Short Trip -not taking CPAP

I often have to travel to DC for a night or two. I don't take my cpap, it is too much of a pain to get on the shuttle. I find no adverse effects. In my case sleep apnea effects is a cumulative process, and a night or two without cpap does no harm

If I go on vacation fro a week or two I take it with me

When I babysit and sleep over,I don't bring my pap and I'm okay.
Actually when I had dental implants with bone grafting, my sleep doctor said I could go a few nights without cpap so the bone granules would heal.

I just arrive from a 3 days travel.

I toke the plain in Burlington VT going to Charlotte NC with connection in NY. No problem at all with security in the airports.

They know what is a CPAP, the moment it arrives to the X-rays machine the person in charge cries CPAP!!!! Somebody else arrives and take the bac with the machine and ask who is this beatiful piece of equipment ? (only joking) Then they tell you they are going to inspect it. The agent swabs the exterior with a special piece of cloth and that's it they give it back to you safe and sound.

You have even the right to ask the TSA agent to change his gloves, to clean the surface of the table where he/she is going to put the cpap and even to clean the of instriment they use to attach the special choth for swabing. I read all that at the TSA site.

I repeat NOBODY asked me anything about the CPAP, I had a small lugage for cabine, the CPAP bag and my purse. I didn't need to tell one of the 3 pieces was a medical equipment.

One TSA guy at Charlotte told me 90% of the people with cpaps don't know the machine need to be checked, he couldn't believe I had read the internet information. Now you know what will happend to your CPAP next travel.

I traveled with Delta Connection if you are curious.

Last thing: I WILL NOT TRAVEL WITHOUT MY CPAP EVEN FOR ONE NIGHT. I was waiting for my CPAP for months and I suffered a lot and my brain toke a blast, I had no memory short or long, no concentration or capacity to resoning. I'm still comming back to more normal. I know each time we deprive our brain from oxigen we are shortening his life (our life too) and this is not reversible. That's a reason enough important to me to stay connected to my machine.

In the last 3 years since using CPAP. I flew 5 times to Asia and once to Hawaii. I did not use the CPAP during the 16-18 hours flight to Asia. So far no problem with security and airline.

The last trip last September to 3 countries was the most memorable. My CPAP broke down, the lights flickered and it emitted beeping sound... no air coming out of it... This happened in China. I searched Respironics China and there is no branch office or agent in that city. (it is quote remote in the Sezhuan province).

So for the next 10 days I have to sleep without CPAP (mind you that my apnea is pretty severe). I slept sideways to reduce the apnea events as much as possible. Sent e-mail to contact in Singapore for help in contacting Respironics. Respironics in Singapore said that it is probably motherboard problem, cost of repair $1,600.. So I searched the Singapore's Craigslist and found a used one for less than 20% of the repair cost (a straight CPAP).

I am fortunate to be able to setup my device (thanks to Google and this forum) and it was really great to be able to renew my relationship with CPAP after 10 days. It is scary but all is well that ends well