Need help with CPAP

[shalornew]

:confused:We will be flying into Houston and spending the night before our cruise. I am on a CPAP and need distilled water. I carry my machine on the plane with me. But as all carry-on's you ar allowed 3 oz. of fluid and my machine takes more than that. I was wondering if there is a place to buy distilled water close to Houston Hobby Airport. I will need some for the ship also, but really don't want to pay the $3-4 for a gallon I would use all of it. We are going to have to go back to the airport to catch the shuttle to the dock the next day, so we won't really have a car. Any advice?:confused:

[clearlakecruisers]

I'm assuming that you have overnight lodging reserved near Hobby Airport. If so, I'd certainly check with the folks there and see if they have any suggestions for you. Perhaps their shuttle service could get you to a source. Not sure if any of the food/beverage vendors at the airport could help you but that might be a possibility. There are no large stores that I can think of which are within walking distance of Hobby Airport.

 

Perhaps someone else has better suggestions. Good luck.

[hillbillycruisers]

I have a v-pap, which is a stronger version of a c-pap, and was told by a specialist that it is ok to use regular tap water on occasion...even for a few days...as long as its not used continously...since I was told that, which ironically was told to me last dec on our last cruise by a couple we met from our roll call ( he was the doctor ), I have used tap water a few times...especially when staying at hotels, traveling, etc...and it hasnt hurt my machine any...I just took it in to have it checked out a few weeks ago, and they said it was fine...so now when I travel, I dont worry about it..obviously, at home I ALWAYS use distilled water...last time we cruised, I left it in the car...didnt want to bother with lugging it onboard and all...but I dont sleep nearly as well without it :)

[Scott_F]

You could get a liter coke bottle, wash it out, add the distilled water and then bury it in your bags like I do my booze. You won't be able to carry it on with you thru security at the terminal, similar to airport restrictions. My wife had a bottle water with her in June at Galveston terminal and she had to throw it out. (actually I guzzled it, you can never drink enough water!)

[foxglove]

Most important observation first. I used my cpap every night of our 49 day South America Cruise earlier this year. I filled it with the water from the bath tap and never had a problem or any deposits to the water tank. Most ships use water that is treated in a fashion that removes problem elements for the machines. Sometimes a ship will take on water at a port which might make my observation useless if they do not treat that water in the same fashion.

 

Second observation. When I need water for the tank I sometimes use the water bottles they sell from machines in the hallway of the hotel. The filtering seems to remove most troublemakers.

 

Third observation. I have run the machine with no water. It is not 100% comfortable, but when you are 100% tired?

 

Fourth observation. You should report the need for this machine when you are filling out pre-cruise information with the cruise line. I have never requested it, but they may provide the water you need free, just as they do sharps containers and refrigeration for diabetics. I will try this on my next cruise and offer advice based on my observations.

 

Breath easy, you are cruising man!

[snedecor]

While I don't use a humidifier with my CPAP (I figure the air is the same air I would have breathed without the CPAP), I will say this about cruise ship water.

 

The tap water is very pure. They make all their water from evaporating sea water, so in essence it IS distilled water. I think they add a tiny amount of minerals so that it doesn't have so much of a distilled water taste, but it is very soft, and very pure water.

 

I would guess that your CPAP humidifier would work just fine for the duration of the cruise.

 

Gayle Snedecor

Auto/CPAP/10-20mm

[jonyyuma]

I have used ship water and tap water in my C-PAP machine on board. I always take a small Multi-tap strip, because of lack of recepticles on some ships close to tbe bed. JY