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New guy here
#1
New guy here
I never in a million years would have thought I have apnea, but I do. AHI 14 and O2 89%.

I am an airline pilot and am out of work until I can get a CPAP and prove it helps. I travel 2-3 weeks a month so a travel CPAP is a must. Do you veterans recommend a travel CPAP as my primary or having a home and travel CPAP. I am fairly sure my insurance will only cover one.


Thanks!
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#2
RE: New guy here
Hi duece12345,

Welcome to the Apnea Board.
I bring my ResMed Aircurve 10 with me when I travel. It has a handy carrying case and is easy to take apart and set up.

Rich
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#3
RE: New guy here
Hi duece12345,
Yes, you are correct, your insurance will only pay for one machine.

A travel machine probably wouldn't be ideal for home and travel use. The newer cpaps are small and can travel easily enough especially if you remove the humidifier.

If it were me, I would let my insurance pay for the machine you would use at home, and in time buy a travel machine out of pocket. This is a personal decision and you will need to do some research.

Check out some of the online suppliers to get an idea of the machines available....like Supplier #1 from the list at top of page.

Also, here is a link to help you with machine choices and which ones to avoid.
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices

Be sure to check with your insurance to see what is covered and what you may have to pay.

It's important to get started and get proper therapy so that you can get your license back. Smile


OpalRose
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#4
RE: New guy here
Your first priority is that it works, and produces the data to prove it. Travel CPAPs are designed to be light, but so far, they are lacking in the comfort features and quiet operation. You want a Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset with climateline hose. This is a compact machine that is super quiet in operation and offers the best comfort features, including exhale relief, and full data. It comes with a carry attache that is small, stylish and doesn't look medical, and even has a wide strap that fits over the handle of your rolling bag. See the picture below.

The only disadvantage of the Resmed Airsense 10 is that it operates on 24 volts DC, so if you use a 12 volt power source, you will need their 12/14 V up-converter. Otherwise, the included AC power source is good for international travel and should work all over the world with simple AC plug adapters. Alternatively, the Philips Respironics Dreamstation Auto is a very respected and good unit. It has similar comfort features, including heated hose option. It responds slower to apnea events, so pressure is more uniform in auto-mode. It operates on 12 volts DC. The carry case is a comparative kludge, so it looks like a medical device and is shorter and wider in profile.

Resmed Airsense 10 on a normal carry-on bag:

[Image: IMG_1531.jpg]
Sleeprider
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#5
RE: New guy here
Thanks, that is what I needed. That is a pretty large bag, but not as bad as I thought. I assume it is easy to break down and set up?

The majority of my travel is domestic USA with the occasional overnight in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
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#6
RE: New guy here
That travel bag carries the machine, humidifier, mask, hose, electric supply and has room for other items. It would be possible to pack smaller, but even with my limited space on the motorcycle, I usually drop this bag in the top-box or side case and go. I think for your purposes, the more professional look might be appealing. It sets up in less than a minute...fill humidifier tray, insert in machine, attach hose, plug-in, done.

Your bigger challenge will be to get comfortable with a mask. Many of us can use the nasal pillows like the Resmed Airfit P10. They are the smallest interface and I think the most comfortable. You really won't know until you try it. Your apnea is pretty mild, and should not be hard to control, but since your job depends on good therapy and good sleep you might as well get the best machine and mask possible. You can revisit a travel CPAP if you want later, but right now the priority is to adjust, certify, and get back in the air as quickly as possible.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
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____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
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Organize your OSCAR Charts
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: New guy here
I got an appointment to get set up with this brand. Thank you for taking the time to respond. I sincerely appreciate it.
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#8
RE: New guy here
TSA does not even blink at seeing one of these, nor does the flight crew. NOT using one can effect a pilot, using it is an understood good thing. Lite weight and pretty small for everything you need, not counted as an extra bag so no extra bag fee Smile.
I would never check it, too much hard plastic without enough padding. Set up is <5 mins including unpacking it and walking back and forth to the sink. It will be the lightest thing you haul around.

Make sure you test out the mask, you should have 30 days to try others.
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#9
RE: New guy here
The Philips Dreamstation is a good unit that is also easy to travel with, going by the photo of the Resmed unit that Sleeprider posted the Dreamstation would be about 1/3 less again in cubic space in its carry bag [can't do a photo until I get home later today, sorry]

Make sure your CPAP goes with you as carry on luggage.

If you don't need to use the humidifier the Dreamstation splits in half and can be used without the humidifier, thus cutting the machine size in half... you could then pack it in a smaller bag along with the power supply, hose and mask.

I hope it all goes well for getting your pilot licence reinstated.. it took me five and a half months of specialists, medical tests, and sleep trials, and $6,000 AU before my professional driving licence was reinstated.
I fell asleep after my fourth long day of work and crashed my bus.. fortunately a very low speed accident with no passengers on board, and no physical injuries to me or my volunteer on the bus [worked in aged care/community transport]
It was an automatic trip to hospital for me, and an instant 6 month mandatory driving suspension, or until medically cleared by the cardio/neuro/respiratory specialists.

My situation could have been worse if loaded with passengers... I'm sure the last thing you need is to fall out of the sky because you "fell asleep at the wheel". Unsure

Keep us informed with how you get on with it all.
Happy Eyes
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#10
RE: New guy here
Yeah. I have never had problems staying awake, but I get wicked headaches and feel mentally slow some days. Obviously not what people want their pilot to be feeling like! fortunately, the FAA has realized apnea is becoming more common. As long as I can show positive data from the CPAP after 2weeks of use I am back in the air. my next step is finding a good mask. I am slated to have sinus surgery next month because I have limited flow through my nose. I would imagine a FFM until then. I am a stomach/side sleeper so this should be fun.......

Thanks again for the replies. GREAT info.
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