OT Traveling with CPAP machines

Seems like most of the airlines have changed the requirements on baggage. It might be best to just call the airline to find out the answers to your questions. Barbara in FL

I agree, when you read most airline webpages there are usually a list of exceptions - now, I've not seen CPAP machines amongst them, but it's usually a picture that potentially would include that as an exception and something additional to your baggage allowance rather than part of it, things like walking aids are excluded and I've seen mentions of other medical equipment.

Cheers Anne

Liz, thanks for the info. I called our travel agency and the rep I talked to told me I had to consider my C-PAP as my carryon and that I couldn't carry on another bag. I didn't think that sounded right.

Thanks again, Donna in SW Idaho

check the airlines website. no matter how good they are, travel agents may not be totally up to date on all the rules etc of every airline. those rules can change often. better yet, call the airline in question and ask them. might be they will want a letter from the dr as well. they can be persnickity at times. j.

"Donna in Idaho" wrote... Liz, thanks for the info. I called our travel agency and the rep I talked to told me I had to consider my C-PAP as my carryon and that I couldn't carry on another bag. I didn't think that sounded right.

Thanks aga> My DH travels with his CPAP machine. It is considered essential medical

always work directly with the airline, particularly if it's something vital like needing a wheelchair to get on and off the plane, there are a few airlines that can be difficult to get through to on the phone and want you to go through your agent (silly as many people don't use one), but having had this go wrong when arranging it through an agent, I'd never rely on that again and disability websites give the same advice.

Cheers Anne

Checked the airline's website. No place does it say whether a C-PAP is or is not considered as your only carryon. I've send an email to the TSA email address on the TSA website - have no idea if I'll ever get an answer. I'll probably have to start trying to call the airline if I'm ever home long enough!

My DH is having medical problems and we're going in for therapy 2 or 3 days a week until the end of December. Doesn't leave much time for anything else!

Donna in SW Idaho

My DH puts his CPAP in his suitcase and checks it! He only does a carry on with his computer bag. Don't know if that helps, but so far it hasn't been an issue.

Good Luck! Dannielle

I would never check my CPAP. I've arrived at a destination enough times when my checked bag didin't get there. Your DH is lucky that hasn't happened to him.

Donna in SW Idaho

When I travelled with my CPAP for 3 years I used the CPAP bag as my carry on and put my snacks, books, etc. in a side pocket. The hardest thing for me was finding distilled water when I arrived at my destination, because we usually weren't in an area with a grocery store and didn't have transportation to one. Now I use a mouth appliance (2 years) and it is so much nicer! Dr. Spencer in Boise is who I go to. It takes a while, a few visits, to get it adjusted just right; but then it is nice.

Hi Deb,

I always take a carryon with a change of underwear, night clothes, shampoo, etc., because a few times my check on bag didn't get to my destination when I did. I about froze to death in a motel in Denver one night when I arrived with nothing except the clothes on my back. Couldn't sleep in them because I had to wear them to meetings the next day! Trying to decide whether to put my CPAP in my regular carryon, or to carry both.

Our travel agent has already told the cruise line that we will need distilled water in our cabin and since my son and DIL will arrive in Orlando a couple days ahead of us, they'll pick up distilled water for us to use while staying there.

Don't think our insurance would take to the idea of the mouth appliance since they just paid for the CPAP machines - last year for DH, this year for me. I knew about Dr. Spencer, but the reports I've read said that the mouth appliances don'r work as well as CPAP, but I guess that depends completely on the patient.

Donna in SW Idaho

I wouldn't expect them to provide an exclusive list, there are just way too may permutations of what is medical equipment, that anyone that tried to produce an exclusive list would be doomed and might even face some kind of discrimination case if they missed something off.

even lists CPAP machines. I don't think you really need to contact the TSA. I would try and check with the airplane for my own peace of mind, that CPAP machine will go through security no problem (and if it doesn't, it's a please may I speak to your manager and it may well be a good idea to print out this page and have it with you), but if you get a check in agent who is as ditzy as your travel agent seems to have been, you don't want her to freak out when she asks about hand luggage and you respond with one plus my CPAP machine. The TSA is crystal clear that you're allowed to take it through security, which isn't precisely the same as getting it on the aircraft - for example aircraft generally have to have size restrictions on whether a wheelchair can go in the cabin or in the hold, out of necessity, so you would need to check the size of the CPAP bag, as if you were on a small plane it might not fit, so you'd have to figure out plan B.

Cheers Anne

tells you exactly what you'll have to do at security and what your rights are regarding the wearing of gloves by security people. You also have to take your own plastic bag to put it through the machine in.

Cheers Anne

Donna, I have been using a CPAP for over five years now and travel with it frequently. Since I have a large quantity of medications to take everyday, what I do is put the med bottles in a small cosmetic bag that I put in the side compartment of the CPAP bag. Then I take my drivers license out of my wallet and put my purse in the same compartment as the meds. Ocassionally snacks or other stuff goes in it too.

Another thing I do sometimes is take the largest size carry on bag and put both mine and DH's CPAP machines in it with my pillow, meds, purse and whatever else I need to have with me, or to have some extra room to bring fabric/quilt stuff home. That way I can take out both CPAP's to go through security while DH deals with the computers. As far as distilled water, we bought a gallon at wallyworld and filled cleaned plastic soda bottles or plastic water bottles to pack in his check baggage. The soda bottles hold up better as the plastic is a little bit sturdier than the water bottles. A couple of bottles will fit nicely in a gallon size zip lock bag to protect clothing from possible leakage. I've also seriously been considering some antibacterial wipes to clean it with before I re-pack it after TSA has handled it. I'm just getting germaphobic as I get older. I know there are other shortcuts but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. The grandson is needing attention. Good luck and safe travels.

Hugs, Mika

Could one of you long time CPAP'ers please email me. I just used mine for the first time last night and I've been miserable all day. I could really use some advice.

TIA Dreamweaver

Surprise, surprise! I got an answer from TSA in less than 24 hours.

Along with lots of other info, it says: The limit of one carry-on and one personal item (purse, briefcase, or computer case) does not apply to medical supplies, equipment, mobility aids or assistive devices carried or used by a person with a disability.

Mika, you can request that the security personnel put on new gloves before examining your CPAP machine. I had been thinking about putting both of our machines in one case. After reading your message that sounds like an even better idea! Thanks for all the tips.

Donna in SW Idaho

Yeah I know you can request that they put on new gloves, a new swab on the swabber and all that BUT.......when you do that oh my goodness...most of the time they get offended and act as if they have been put out to no end. I did that one time with a different matter and it was horrible. It would just be easier, less time consuming and less stressful to just wipe it down myself. At least that way I would know it was cleaned to my satisfaction. After having been strip searched because of a knee brace I made the decision that as long as TSA was cordial to me I would be cordial and cooperative to them.

Where are you cruising too? DH & I and another couple are taking a 3 day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas in three weeks. Our first cruise and the reason we decided on a short one, to see if we will actually enjoy it.

Oh yeah, if you do decide to put both your machines in one bag, just be sure to pack stuff around them so that they don't rattle around too terribly much and bang against each other. The DME rep that I got my CPAP from told me that the components can be easily damaged with rough handling and should never be in checked baggage. So when I pack the two in a larger bag, I just always wrap each one in a pair of jeans or something and pack my pillow in with them to hold them in place and it works like a charm. Best of luck.

Hugs, Mika

Dreamweaver - check out this ng - might answer some of your questions: alt.support.sleep-disorder

Donna in SW Idaho

Thanks Donna! I did right after I posted and it helped a great deal.

Dreamweaver