Anyone use a CPAP?

[TheresaD]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm still learning about all of this and all of your input really helps. I will look into some of these battery options. I have an appt. next Tuesday to find out the results of my sleep study and then I have to go for another overnight to get rigged up with the cpap and mask etc. I guess that's to get me calibrated or something in order to determine what settings I will need. While I'm not looking forward to the whole mask thing, I'm really looking forward to getting this sleep issue under control. I feel like every day that goes by I just feel more and more tired. I've gotten to the point that I'm worried about being able to tow my trailer and drive long distances without getting drowsy. I'm looking forward to getting some rest and getting my life back. Even if I do have to go to bed looking like a fighter pilot.

[mezmo]

Hi TheresaD,

'No need to be apprehensive about anything. It will definitely help.
I found it very easy to acclimate to. A snap, actually. Once you use
it you Will feel rested! Right from the get-go. I was a bit happily
surprised by that - thought it would take a little while at least, but it
didn't.

I don't use the humidifier with mine as I don't think it really helped any,
but everyone is different about such things.

I haven'y camped any using it yet though but it sounds like the others
responding to your post have plenty of workable solutions for that.

Good luck with it and you will have restful sleep again with it.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Ratkity]

I also have a cpap, but haven't taken it boondocking yet. I use my "travel" cpap (small and inexpensive) when I have shore power. This thread inspired me to look to see if there was a 12v option for either of my machines. Of course, there was for the expensive machine. My 12v cord order arrived last weekend and I am ready to boondock with it. I am apprehensive about using the cpap and the fantastic fan with the generic deep cycle battery (120ah) and it lasting 2 nights. I could do a simple recharge via jumper cables from the car in a pinch.

From reading this thread and other battery threads, it appears that a high quality deep cycle is the best way to go.

Hugs,
Ratkity

[Catherine+twins]

I think the humidifier really depends on where you live, and the relative humidity. My son was on a cpap in the NICU when he was born, so I only have experience with baby cpaps, but all of the babies had bubblers on their cpaps and oxygen supplies in the NICU. Then last spring when DS had pneumonia (post swine flu), he was sent home with oxygen and NO humidifier/bubbler. In spring our humidity is about 10% (no joking!), and the dry oxygen blowing into his dry nose and sinuses was just too much. I was up every night with him, staunching nose bleeds and cleaning up his bed. Yuck! And I think his friend Tom had the same experience later in the spring at the cub scout campout. It was the first time Tom and his dad tried out his new battery-powered cpap, no humidifier, and Tom woke up with a bad nose bleed. Got to give them credit, though, they were out camping again the next month with modified equipment, and Tom is raring to go again this spring. Kids are so resilient!

So, anyone with a cpap who wants to camp in the Great American Desert should perhaps plan on using the humidifier.

Catherine

[TheresaD]

Well... I went to my Dr. today for my follow up to my sleep study. He went over the results & I tried to take notes so I could understand everything. The bottom line info that I understood the most was that in 4 hours and 5 mins of sleep time I had a total of 284 arousals. He said that my apnea/hypopnea was 74 per hour and it went up to 78 per hour during the short time I was in REM sleep. Aparrently my oxygen level dropped significantly as well. In his wrap up he basically said that I have severe obstructive sleep apnea and that it's easy to see why I feel lousy and tired all the time. He had me set up today with a cpap machine and headgear and now I'm home trying to absorb it all.

Now to end my story and bring the thread back on track... When discussing the cpap machine I told the "Dream Team" (as PanelDeland so aptly called them) that I frequently camp without electricity and wanted to be sure that I was going to be able to get a machine that I would be able to use if running off of a battery. They looked like deer in headlights. I guess they've never met a camper that snores before. After much blathering back and forth between them they did come to the agreement that there are battery back up options for the machine that was chosen for me. They are supposed to send me that info. In the mean time I guess I'm still a little confused. I was given a Resmed S9 Autoset w/ humidifier. In looking at the thing it appears that the only type of power supply that can be hooked up to it is the standard cord with the 90W power pack thing that runs off of regular 110 power. BobDitch you mentioned in the original post in this thread that you got some sort of converter for your Resmed. Can you tell me more about it? There's nothing in the manual that indicates that it can be used on any other power source. I guess I'm going to have to do some research on the thing. I might not be understanding what some of you have been saying in some of the previous posts. I'm going to re read them. I was thinking that I would see some sort of other outlet on the thing that would allow one to plug in a different power cable (with the cigarette lighter end) and then be able to plug into a similar outlet in the trailer. I guess not. Now I'm thinking maybe I have to have a certain set up when I run my electrical so that when I plug in the power will somehow be converted (or inverted not sure how that works) so that I can run off battery. Sorry if I've been rambling about all of this. I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all and want to plan ahead accordingly. Thanks for listening!!

Wish me luck. I'm going to hook up the snorkle for the first time tonight. Maybe once I can get a good night's sleep I'll be able to figure this all out a bit better.

[dreadcptflint]

I went out to the ResMed site. (http://www.resmed.com) They have some information on the site but it appears that you will need to get an inverter.

[asianflava]

I have an adapter (like a laptop) to convert the 110VAC to 12VDC for household use. When I use it camping, I use a cord with a cigarette lighter plug on the end. I was told that a plug from Radio Shack would work, but I got the optional factory part instead.

This is more efficient since it is DC to DC, no conversion. If you used an inverter, you would be changing the DC battery to AC, then using the adapter to change it back from AC to DC. Your battery life would be greatly diminished.

In the travel section it says that you need a pure sinewave inverter for this unit.

I use supplemental oxygen at home, I don't usually use it when camping. I think that living at over 5000ft may have something to do with that.

[chorizon]

This is the inverter I'm planning on getting for my Resmed S9.

Apparently it is the only one approved by Resmed.

Its pricier than other inverters of the same wattage, but I'd hate to burn up the machine trying to save a few bucks.

I'm planning on removing the humidifier while camping to save the battery.

I saw a chart of wattage ratings somewhere on the net and it was obvious that the S9s are actually quite efficient, even while using this inverter.
http://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed-150-watt-dc-ac-power-inverter.html

[Backroad Joe]

Yes I use a Tripp-Lite 375 watt for my ResMed too. Works great. I do lots of backcountry camping in my jeep.

I've learned a few things over the years. I turn off the humidifier. Besides the cold air condensation issues not using the humidifier heater saves power. Having been through many desert wind storms I bring an extra pillow case and just slip the whole machine into it. It still allows for airflow while keeping a fair amount of dust out.

[csmith]

I use a car plug I got at cpap.com and an alligator plug that clips right on the battery which I just put under my bunk end on the ground. I have to charge my wheelchair every two days so I charge the deep cell at the same time. It means I have to haul one more battery but this way if the batt dies my camper is not left in the dark too.