CPAPtalk.com

just an update on how my flight went with my cpap machine:

no problem going through security as soon as i explained what it was. the only thing that gave the x-ray person pause was the battery pack.

as for in-flight use, i just mentioned to the flight attendant what it was and that i would like to use it (on battery back-up) and after checking with her supervisor it was no problem. of course we were flying emirates air and got bumped to first class (for the first time in my life). SCORE!!!!!

i have 3 more overnight flights before i get home, all on different airlines, so i'll let y'all know how it goes.

I carry my li-ion CPAP battery in my large-ish Respironics M series case (the IntelliPAP case is too small) and I haven't ever had a problem with TSA; my bag with battery and other CPAP stuff in it just goes through x-ray. I haven't had any real problems with carrying my CPAP machine through TSA, I just put it in a tray by itself and TSA takes it for swabbing. I have gotten used to carrying my battery in my CPAP case and I don't notice that it is there.

Speaking of batteries, make sure to keep yours charged up. I keep mine around for power outages and didn't realize that the charge only lasts about 6 months.

we finally made it back from our trip around the world. overall i had no trouble getting my CPAP equipment through security. all i had to do was remove the machine from the carry case and put it in a separate bin, the rest went through x-ray no problem. most security workers had trouble identifying the machine, so i just had to explain briefly that it was medical equipment that i needed to help me while i sleep. after rolling it around in their hands for a few seconds, they just passed it on. what did give them some pause was the battery supply, but only until they realized what it was for.

in fact, for the first time i noticed others in the security line with their xpap equipment. made me feel alot better about being part of the 'OSA sleep apnea nation'.

i even used it on the plane. all i had to do was explain to the flight attendant what it was for and it was no problem.

as for the battery back-up, i'm really glad i had it. not only did i need it on the plane and at our safari camp where the power went off at night, but it even came in very handy in the hotels where the only power source was on the other side of the room. i used it at night and recharged it during the day.

anyways, just wanted to reassure anyone out there that is thinking about taking their machine on a flight to another country, not to worry. it's really no big deal.

on a side note, it turns out that in my travel group was a woman who has been working for the last few years at a sleep clinic! what are the odds of that? well, we had a great time talking about all sorts of things. she was very impressed that i've been so compliant and even took my equipment on safari!

it was a great trip - i hope to post a few pictures later.

fishhead wrote: [the battery] even came in very handy in the hotels where the only power source was on the other side of the room.

It is a good idea to carry a cheap 12' extension cord and a 3-way outlet adapter when traveling -- it can help in these situations. I have even had to use an extension cord in high end resort rooms. In one high-end hotel; the bedside light was built into the headboard, the only outlet in the room was on the wrong side of the bed, and there was no unused socket on the outlet (the clock used one socket and the headboard lighting used the other socket).

Would you mind posting the name of the battery back-up you used. We have the same apap--S8 AutoSet II and I've been researching and trying to decide what to get. Thanks.

KatieW wrote:Would you mind posting the name of the battery back-up you used. We have the same apap--S8 AutoSet II and I've been researching and trying to decide what to get. Thanks.

I don't think fishhead would mind me answering that for him, KatieW. (He said he was gonna go to bed early tonight when I E-mailed him this afternoon. That trip took a lot out of him.) This is the battery fishhead uses:

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/cpap- ... cable.html

jeff

jnk wrote:

KatieW wrote:Would you mind posting the name of the battery back-up you used. We have the same apap--S8 AutoSet II and I've been researching and trying to decide what to get. Thanks.

I don't think fishhead would mind me answering that for him, KatieW. (He said he was gonna go to bed early tonight when I E-mailed him this afternoon. That trip took a lot out of him.) This is the battery fishhead uses:

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/cpap- ... cable.html

jeff

Thanks Jeff!

yes, thanks, jeff! i couldn't have said it better myself! and the extra sleep last night really helped.
definitely worth the $.

in fact, it comes with a very nice camera case, but i find it all fits perfectly in the original carry case that my machine came in. so not only do i have all the accessories together in one place, but now i also have a great camera case!

I got back from another safari in Tanzania and South Africa three weeks ago. The brochures for the "luxury tent camps" in Tanzania said that they had electric lights, but as it turned out they were solar charged low voltage, so no power for my CPAP. I spent the 1st week of my trip without my machine and the 1st time I'd been without it in 3 years. I felt like I'd been hit by a bus, not to mention my ribs being sore from being "nudged" for snoring. I guess I need to purchase a battery setup for my machine.

fishhead wrote:we finally made it back from our trip around the world. overall i had no trouble getting my CPAP equipment through security. all i had to do was remove the machine from the carry case and put it in a separate bin, the rest went through x-ray no problem. most security workers had trouble identifying the machine, so i just had to explain briefly that it was medical equipment that i needed to help me while i sleep. after rolling it around in their hands for a few seconds, they just passed it on. what did give them some pause was the battery supply, but only until they realized what it was for.

in fact, for the first time i noticed others in the security line with their xpap equipment. made me feel alot better about being part of the 'OSA sleep apnea nation'.

i even used it on the plane. all i had to do was explain to the flight attendant what it was for and it was no problem.

as for the battery back-up, i'm really glad i had it. not only did i need it on the plane and at our safari camp where the power went off at night, but it even came in very handy in the hotels where the only power source was on the other side of the room. i used it at night and recharged it during the day.

anyways, just wanted to reassure anyone out there that is thinking about taking their machine on a flight to another country, not to worry. it's really no big deal.

on a side note, it turns out that in my travel group was a woman who has been working for the last few years at a sleep clinic! what are the odds of that? well, we had a great time talking about all sorts of things. she was very impressed that i've been so compliant and even took my equipment on safari!

it was a great trip - i hope to post a few pictures later.