A very common question we encounter when beginning a trial of CPAP is about travel.
There are a number of different solutions for keeping sleep apnoea under control when travelling whether it be a camping trip, an overnight trip to the city or a long overseas holiday.
With the right documentation (a letter from the Sleep Physician) you will be able to carry your CPAP machine as carry on luggage at no extra cost. If you are worried about general size and carting around too much gear consider just taking the Flow generator and leaving the humidifier at home.
CPAP machines can be used in caravans or when you are out camping. With the inverter you can run your machine through a cigarette lighter in your car/truck/caravan or run it directly from a battery. Read our comprehensive power guide for more information. The official ResMed inverter costs $149.
Patient’s of mine have used different strategies when flying overseas. Lately PROVENT has been extremely popular. This uses Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure to maintain an open airway through the night. The band aid like devices are compact, relatively easy to use and the feedback has been positive. They cost around $3.70 a night to use. It is strongly recommended trialling these before going travelling – you want to know whether it will work before committing to it.
A Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS) is another alternative. These will not suit everybody and it is recommended you talk to a Physician before committing to the use of one of these. The costs vary between $1200 -$1800 and we recommend getting them fitted at an experienced dentist.
If your snoring or OSA is related to sleeping on your back, NIGHTSHIFT may be an alternative for you while you travel. This device monitors sleep/wake, body position and snore decibel level.
The device is designed to gently vibrate when you are on your back during the night to remind you to roll over to your side. Again, we have had some positive feedback. We particularly like this device as it gives us some statistical data to work with. This device costs $341.
The other alternative is of course to not use anything. While we don’t recommend this you will generally know how you feel if you take time off the machine. It is important to consider others when travelling if you are a loud snorer.
For more information on travelling with Sleep Apnoea or snoring contact us at info@sleepright.com.au or call us on 1800 799 950.
