Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

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Albatros
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Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by Albatros » Wed Jan 25, 2023 8:26 am

Hello,

I'm 4 months in CPAP and I'm planning to travel with plane, cab and some hotel changes.
And I'm starting to worry !

Traveling with the Airsense 11 machine: I wonder if it will be pratical and not dangerous for the machine, even with care ?

So I would be interested to have your experience and your own answer:
-carry the Airsense 11 with care. And if so, what precautions should be taken?
or
-make the effort to buy an air Mini?
Which could also be used as a back up.

Thank you

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robysue1
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by robysue1 » Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:29 am

Albatros wrote:
Wed Jan 25, 2023 8:26 am
Hello,

I'm 4 months in CPAP and I'm planning to travel with plane, cab and some hotel changes.
And I'm starting to worry !

Traveling with the Airsense 11 machine: I wonder if it will be pratical and not dangerous for the machine, even with care ?
Don't worry. Traveling with a CPAP is not all that difficult and it's done all the time. Start planning for the trip rather than worrying about it.

So I would be interested to have your experience and your own answer:
-carry the Airsense 11 with care. And if so, what precautions should be taken?
My husband and I did an extended 45 day European trip this summer with our CPAPs.
Here's what you need to be aware of for traveling with a CPAP.

1) The travel bag/case that came with your CPAP is designed to protect it when traveling. So use that bag. And don't try to stick the CPAP bag in another suitcase: You will want the CPAP with you when you are in transit.

2) When traveling by air, the CPAP should be carried on to the plane with you. In the US (and most other countries), the CPAP will not count against your carry-on limit. But it should be clearly labeled as medical equipment with a tag. Your name should definitely be on the CPAP. And make sure you don't put anything that is not directly needed for the CPAP in the CPAP case. Same thing if you need to take a long distance bus or train ride: Carry the CPAP with you.

3) Be prepared by having spare equipment: Carry an extra hose. Carry an extra mask or at least an extra mask cushion. Carry extra filters.

4) It's worth bringing an extension cord or surge protector. Many hotel rooms have limited plugs and they're not always right by the bed.

5) If you use a humidifier, think in advance about what to do concerning the water. It's worth reading the sticky about Distilled water vs bottled water vs tap water. If you are traveling in an area where distilled water is hard to come by, don't get overly worried about resorting to using bottled or potable tap water while on the trip. In my own opinion, the biggest problem with tap water is that sometimes I can notice the smell of chlorine, but it will dissipate if you fill the tank several hours before bedtime. Bottled water is less likely to smell of chlorine, but check to make sure the bottled water is not mineral water. If there are minerals in the water, you'll wind up with a cloudy humidifier tank from mineral residue. Usually a good soak in a vinegar-water mix is all it takes to get rid of that residue.

6) When setting up your equipment in a hotel room, you may have to get creative on where to put it. Sometimes the night stands are too small or too full of other junk for the CPAP to fit securely. You can always put the machine on the floor if necessary. Hard chairs can also be pressed into use as "CPAP stands".

7) If you are going to take a long, overnight flight (or bus ride or train trip), you need to assume that you will not have power at your seat. If you do get lucky and have a power outlet, your CPAP should work. But some airlines may still restrict the use or try to restrict the use. Just make sure the CPAP is in airplane mode and you should be fine. If you can't stomach the idea of not using the machine on an overnight flight, you should definitely contact the airline and find out what their restrictions are. And consider bringing a battery to power the CPAP. But note: Batteries are not cheap---and the smaller, more portable and more powerful batteries are even more expensive. Also read your CPAP's instructions carefully to make sure you get a battery that is compatible with your machine.

8) If you are traveling abroad, make sure you have the appropriate adapters for plugging your CPAP into the local electric plugs.
or
-make the effort to buy an air Mini?
Which could also be used as a back up.
The Mini is smaller than your AS11. But you still have to make sure of the same things you would with the AS11. You'll also give up humidification---yes, Resmed has a "waterless humidifier system" for the Mini, but reports are quite mixed in how well it works. You'll also have to make sure your mask is compatible with the Mini. And there are also reports that the Mini is quite noisy as compared to a full size machine.

