Question about travel

[PsychoMike]

Ok all, I've got a good one for you.

If you travel by air with your CPAP, does anyone bring distilled water with them? The TSA (and the Canadian version, CATSA) say it's exempt from the 100 mL rule, but where do you get sub-gallon / 4L bottles?

I have a conference coming up and my typical evening flight from home puts me at my destination well after pharmacies and grocery stores have closed for the night... hence the quandary. I'd rather not use tap water.

If I could find a ~500 mL bottle (1/2 quart) that I could haul sealed, I'd want to try bringing it along (I'm willing to test it out, at least...the rules say it's exempt and if you declare it up front it shouldn't be an issue).

There's nothing in the Wiki at this point, so I thought I'd put it to our membership

[zonk]

Can you pack few bottles in the checked-in luggage?
You don,t want use humidifier on the plane, water can spill into the machine

[PsychoMike]

Not planning on using during the flight....but wanting to check in at the hotel and go directly to bed. I supposed checked might be an alternative (though like my other meds, I would rather have all my CPAP stuff with me....it's a lot harder to send it independently to Algiers or Mumbai that way!).

I'll keep digging here, but I have confirmed that CATSA has a definite exemption to the 100 mL / 3.5 oz rule for medically related items...you just have to declare it before they start screening your carry on so they know.

[PaulaO2]

Any bottled water would be fine. Call the hotel and I bet they have tons it sitting around for workshops and the like. There may actually be some in the room. More of them are doing that now. That is the easiest option.

Seriously, a few nights with bottled water will not harm you nor your tank. Neither would tap water.

[PsychoMike]

I know Paula...probably not a biggie for most places I go, but for some areas it is a little more of an issue. I do get up north on occasion where bringing some with me is probably a better idea than trying to find some bottled stuff ($$$$$!!....a 2L bottle of Coke is $5 and gallon of chocolate milk over $10) or using the local well water in my machine.

My pharmacist had a suggestion and I'm going to try it next time. She provided a couple of the larger bottles they use for liquid medicines...I've done labels in a similar style to what is on the PAPFlask and the labels you can attach to your CPAP case (though my own take on them / modified for CATSA) and I'll fill them off my large jugs before I go.

If security turfs them (which they shouldn't), it's not big loss....but if they don't, then I may have something to use for any of my business or pleasure air travels.

[PaulaO2]

Ouch, yeah, there is that. There is also the option of not using the humidifier or just using tap water.

My conference in Dallas, I had a friend who lived there and she asked if I needed anything. I had her pick up several cases of water and that's what I used in my humidifier as well as carried with me to drink. And the group having the conference had arranged to have water bottles everywhere all day so that was good, too.

[PsychoMike]

Not using the humidifier is an option....but one I prefer not to use. As a kid, I had to have both nostrils cauterized due to persistent nose bleeds and I'm a little sensitive to drying out. I also find my airways don't like getting too dry...the asthma can flare a bit. It likely wouldn't be the case for anyone else, but better safe than sorry in my case.

Tap water in urban centers is likely okay for a short term solution...but in some of the rural / northern areas it comes out the tap orange or with an orange twinge. It's drinkable and I like my iron...just not in my lungs Again, not something that everyone here will need to deal with...just a wonderful perk of my work

I'll try what I've got here and see how the airport guys do with it...if it works, then so much the better. If not, I'll see what is available at my destination. I'll keep you all posted

[Donna]

I agree with you, PsychoMike. I am glad you brought up this question since sooner or later, many of us will be taking to the skies and have to deal with their ridiculous carryon rules. CPAP does create a whole new set of issues for those of us who are hoseheads. Humidification is essential to comfort and in some cases the effectiveness of our therapy. I am not willing to use tap water in my machine, I have no desire to have chemicals and fluoride pumped into my lungs. Hopefully, we can find a resolution to this problem. I anxiously await further findings and hope it turns out to be an easy fix!

[PsychoMike]

Hi Donna,

Well, the TSA and CATSA (US and Canadian air security groups) both indicate exemptions for distilled water for CPAP use from the "usual" carry-on liquids restrictions. Biggest hurdle I've seen is getting distilled water in a small enough container to be practical to carry on...1 gallon / 4 L jug or 5 gallon / 18.9 L jugs aren't exactly portable.

Locally, I'm having a hard time finding just distilled water in 1L or less containers...lots of "spring water" but I've only found one "re-mineralized distilled water" in a 1 L bottle (total dissolved solids < 40 ppm, so it is a possible alternative). I just don't want the CATSA folks thinking it's for drinking as it doesn't have any sort of label to say it is anything other than drinking water. grrrr.

Hopefully my improvised solution will work....at least they shouldn't think it is drinking water right off the top!

[Donna]

Mike, while researching this topic, I came across a site that sells a bottle called Papflask. It's a little pricey for a bottle but might be worth it since it could be used over and over and....it has the label, strength, etc. to meet your travel needs. Check this out and see what you think.

[commercial link removed per Apnea Board Rules]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L4fvEDcTjZo...play%253D1

-----
Moderator Action: Link Removed

To maintain our status as an educational organization, the only commercial links allowed in this forum are to CPAP-related manufacturer websites. This is stated in the Apnea Board Rules with details given in the Commercial Links Policy section.

-----