Anyone use a mini travel CPAP machine

I have severe sleep apnea (obstrucctive and centralized) and need a CPAP to get any rest when I sleep.

When I travel for work (which is several times/year) I take my old Phillips CPAP without the humidifier chamber. It works well, but is somewhat bulky in my limited suitcase space.

When I dry camp during hunting season I don't take a CPAP with my at all as I have no way to power it without running a generator throughout the night and pissing off my hunting companions. I sleep horribly during the two weeks I'm out.

I'm looking to get a mini travel CPAP machine (which my insurance won't cover). There are several options out there that have optional battery packs that you can purchase to power them when there is no power available and are small and lightweight which is great for luggage transportation.

I KNOW we have several other CPAP users on this site and was wondering if any of you have a mini travel unit that could tell me whatyou have, your likes & dislikes, etc. If you'd prefer to discuss via PM's, that would be fine with me - but may prevent someone else wanting/needing this info from getting it as well.

So, anyone?

There are deep cycle Marine Batteries that (with a DC/AC inverter) can drive a CPAP for a decent amount of time. You could use Solar Panels to recharge them during the day.

Otherwise, in civilization, I would consider having two CPAPs, and ship one of them to where I am traveling.

-John

For hunting/camping: I've considered the deep cycle battery solution, but the cost of the battery, adding more solar panels to my existing 90w panel (which gets my camper batteries to 70%) and then the charge time on the generator in the evening negates any benefit over getting a travel CPAP whose optional battery packs can be charged in 2 hrs with my generator. Plus, I'd still have to come up with a solution for traveling for work.

Shipping to/from my work locations isn't practical as it's sometimes overseas and my only mailing location would have to be my hotel (can't ship to the work locations). Eventually the costs of shipping the unit back and forth would outweigh the cost of buying a mini travel unit and having it with me (and I could use it on the plane when I nap too).

I have a battery that I used as a backup for my Mother's CPAP that I can give you, if you would like it. I'll have to look and see if I can find it, but I am hoping it is in the garage (big and heavy.)

-John

I'm checking this out to see what others are doing. I have a ResMed AirSense 10 and it's fairly compact.

I have heard about travel CPAP units about the size of a soda can, but I have no experience with them.

Here's one;
http://youtu.be/iqO3n5-xyBY

Thank you very much for the offer, but "big and heavy" , even with my camper, is something I'm trying to avoid. I downgraded my gear that I took along with me [in the camper, not while actively hunting] this year by over 50 lbs - and still realize that I have another 50+ I need to trim.

How does one find out if they need a CPAP? Just make an appointment with a doctor?

You take a "sleep study" and they put a device on your head (CPAP) that measures how you are breathing.

If you have a number of "events," where you stop breathing, etc., then they know you have sleep apnea, and a CPAP may be warranted.

-John

So find some sort of sleep doctor? I know I snore badly and wonder if I don't have full blown sleep apnea. I'll get around to checking it out, thanks. Back to helping Ginsue.

With a lot of snoring, and if you don't feel rested in the morning, then a sleep study might be in order.

The CPAP keeps your airway open with constant pressure, which helps you breath better, and sleep better.

-John

Stu, At one of my sleep studies I was told that you can snore without having apnea, but you can't have apnea without snoring (unless you are getting treatment). Snoring is definitely a common symptom of apnea and if you aren't feeling rested in the morning, getting a sleep study is a great way to find out of apnea is causing it. If you have apnea, it won't get better on it's own and gets scary when you get older. Next time you get to see your doctor talk to him/her about your concerns and see if they will get you a sleep study referral. While my apnea is so severe that I'm still tired throughout hte day, it's much better now than without treatment.

I thought I was sleeping well, but my wife pushed me to get it checked out. My PCP setup an appointment with a local group that set me up for a sleep study. They sent me a doodad that I wore on my head that monitored my breathing and my sleep patterns for a couple of nights. I left it on the porch for FedEx pickup after. They sent the results to the PCP and we discussed in a follow-up appointment. I was having 70 events per hour. I then was setup with my durable medical device provider for the equipment and instruction.

Once I started using the CPAP, I realized I wasn't really sleeping at all. Most of the severe headaches I would wake up with were gone. I can't really sleep without it.

There are a number of reviews on the YouTube.
http://youtu.be/Zod9vlVb-aQ

I'll just add that with many units, including the one I have, the pressure isn't "constant", it's "continuous". The pressure actually dips when I exhale so I don't feel like I'm being blown up like a balloon.

I'll have to look into it. I can't wait to find out how expensive this will be without insurance. I've long suspected that I might not be sleeping well. I'm hoping it's something like getting lasik where it's life changing and I should have done it years ago. Thanks guys.

The diagnosis, is expensive, or hard (sleep study.) But the devices themselves are relatively inexpensive in the used market.

https://denver.craigslist.org/search...=cpap&sort=rel

You will need the CPAP, and then a mask, which covers your nose and/or mouth.

