AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area Possibly traveling with Cpap?

Spent 10 days on AC last year and Sweet Hubby uses a CPAP machine nightly. We had no problem at all. It travelled as his second carry-on (aren't husbands lucky that we pack all of their miscellaneous junk in our purses so they normally only have to manage one carry-on?). We did buy and bring a surge protector because we had heard that there were periodic power surges and we didn't want to fry the ridiculously expensive thingy. (And I could not have survived in the same room/hotel/island/country with his amazingly-loud snoring had it been skizzled!)CPAPs take a little bit of getting used to for the partner but they are a WHOLE lot better than the alternative snoring, leg jerks and wakefulness. I was told before he got it that they were really loud and difficult to sleep with. Bunk. Sweet Hubby's makes a restful "white-noise" kind of hum.

Have a wonderful, restful vacation.

BankerWoman, I appreciate a first hand (or in your case, second hand) experience report. I have yet to get my machine (going to a clinic this weekend - yippee!) but if it fixes some of my health issues - I've gotta give it a try. Good point about the serge protector - did you just buy one of those "strips" or do they make a special one for the cpap? The supposed good news is that the machine does not count as a carryon now (at least according to research and phone calls I made to airports/airlines) so I will forever have to check luggage so that I can take my precious machine with me (unless I wear all my cloths on me in layers - now that would be a site!).

Thanks again - Gela

G - do not buy one of those "strips" thinking it is a surge protector, unless you spend $40 or $50 - those $5 Wal-Mart types are not surge protectors, just glorified extension cords.

Gela: Sorry that I didn't read closely enough to realize that your "partner" WAS the CPAP rather than going with someone who would be using the CPAP... The surge protector Sweet Hubby bought was not the run-of-the-mill version you might buy at WalMart. It was considerably more expensive (about $25 as I remember) and made especially to protect sensitive electronic equipment from large power surges. That being said, we bought it at Best Buy so they are easily available.

Are you saying that now the airlines won't LET you bring a CPAP onboard as a carryon (requiring it to be checked as baggage) OR are you saying that you'd prefer to do so? I'm hoping the second as we are soon headed for St. George and we don't want to take a chance with it being handled as "gently" as the rest of checked luggage always is . That and this is a piece of equipment that CAN'T get lost (as checked baggage often is...) or Sweet Hubby will find himself sleeping out on the beach. Am anxious to find out what you know on the subject.

On the issue of acclimating yourself to the CPAP, take it slow and know that none of the people I know on CPAP (including my husband, my uncle and a friend) felt like they could stand it for the first few nights. All of them ended up being quite content with it after a week or two and realize now how much better the quality of their sleep - and their lives - are because of their new sleeping companion.

BankerWoman, I'm sorry - I think I confused you. The cpap is not considered your one piece carryon allowed. It can be a second (plus your one personal item - purse, etc.). Given that I will have a carryon, the cpap, and my purse - I'm now forced to check the rest (in the past I usually took carryon only).

I have a pretty good idea the challenges ahead of me to try to find the right match of equipment and developing tolerance. I'm glad to get this going so that it's just routine by the time I travel. Again thanks to all of you for your input. It has helped a great deal!

Decided to jump in on this topic. Hubby is on BIPAP similar to CPAP but uses distilled water to keep is throat from drying out. We also are going to Belize in June and will need to buy distilled water for the thing. Is distilled water available there. Thanks

Due to the low IQ and bad attitude of many of the "security checkers" at US airports, I strongly advise you to be prepared for unpleasant confrontations by obtaining from your doctor a letter ON THE DOCTOR'S LETTERHEAD stating that s/he is your doctor and has directed you to use use the machine daily and that failure to do so could be life threatening. The letter should also DESCRIBE the machine in exquisite detail so that there can be no doubt that the machine you are carrying is in fact that which the doc has described.
The letter should also state that the machine is very fragile and should not be checked as luggage.

susangg - Yes, I intend on having a letter with me. I've heard of such stories. I will come as prepared as I can. I'll be darned if I'm going to let this minor incovenience limit me in my life! Since I don't know what kind of machine I'm going to have, I too am curious as to the availability of distilled water in AC. Can anybody comment??
Thanks.

Thanks for the carry-on info, Gela. Sweet Hubby uses the distilled water only in the winter when the air here in the Midwest is unusually dry but I do remember that the grocery across from the pop/beer distributor did have distilled water when we were there last April. Thanks, Susan, on the heads-up regarding a letter from his doctor. We had absolutely no problem last year in Chicago, Houston or at Goldson but you never know when or where it could come up. Better to be prepared...