CPAP on board

[bphman]

Just got the dreaded sleep apnea diagnosis and have started CPAP. I was told that I need to use it on our upcoming cruise. I need help with advice about extension cords and distilled water. I am old at cruising but the is a new twist for me. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

[Kamloops50]

Just got the dreaded sleep apnea diagnosis and have started CPAP. I was told that I need to use it on our upcoming cruise. I need help with advice about extension cords and distilled water. I am old at cruising but the is a new twist for me. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

 

Distilled water you put a request in. Call direct or thru your TA to order the distilled water . I carry a 15 ft light weight extension cord for my CPAP .

[dfish]

I'm a CPAP user as well. I take a regular extension cord along with me to reach the plug. The one time I forgot one, they were able to supply me one on the ship. Make sure the extension cord is not one with a surge protector. If you are flying to the port, take it as a carry on. Never pack it in checked baggage. Medical equipment does not count against your carry on allowance, but I also use that bag for all my meds as well.

 

I plug it in at night and then unplug each morning and coil the cord under the bed. That way we're not tripping over it during the day.

 

Your room steward should be familiar with the CPAP machine. Many of us travel with them and have no problem.

 

You can either buy distilled water at a drug store near the port or you can order it through ship's services. I think it costs $4.

 

Once you get used to it, you'll wonder how you slept without it.

 

Debbie

[canadianbear]

I have used a CPAP for years and have had no issues on the ship except the first time when I didn't think of an extension cord. I requested one and was no issue but I now bring one with me-no surge protector.

 

I do not use distilled water but tap water on the ship. So far no issues.

 

I also unplug and put it away in a drawer in the morning so the steward doesn't have to work around it.

 

Takes awhile to get used to the machine, especially the mask. Good luck!

[Kamloops50]

My CPAP won't use tap water. I preorder the distilled thru my PVP and it is delivered at no charge . If I need more . I just ask the room steward for another jug.

[flatcircle]

My DH and I both use a CPAP. Our TA always notes that on our reservation & extension cords/distilled water are always waiting for us in our cabin. HAL has been very helpful -- even sent a staff member via taxi back to our overnight hotel when DH realized he left his power cord by the bedside!

 

We bring or buy the distilled water. The one time we tried ship water, we ended up with residue in the water chambers. Now if we happen to travel without distilled water, we empty & clean the water chambers each morning.

 

Hope all goes well for you.

 

Marge

[TAD2005]

I have used a CPAP machine for many cruises. Yes, bring a 12-15 ft extension cord (not a plug strip). If you will be using other electronic devices at the desk, bring a very inexpensive adapter plug for US flat blades to European round prongs. Plug your extension cord, with the adapter, into the 220 volt outlet at the desk, and use the 120 volt outlet for your other devices. Almost all CPAP machines will work perfectly anywhere from 100 volts to 240 volts.

I always grab the side of the bed closest to the desk, because the desk is where the outlets are located. Always remove your facemask and extension cord each morning and put them in the nightstand drawer so the room steward doesn't trip over it or damage your facemask when cleaning your room.

If you are driving to the port, you can buy distilled water locally. However, by contacting Ship's Services ahead of time, they will deliver 5 liter jugs of distilled water to your cabin, and it will be there when you arrive, $4 per jug. I find that I go through a US gallon in about 14-18 days, depending on the humidity setting. If you run out during the cruise, you can request more from the medical center, or use the ship's tap water. If you do use the tap water, just rinse out your reservoir each morning.

 

I have been using CPAP for 6 years, and it's my new sleeping companion. My partner gets a good night's sleep because I'm not snoring. You will quickly get used to it. I use a nasal mask, not a full-face mask. Easier to get used to.

[Donny-Joe]

There's really nothing wrong with using non-distilled water in a CPAP, except that over time you can get mineral buildup in the humidifier tank. You can either demineralize the tank with some citric acid, or ignore the minerals, or toss the tank and buy a new one. In Seattle, our water is so low-mineral that I always use tap water, and the tank had very minor mineral deposits when I replaced it at 4 years.

 

On a cruise ship, the water is commonly desalinated sea water, which is very close to distilled. In some cases it will be water loaded onto the ship from shore, which will be as mineral-y as the tap water in the most recent port.

 

One useful side effect of using tap water is that the chlorine in the water helps keep bacteria out of the tank. There's not much reason to think bacteria that grows in CPAP tanks is actually a health problem; it's just gross. Google "CPAP pink slime" if you want to know more, though beware of sites that claim that you're at huge risk and need to buy their special disinfecting product/system/attachment. The only time I got the pink slime was when I was using distilled water.

 

All that said, there's nothing wrong with regularly using distilled water if you prefer. Just don't worry if you can't get it or run out and have to use tap water until you get some more. Nothing will happen; your CPAP will not be ruined and it will work fine.

[RuthC]

I've been using a CPAP on ships for ages. I agree that tap water will work fine, so if that's what you want, or there's no choice some night, it's not a concern.

I bring two extension cords of two lengths, so I have plenty depending on the configuration of the cabin. Those cords stay in my tote bag, along with a few outlet adaptors.

