30. Small dynamos can be bought for bicycles to charge batteries. How many hours are you peddling each day?

[SirGaspAlot]

Initially I thought the same thing. I am raising my Grand daughter who is special needs and only 5 years old (huge motivator to get my sleep apnea diagnosed and treated). I used to be extremely depressed, so I do know about that sad dark place, but I'm not there anymore. I was for 52 years though, I'm certainly no stranger to it and am definitely mindful of it.

I would exhaust every resource you can find. Heck, start a gofundme if you must. But it shoudlnt come to that. I'm certain theres plenty of possibilities through churches, the health department, etc.

[jamesbond007]

If you get creative there are ways to do it. Especially if you have one of your buddies help you charge a battery.
It is about 4 Ahrs at 12V to run your machine for the night. Small deep cycle SLA non-spillable batteries in the 3Ahr range can be bought for about $20 to $30. Small dynamos can be bought for bicycles to charge batteries. How many hours are you peddling each day?

I'll be riding an average of 70 miles each day along the CA coast.

[jamesbond007]

Feeling like crap just thinking I may not be able to do it.

Why did you have a sleep study? What were your symptoms, and how severe was your apnea?

Do you know that people with untreated sleep apnea are at higher risk for heart attacks and stroke? The risk only increases when the body is put under a lot of physical stress.

If you do come up with a battery, remember you need a way to charge it.

The doctor diagnosed as moderate apnea. My AHI was 26.8 when diagnosed. I started my treatment 1 week ago. By the time I do this ride, I would be in my third month.