-John

That's not too bad. I hear that some wearable electronics like the Whoop will tell you how you sleep at night, but I don't have that thing.

Might be life changing for your wife too.

I can't remember the last time I slept through a night, or even half way through a night. My husband's snoring wakes me up, & often if I can even fall asleep with him in earshot to begin with.

Good thing I naturally run on a four hours or so anyway. Can you imagine what a nutter I'd be otherwise? Poit.

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Originally Posted by ChickNorris

Might be life changing for your wife too.

I can't remember the last time I slept through a night, or even half way through a night. My husband's snoring wakes me up, & often if I can even fall asleep with him in earshot to begin with.

Good thing I naturally run on a four hours or so anyway. Can you imagine what a nutter I'd be otherwise? Poit.

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Yeah, that's pretty much the case. Lack of sleep is the only thing they've found with a direct correlation to Alzheimers (apparently), so don't brag it up too much.

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Originally Posted by Irving

Yeah, that's pretty much the case. Lack of sleep is the only thing they've found with a direct correlation to Alzheimers (apparently), so don't brag it up too much.

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Yea but I'll get to hide my own Easter eggs.

There's probably a difference between those that (do not) sleep, and those that cannot, sleep. Personally, I would rather not be in either category.

Sleep is important, it is when your body heals and your mind reviews the past day, dreams, etc.

-John

You can do a home sleep study, which is much cheaper than the full-blown lab sleep study - you basically rent the monitor and wire yourself up, and send the machine and its memory card after a night or two back for analysis by a sleep doc, for under $200. Not as comprehensive as the lab study, but can get you a prescription for a CPAP, which you may or may not end up needing or wanting.

My sister was actually able to purchase a reconditioned cpap machine without a prescription off the internet, so it's possible if you want one even if you haven't had a lab sleep study or home sleep study and an actual doctor's prescription for one.

I recently traveled to Cali for a week for my new job, and just packed my Philips "dreamstation" machine along with its humidifier in my full-sized suitcase and used it in my hotel room. For off-grid sleep, you'd need an inverter or battery pack, I guess.

There is a mouth piece I am going to be trying instead of the CPAP. I did the home study, and it was found I do have apnea. I tried a relatively inexpensive mouthpiece off amazon and it worked, but os somewhat uncomfortable. The one fepm the dentist I have been told, is much more comfortable, as it is fit to your mouth. After speaking to three people that are using it, I am going to get one. One captain says he has been on a CPAP for the last 12 years, now that he uses the mouthpiece, he falls asleep faster and doesn't have to spend the time cleaning the machine or the bag to carry it when traveling. His wife says he does not snore with the mouthpiece.

Does the mouthpiece just move your lower jaw forward, like you have an underbite? I have to wonder what that would do to my TMJ.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iego

The diagnosis, is expensive, or hard (sleep study.) But the devices themselves are relatively inexpensive in the used market.

https://denver.craigslist.org/search...=cpap&sort=rel

You will need the CPAP, and then a mask, which covers your nose and/or mouth.

-John

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Very interesting that you can find one on CraigsList.
When I tried to sell one, Ebay and CraigsList took it down almost immediately and said that it was a medical device by prescription only and could not be sold by private parties.
Times must have changed.
Thanks for the head's-up

[Coffee]

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Originally Posted by Gman

Does the mouthpiece just move your lower jaw forward, like you have an underbite? I have to wonder what that would do to my TMJ.

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Pretty much. It made my jaw sore for about a week or two, but, then was ok. The new one is supposed to be more adjustable and more comfortable.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gman

Does the mouthpiece just move your lower jaw forward, like you have an underbite? I have to wonder what that would do to my TMJ.

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I started with a custom mouthpiece built from molds of my teeth. I have TMJ and for a month and a half until ~11AM each day it felt like someone had punched me in the jaw. I saw my dentist again and explained the pain. He drew all over my face and took measurements and told me I had to give teh mouthpiece back and was to never use one again.

Balut for everyone!

Giggle

Check into the item below

inspiresleep.com

Yeah, this won't work for my obstuctive apnea. Most everyone with obstructive apnea is an issue with the soft pallet blocking their airway, which is what inspiresleep corrects. I just had to be special and my issue is an oversized tongue which I swallow during sleep. About the only fix for this is slicing my neck open, putting hooks in the back of my tongue with cables bolted to my front jaw. Yeah, it's as gruesome as it sounds and the doctors told me it's still a 50/50 chance of solving my problem with associated issues of swallowing food, etc.

Even then, I'd still have to deal with the centralized apnea which is where my brain quits telling me to breathe. Okay, I'm ready for the blonde jokes after that confession.

You just need a Walkman with a tape that says "Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out...".

Does that sound familiar to the blonde joke you might have been thinking about? ;-)

Yes; yes it does.