 

When I board and set the machine up I ask the cabin steward to tape the cords along the cabin walls, under the closet doors, and up the side of the desk. That way the cords are out of the way, and there's never a danger of tripping. Different tape can be tough to remove that last morning, but better than not taping. Masking tape works well.

[BumperII]

I too have been using CPAP for more than ten years. Actually, I've never been on a cruise without one.

 

Everything you see posted here is sound advice. I didn't buy a "light weight" fifteen foot cord, I just take one from my shop. It is three prong rated at 15 amps, and it is bright orange. Some of the newer machines use a transformer so you have about ten feet of cord that comes with the machine. All this stuff lives in the bottom night stand drawer. Once you set it up the first time, it only takes two or three minutes to put it away or hook it back up.

 

I'm not sure exactly why, but once I started using the CPAP machine, my wife became much easier to get along with. She even let me move my bed from the garage back into the house. :D

[bphman]

Thanks for all of the good information. This is all new to me and was a little upsetting. But the more I speak with people, the more I find out how common it is. As a retired physician, I am a little embarrassed how little I knew about the condition. As a urologist, I never gave the lungs much thought. Now, if it were the prostate........

[stampinantie]

reporting the same. Need extension cord in regular rooms, but just got off board in a signature suite and didn't need an extension cord. I leave it out all day and no problems. No longer use humidifier, but never once used distilled water in it when I did. If I forget extension cord the magical stewards come up with one. I was in last in Europe and had an adapter with me and that was handy to use to double my electrical outlets for phone charger, etc. since I keep the CPAP plugged in.

 

Don't fret over sleep apnea, I believe everyone has it to some extent and you just got lucky to figure it out and treat it.

[RuthC]

...I keep the CPAP plugged in.

I do, too, but I learned (the hard way) to glance at the outlet before heading to the bed. Sometimes the stewards unplug the CPAP to use the outlet for vacuuming, and neglect to plug it back in. Other times it isn't quite in right.

 

Better to check before you're all comfy and have to get up again when it doesn't have power.

[Kamloops50]

I always unplug the CPAP machine during the day. To keep the CPAP from accidentally being turned on

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited June 13, 2016 by Kamloops50

[Airnocker]

I also use a small two prong European adapter taped to a light weight 15 ft extension cord. Because the cord goes across the cabin from the nightstand to the 220v European outlet that the stewards use for the vacuum, I put the cord and mask away daily.

The biggest issue is getting through TSA flying to meet the cruise. I cannot risk a lost machine, so it flys with me in a small backpack under the seat in front of mine. I pack it separately because to go through TSA, it has to go into its own tub. Or maybe with your

shoes.

I'm going to try the humidifier for the first time on our next cruise, so thanks for the advise on getting distilled water.

Eric

[RuthC]

I pack it separately because to go through TSA, it has to go into its own tub.

If you get TSA Pre-check (randomly, sign up for that, or have Global Entry), you don't have to take the CPAP machine out of its bag (nor remove your shoes).

 

I always found it a nuisance, as it was on the bottom of the tote, with the face mask and hoses on top. Everything had to be removed to be repacked correctly. Very time consuming, and blocks others coming by the conveyer.

[xlxo]

Don't fret over sleep apnea, I believe everyone has it to some extent and you just got lucky to figure it out and treat it.

I was recently diagnosed. I stop breathing every 5 minutes and I'm classified as "mild". After 4 months.... I'm still trying to get used to the device.

 

For those not sure about their breathing.... I visited a local clinic and they gave me a small oximeter with a data logger overnight. You return the finger device the next morning to see how often your oxygen level falls below "85".

[TAD2005]

I also use a small two prong European adapter taped to a light weight 15 ft extension cord. Because the cord goes across the cabin from the nightstand to the 220v European outlet that the stewards use for the vacuum, I put the cord and mask away daily.

The biggest issue is getting through TSA flying to meet the cruise. I cannot risk a lost machine, so it flys with me in a small backpack under the seat in front of mine. I pack it separately because to go through TSA, it has to go into its own tub. Or maybe with your

shoes.

I'm going to try the humidifier for the first time on our next cruise, so thanks for the advise on getting distilled water.

Eric

 

The airlines do not consider any medical device (CPAP included) as one of your carry-ons. You may still bring a normal carry-on that fits in the overhead, and a purse, laptop, etc. But, you do have to remove the CPAP from the bag going through security, unless you have TSA Pre-Check

[dfish]

Keep at it. It does take a bit of time. Also, make sure you have the right mask for you. I had problems with the regular mask, but when I switched to the nasal pillows, all was fine.

 

Deb

[Airnocker]

The airlines do not consider any medical device (CPAP included) as one of your carry-ons. You may still bring a normal carry-on that fits in the overhead, and a purse, laptop, etc. But, you do have to remove the CPAP from the bag going through security, unless you have TSA Pre-Check

True, the airlines aren't the problem, TSA is. It's simply more convenient to have the CPAP outside of my other carry-on. No need to repack. I have hip replacements so my TSA inspection is quite a juggling act. I'm in process applying for Global Entry. Report on that later, separately.

Eric

[Kamloops50]

CPAP through the x-ray only no problem caring it on the plane .

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums