Work travel w/ CPAP and possible hotel roommates

What would be worse snoring or using the cpap machine? As someone else said you could always get your own room.

Hose_Head wrote:....There's no reason that you should have to share your disability with a co-worker, especially if it makes you uncomfortable. No reputable employer would make you do so against your will. If your employer is the sort that would make an issue out of it, or chose to hold it against you, you have to ask yourself whether this is the sort of employer you want to work for, anyway.

I have to disagree with you here, HoseHead. In the current economic world, employment benefits such as trainings with expenses paid, are not to be taken for granted, and will most often be the first thing to be removed from the table. It is not at all unreasonable for an employer to feel it a generous offer to continue to pay for such things with the rule that car-share and room-share be expected. It's just been a common part of the shrinking of benefits in the interest of saving many employees from furloughs or layoffs.

Lots of good comments here. Just a small warning: if the hotel roommate does ask questions, I wouldn't go too far to provide answers. I have had tension with teammates, then when it seemed things were OK and we were warm and friendly, I talked too much and information I provided was used against me. Not saying that will happen for sure, but some sneaky people have ways of stabbing in the back that don't always necessarily make them look bad, they have had lots of practice making others look bad. I just wouldn't get too chit-chatty even if you feel like a conversation-opener occurs. But absolutely do set up the machine as a part of your unpacking, getting ready for bed, and use it. No lengthy explanations necessary.

Also agree with the possibility of talking with your boss if you feel comfortable ahead of time. Perhaps if there will be an odd number of attendees, you could stay in your own room. But I think bosses are more receptive when we don't just come to them with a problem, but a solution. I travel often and have never had to share a room, but I do know that companies have mandated room-sharing for years, and even more with the economy in its present condition. One more thought: I am an event planner, and when I sign up my attendees I ask if they have special needs of any kind - dietary, persons with disabilities, etc. If you put that in your original request, perhaps accommodations could be arranged so that you feel comfortable during the stay. And because of HIPAA laws, they are supposed to keep your information confidential.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

plr66 wrote:

Hose_Head wrote:....There's no reason that you should have to share your disability with a co-worker, especially if it makes you uncomfortable. No reputable employer would make you do so against your will. If your employer is the sort that would make an issue out of it, or chose to hold it against you, you have to ask yourself whether this is the sort of employer you want to work for, anyway.

I have to disagree with you here, HoseHead. In the current economic world, employment benefits such as trainings with expenses paid, are not to be taken for granted, and will most often be the first thing to be removed from the table. It is not at all unreasonable for an employer to feel it a generous offer to continue to pay for such things with the rule that car-share and room-share be expected. It's just been a common part of the shrinking of benefits in the interest of saving many employees from furloughs or layoffs.

I wrote from a position of what I know based on Canadian experience.

Are Americans really held hostage to this extent? If yes, then you really aren't free, no matter how much you shout it. Pay close attention to your ongoing debate on the issue and support your President in his efforts to reform the system. It's time to free the slaves!

Hose_Head wrote:...Are Americans really held hostage to this extent? If yes, then you really aren't free, no matter how much you shout it. Pay close attention to your ongoing debate on the issue and support your President in his efforts to reform the system. It's time to free the slaves!

Free? as long as the "for the rich, of the rich, by the rich" own congress, we be peons. Afterall the Bush admin managed to convince the majority of Americans that Iraq was responsible for 9-11 by repeating it over and over and over and over ad nauseum. Same thing's happening again 'cause we hear and see nothing but how bad the Canadian and English healthcare systems are, how long (wks-->months) everyone waits for access to care, and how govt regulates what care y'all can get...as if Americans don't wait for care and our for-profit insurance companies limit our doctor's options (my doc says APAP, my ins says no). They (the rich companies) are terrified of a public option. $40M in the last 3 months spent lobbying against a public option.

I first learned about CPAP because I traveled-- and shared a room with a co-worker-- who used CPAP. This was well over 10 years ago now, when machines were not nearly as quiet (or sophisticated) as what we have now. At first, I was hesitant to want to share the room with the co-worker, even though we were friends. Luckily, I adapt well to sleeping with mechanical noises (occasionally even slept at the transmitter site, with pumps, blowers, etc. blasting away all around me), and had no problems sharing the room with him.

If this were to happen today with a modern machine, I doubt I would even hear the machine.

Jokingly, I have the temptation to say, if they ask how noisy the machine is, I would reply 'no worse than a jet fighter with afterburners at takeoff'. And I would put a picture of Darth Vader on the table next to my bed

timbalionguy wrote:...put a picture of Darth Vader on the table next to my bed

I am self-employed, and have had no experience in the world of corporations. So I wasn't going to chime in here.
But after reading timbalionguy's comments, along with some of the others, I'm convinced that the best approach is the bottom line: sharing a room with a colleague is difficult.

However: sharing a room with someone who snores loudly is very difficult.
That said: sharing a room with someone who uses a not-too-old CPAP is a heck of a lot better than trying to sleep in a room with someone who snores loudly.

The problem is it's a set up for conflict of some sort. But CPAP keeps the conflict focused on the real deal, IMHO.

Good luck!

I guess I am mainly asking how other folks handled it in the past. Did you request work accomodate you with a separate room? Just tell the roommate in advance and see if they want to request a separate room? Tell them what you're doing as you set up the machine? And if a room was shared, any tips for making it easier on the other person.

The later I know I will just have to suck it up and try to make the best of it. I mainly mentioned it in the context of adding the CPAP issue on top of other existing issues.

I'm the type of person who hates to be any sort of imposition on anyone and would feel guilty about disturbing sleep.

