Take or don't take sleep apnea machine??

Alrighty, here is my dilema. I have sleep apnea, and my pressures are set high 16/20 which means that i should probably bring my machine, but here is where i am stuck...

We are staying in 3 hotels, this machine costs a minimum of $2500 (not sure of face value today, my provincial health plan covered it, one of the only provinces in canada to do so). With staying at 3 different places we have to use bell services twice. I can not put it in my luggage for various reasons so i am worried about it getting broken or lost.

I can put my name all over the bag but it still would not prevent it from getting broken if they were not careful with it. I am scared to chance it.

I usually take it with me, and we can take it on the airplane (not checked luggage) and have it not go in checked luggage nor count against our carry on so that isn't a big deal but then i also have to find a jug of distilled water asap

Would you go through the hassle? I can still breathe, but it is a bit more labored and i snore way more which will bother my husband but with us spending 3/3/2 in hotels idk if i want to chance it. Would just like opinions.

 

In my opinion, you would be crazy not to take it.

A good nights sleep is important. You'll feel better, and be in a better mood.

 

I have sleep apnea and I always bring my machine when I travel.

First time after I got it in 2005 I brought it as a carry on and went through a TSA nightmare, as here's a guy with a machine (Resmed S8) with a hose and mask on it with it's own private blue case to carry everything. Talk about a cluster #$%$$. Thank God I arrive early to the airport. Had to show them how it works, it won't explode, etc.

Because of that fiasco I now just put it in my check in luggage and have clothes underneath it and above it to cover it. Has never broke, been stolen or anything.

Distilled water isn't that bad just go to to Walgreens or such while out there just buy the gallon as it's only a buck and change.

A good night's sleep can make or break a vacation. I never leave home without it.

 

Perhaps you can look into renting one locally in Vegas while you are in town? Depending on the cost of rental it might be worth it rather than taking a chance on your personal expensive machine breaking.

I did a quick google search for sleep apnea machine rentals in Las Vegas and got this company, but you might also be able to contact the concierge at the hotel you will be staying at to ask them about renting one:

http://www.rentittoday.com/medical-equipment-rentals/Las-Vegas-Respiratory-Equipment-Rentals-CPAP-Machine-Rental-Nevada-Medical-Supplies-475

 

You should definitely take c-pap machine. My husband always travels with it and we learned early on not to take it carry on. A sure way to get pulled to the side by security. He always takes it with no problem. Be good to yourself and take it!!

 

Take it. Never had a problem taking mine as carry-on. Used bottle water in Vegas just fine. S9.

 

Yeah, I bring mine now as well. I have a fairly big one with the dehumidifier so it takes up half my suitcase, but don't feel rested if I don't use it, especially if I only do a 2 to 3 hour power nap.

I did price some portable ones recently (just do a google search for portable cpap machine) and they weren't too badly priced $250 - $500 depending on the features, so I may just invest in one of those in the future.

Unfortunately, it's the price us "old farts" have to pay for getting old.

It's funny when I bring a hooker up to the room now and she see's that on my night stand she thinks it is a fancy pot smoking machine!

 

Never thought of renting one. I would be worried about the pressures not being right.

My biggest worry is not the airplane. I travel canadian airlines and am doing so non stop for the flight to vegas and it is a medical device that is now fully cleared as a carry on. They open it and swap it for drugs and that is it. I trust it there more than i do in the underbelly of the plane.

I am mostly worried about leaving it with bell services since it is not a "suitcase" and nondescript black bag that it could easily get misplaced even with my name on it.

Sad to say at my age (34) it does not give me a good night rest because i have severe joint pain and bladder issues so there is always something getting me up at night lol.

Have any of you left yours with bell services not inside your suitcase (i have no room anyways lol)

 

It's a medical device and as such, it's a non-counted carry on. I was worried about taking mine as well, so I researched TSA. Of course, I've taken it many times and never had an issue.

BTW, while my apnea is not as bad as yours, be sure to include the water portion. I used to get nose bleeds in Las Vegas, but that seems to help.

 

I don't like letting mine out of my site. Once when we had to check bags, I kept it with me in the casino.

Got a lot of funny looks, maybe I shouldn't have put it on.

 

I never thought of that, i would have no qualms about taking it with me. I am going to stay in the area of where we are checking in so we can get there right at check in time.

Now that new My vegas dates are out my plan might have changed so we may only be staying in at 2 hotels.

I use the water portion always, and it can not be bottled water (as someone suggested) it has to be distilled, i tried bottled water once and it changed my water chamber and it left deposits in it or something of the sort, the bottom was white anyways and they had to give me a new water chamber.

I am not familiar with walgreens, or CVS i have stepped in one once so no idea what they carry. Our drug stores are expensive up here.

 

I always take mine, don't sleep worth a damn without it. I also just use plain bottled water in the humidifier on the road, just don't let it run dry and rinse it out every day or two.

Really not sure it would bother me to leave it with the bell, at least I don't think they throw the stuff around lie your typical airport baggage handler.

Have taken it checked and carry on, and mostly check it inside my suitcase since the allegiant flight where the overheads were full and they were gate checking. I explained what it was and the expense and fragility of it, she explained that I could either hand it over or stay behind with it.

 

Wow, the airline i am flying with would never do that. I would be allowed to put it under the seat in front of me.

Even with washing out my chamber every day i got those deposits and i do not have a new chamber (i get 2 a year) as mine broke the first month i had it when my machine fell so i have to have this one till september and dont want to take the chance. Long as i can get distilled water around MB (i assume so) i will be good.

 

I always take mine but remember to pack an extension cord. Some hotels do not have an outlet close to the night stand. I usually pack it in my suitcase but have also carried it on the plane. I'm surprised that some have had issues with TSA these things are so common they must see hundreds a day.

TomTWI

 

I travel many times a year - seems like monthly. I always take it with me. ALWAYS. Been using mine for 3+ years now.

Sometimes I put it in the checked bag, sometimes in the my carry-on ina roll aboard. I am not worried about something happening to it. Packed well if in checked bag. If in roll aboard, I have control of it. It did get gate checked once, but I knew it was packed fairly well. I could have easily pulled it out - just the main unit and carried to my seat.

As to TSA - they seem to have mixed opinions of taking it out or not. If in my carryon, I have the hose and cord detached. Then just take the main unit out and place in bin like computer. Takes but a few seconds.

As to distilled water. You know it is really not REQUIRED, right? It is just better since their are low/zero minerals to deposit as the water evaporates. I gave up on distilled water a year or two ago.

 

Interesting.

I certainly do know that they recommend distilled only - and that's what I use at home.

I try to use purified water as opposed to mineral water.

I'm surprised they couldn't clean out the deposits.

 

GOod suggestion, never thought of that.

I know distilled is not required but it IS recommended and seeing what other water did to my chamber the first time i will spend the $7 or $8 a month on it. My house is dry so i need the humidity high and go through a chamber every day.

I also do not pay for my supplies or anything, my provincial health card covers it so i would rather pay for the water then have them stop giving me supplies because i am not taking care of things, which they are able to do.

 

I don't travel without mine and to this point I have had no issues. When the bell person takes our luggage I point it out to them and they stick a " fragile " tag on it. Not to mention the storage bag that my machine came in seems to be pretty much indestructible.

 

Walgreens and CVS should both carry distilled water. Even if it was $20 for a gallon, which it is not, it is well worth it for even one night of good sleep. I travel everywhere with mine and have never had an issue.

 

Walgreen's does and its like under $2 a gallon.