Need ideas re plane ride

[Julie]

Hi, I'm going to be taking an extremely long plane ride, with one short and one longer stop in the near future. The last thing I want to do is fuss with a machine on the way (and will have an aisle seat), and will luckily have 1-2 machines available to use for the month I am there (will bring my own mask). But I do have one overnight at an airport hotel when coming back, just before taking the last little flight home - after which I then have to pick up my cats and car and make a longish drive to the house late in the day. The overnight, plus the very long hours in the air otherwise, coming and going, don't look so friendly right now and I wonder if anyone can point me to some little device that I could use when asleep (however reclined or upright the seat is).

Thanks to any and all!

[tetragon]

Doesn't the Transcend have an option for head-mounting it? The display model I saw at my DME didn't have the straps attached, but it did have the little loops on its base for connecting it.

[Julie]

True, but I don't think I want to be on a plane with that thing on my head anytime soon, but thanks for the idea (plus I think I'd still have to do the whole screening prying poking thing which I'd like to avoid.

[CavemanSean]

Doesn't the Transcend have an option for head-mounting it? The display model I saw at my DME didn't have the straps attached, but it did have the little loops on its base for connecting it.

You are indeed correct; its the
Transcend II Travel CPAP Machine



While it may make you look a little silly on the plane (if you so choose to sleep on the aircraft.. I know I do!) nothing beats staying alive and getting a good nights (or morning..depending on how far you travel) sleep!!

I have one of these on order for my next trip to Europe this coming summer!

[Julie]

You're right, but then I might as well just take my regular machine... I'd just rather not if at all possible. My AHI's are always around or under 1, pressure at 10 and holding, and I won't need it for the whole month I'll be there.

[DreamLady]

I can only relate my experience on one of my trips to the east coast. I travel to my daughter's homes 4-6 times a year as funds permit, mostly by air. I have 2 machines, one lives at my daughter's. That way I don't have to carry a machine with me.

One time I was on my way back and my plane got seriously delayed for mechanical issues that eventually caused the flight to be cancelled. I was faced with staying overnight away from home with no machine. No problem, right? Wrong! I could not sleep all night. Every time I dozed off I woke myself up as soon as I started to snore. The little I did sleep, my O2 sat must have been very low, because I awoke with a raging anoxia headache. I'd almost forgotten what those feel like, and that they linger on for hours. I was never so happy to see my machine when I finally got home!

Also, it seems you're under the impression that security is tighter when you travel with cpap. This has never been the case for me. I think I've had to take the machine out of the case once in the last 3 years, and that was early on. Now if I have to travel with cpap, I just unzip the case and lay it open as it goes through the machine after telling the security personnel that it's a cpap machine. Plus, do you know if you will tolerate a different machine? I'm surprised that I just don't sleep as well with the machine at my daughter's house. I'm thinking of keeping my eyes open for a used model the same as I use at home.

If I were to take an overnight flight, I'd definitely take and use my own cpap machine. I have a very difficult time sleeping on a plane anyway, and I'd rather use my machine than make everyone miserable listening to me snore (the sleep tech said I snore louder than any female she'd ever heard) if I DO sleep. Plus, whatever sleep I did get would be of much better quality!

[BlackSpinner]

Julie - you can take the cpap machine in a second caryon (except maybe on Westjet). I was flying to Alberta every few months before I moved here and the screening is no issue. I just plunked it in a bin with my lap top and off it went. My only problem was one shoe of my walking shoes sets off the alarm so I take those off too. They see cpap machines almost as often as lap tops.

Just take it with you and stay consistent. It is not worth the danger of a long drive after a night with bad sleep. Think of your cats with you in the car!

[CavemanSean]

I know when I fly to Alberta for work;

I fly westjet all the time, I've been asked a few times for "proof" that I require a CPAP machine (I always carry my prescription and my recent sleep study)

I also always make sure all my cpap stuff is kept in a sealed plastic bag & request that if any of them want to inspect it, before opening the bags that they must change gloves as it is a medical device.

[Julie]

It just occurred to me to try Provent - I wouldn't want to pay for it on-going, but for 1-2 nights - maybe with taping to be sure I don't spoil the effect - it could probably do the job. Will look into it further. Thanks to all who reminded me that I could be sorry if I do nothing at all!

[chunkyfrog]

Good to test the Provent out beforehand.
just to see if you can tolerate it--maybe for a nap.

[hyperlexis]

You could do it, legally, because it's a medical device. However, you would need a power outlet, which there may not be one, or a battery pack. Plus unless you are in 1st class, you will have to somehow fit a mess of wires and tubing into a very, very small space --- plus you got an aisle seat which may be a safety problem for the window passenger because of hoses and blocking access or whatnot so the stewardess may need to move you to another seat. For me I wouldn't bother. It seems far more trouble than it's worth. It's just one flight and if you are so gravely ill that one nte off cpap will kill you, then perhaps traveling is not medically advisable anyway.... Plus I would be too embarrassed looking like an ICU patient on an airplane..... Let's all try to stay calm, and stay glam while jet-setting.

Bon voyage!