But if you can afford the Mini and you are willing to put up with the compromises that it presents, then sure, its worth having a second machine around as a back up machine.
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Albatros
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by Albatros » Wed Jan 25, 2023 10:13 am

Robysue, thank you. Complete and clear (as usual).

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by chunkyfrog » Wed Jan 25, 2023 2:00 pm

All my Resmed machines came with travel cases.
I assume Airsense 11 machines do, as well.
Considering that, I have had no doubts about travel.
My case even has a strap across the back, so it will stack
on top of rolling luggage. Beyond awesome!
Hotels fill the nightstand with clutter.
Feel free to relocate anything out of your way,
but put it back before checking out so staff will know it is still there.

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jas32
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by jas32 » Wed Jan 25, 2023 3:49 pm

Is it viable? Of course it is. Personally I'm always paranoid about traveling with my main (or only) machine. If I break it while I travel, I won't have anything to use when I get home. So I always made sure I travel with my back-up unit. My main unit always stays at home.

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gingersnap10
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by gingersnap10 » Wed Jan 25, 2023 3:57 pm

I just traveled for a week with my 11! As others have noted, the bag it comes in is easy to pack and travel with. I did not find it overly difficult. I flew with it and did not encounter any issues with TSA or gate staff which was nice.

That being said, I did find it cumbersome to add a third bag to my usual carry on assortment. I didn't pack it in a suitcase or putting it in the overhead so it was with me and under my seat on all the plane rides which by the end of a multi city trip got annoying. I had enough in my FSA to buy an AirMini and am going to try that out as I much prefer the idea of something more packable and convenient. I think the best thing to do is try out traveling with your 11 and see what works for you! Resmed's online store has a 30 day return window for the AirMini so I'm going to see if I can handle that for future travel. But I think everyone is different so it's all a bit of trial and error.

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bierhere
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by bierhere » Wed Jan 25, 2023 5:23 pm

Travel with a CPAP is not a big issue. I've had one for 15 years and have traveled both internationally/domestically with it. For domestic travel, make sure to bring an extension cord. As others have said, hotels might not have the most convenient plug location. I tend to use bottled water unless my stay was multiple days and I was staying near a Target/supermarket that made getting distilled water easy.

I ultimately purchased an AirMini because I was traveling 75% of the time. It eliminated the extra bag and the distilled water. It also drew less power which was helpful for camping/international flights. You should feel free to use the CPAP in-flight on overnight flights. I've used it on multiple international flights to Europe/India and have never had an issue, though sometimes requires a question to be answered. If you are going to use it in flight, make sure to bring a battery. I have found power connections too inconsistently available and have had power draw issues.

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D.H.
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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by D.H. » Thu Jan 26, 2023 3:20 pm

Ok, I see that you were already reminded that you might need an adapter if you're traveling outside of France (which is shown as your home country). If you're traveling to mast parts of the Americas, the electrcity will be 110 volts / 60 hz. THis will not be an issue for your CPAP, you cell phone, or most things that you might bring that need to be plugged in.

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Re: Travelling with the Airsense 11 machine ? Is it viable ?

Post by Janknitz » Thu Jan 26, 2023 3:55 pm

It's always a good idea to travel with a copy of your prescription in case you need to replace a mask or anything on your trip.

An extension cord is a good idea, because some hotels have the only plugs far away from the beds or behind a piece of furniture you can't move.
(NOTE: Cruises don't permit the surge protector types of extension cords and may not permit extension cords too)

I carry a bunch of rubber bands. They can be chained together and used to hang my hose from a wall mounted lamp or headboard, or even well secured "artwork" hanging over the head of the bed to give me a sort of hose management.

Also, in hotels, I suggest you put it away in the case during the day because housekeeping sprays all kinds of stuff while cleaning that seems to find it's way into the machine.

If you get the Air Mini, plan to still put it in your carry on luggage. It's not safe to check your machine because. . . lost luggage.
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