Earlier this year I had to go to corporate training for a week... and they would pair you up with a stranger (another from the company) and expect you to share a room. I told my employer that I had a medical condition that might make it uncomfortable for someone rooming with me.

I told them I traveled with a CPAP machine and didn't want it to be uncomfortable for the other person. They were completely understanding and said, "no problem" we'll book you for a single room by yourself. I was relieved. My concern was partly for the other person, but mostly (selfishly) for me. I knew I would be more comfortable. And I was.

Besides, I'm a grown man - too old to have a room mate.

Traveling with CPAP can be stressful enough. Tell them up front. I doubt they would pull you from the trip. If they did... I think you would have a case!

Friend and I share a room at Dragon*Con each yr (well,, maybe not this yr ), we've been close friends since '74 and know the ins and outs of each other's medical; I'm her 'seeing eye' person-driver-reader as she's legally blind from diabetic retinopathy. She trashes around a lot at night and snores lightly but no apparent AIs or HIs that I've noticed; I suggested she asked our cardiologist about a home test but he didn't think it was needed. Last yr someone crashed with us in the cushy chair next to the bed I was in -- my friends all know I have OSA and use CPAP that explains my Dr Jekyll Ms Hyde behavior they found so weird. After we all were hunckered down, she told me it was OK to start the machine...it'd already been on for at least 15 mins. She was shocked it was so quiet (ResMed's really are that quiet).

If we get a hotel room this yr, I think I'll get an oversize Darth Vader t-shirt to sleep in a la Timbalion's thought.

Hose_Head wrote: I wrote from a position of what I know based on Canadian experience.

Are Americans really held hostage to this extent? !

Yep, pretty much. I'm not quite sure when it happened but we sold our souls to the corporations a while ago.

And that is exactly the problem right now...we've had costs cut pretty much to the bone, especially with non-sales realted travel. It is taking A LOT of talking on my manager's part for me to even get the slightest chance of going. And I think the only reason it is getting talked about is because if they give me the education they might not have to hire an additional person for those duties.

It is a 3 day event and the host hotel is quite expensive so paying for my own room is out of range. This is also why I expect that if I do get to go, they will want to get the maximum benefit from the hotel expense and send 2 people...plus the conference is trying so hard to get people to come that they are offering great deals on a the first person from a company, let alone a second.

I think I am just going to go with it and if I end up going with the 1 person I worry about I'll let her make it an issue. I've realized that all along I was worried about her making it an issue, but you all have really helped me realize that is totally not my problem. My direct boss knows about my SA and knew what I was talking about when I mentioned it because she has a neighbor who is a hosehead.

My personal opinion is I would not share a room without at least finding out if the person is a light sleeper or what. In my case I am used to the noise as we both are on machines, myself BIPAP for a neuromuscular disorder and my spouse for CPAP. Now we went on a trip and took for one night a hotel room with 2 queen beds, a stop on our way to the destination. The two young adult's with us almost fell off their chairs when spouse thought he should not use CPAP one night as not to disturb any one............since his snoring is like a mac truck.........they begged him to please keep it on.

As for health care. In no way do I think it is true or fair to say that Canada is the best, but I do believe it is better than in the USA. I see commercials with a women on TV all the time about her "tumor removal". In fact it was a type of cyst, and had she presented to an emergecy room with her "crushing headaches that she could no longer tolerate" then she would have been seen that day. It's funny how stories get changed .

I myself can say we have cancer in the family, ( serious that has led to death, and has also been beaten) . we have diabetis, a child hit by a car, a premature baby, neuromuscular disease, asthma, Cerebral palsy in a child, and on and on. In all the years, I have never been faced with a hospital bill. I live in a province that has mandatory drug coverage for all, the max I pay for drugs monthly is just under 78$, even though they cost thousands. Those on social aid, the low income elderly, children under 18, students till age 25, pay nothing. WE DO PAY via income taxes, but again dependant on ones income. Public private partnerships are becoming increasingly popular. ( using ones medicare card in a private setting like for x rays to reduce the burden on hospitals re againg population) . I know what premiums my family in the states pay, and I know we would not have our home any more if we lived in the USA. It is why I always refused moving to the states despite in early years always being recruited to go to the states because of my education and proffession. What bother's me about when the Canadian system is trashed and they point to cases where mistakes were made etc, is they dont look at the rate of inadequate care in the USA, which is much higher than in Canada. I dont say get a system just like us, but I do think a civelized country should have health care for all and I find it unacceptable that many people do not eak care or get care because of lack of coverage. We are not perfect, but we can learn from each others systems. I am at times so shocked when I read some of the posts from people who need basic things and cannot get them and yet people keep insisting nothing needs to change.

You will never see a family go bankrupt in Canada solely because of medical bills. It just does not happen.

I do feel that big corporations just have to much say in ordinary folks lives. I hope I have not started a war with my post, it's just my opinion, so please take it as that.

yo dels,

thanks for the sensitive remarks, and reminder that single-payer health care coverage would not by necessity cause the demise of the U.S. Indeed perhaps the opposite might be true.

A company I worked for until 1998 required sharing for national meetings.

The tales are legendary regarding those who had to room with the "snore monster." In a couple of cases, guys would go to the desk and beg for another room, at their own expense. They would have been very relieved if I had unpacked a cpap.

sheldons65 wrote:Just set up your machine and say nothing unless asked about it...

Ditto. And if they ask, simply say "I have sleep-disordered breathing and use a CPAP machine."

If they ask more questions, "Why do you ask?"

Your best bet is to be nonchalant about it.

If they give you any crap, the next morning say, "I heard you stop breathing many times last night and you look so tired this morning."