Newbie questions!

[rememberyes]

Ajack, thanks for letting me know - I'll definitely check any airlines I travel with. Fortunately I do have decent frequent-flyer status with the airline group I travel with most, but it's really good to know I shouldn't expect it with every airline.

HalfAsleep, the dual voltage surge protector is a GREAT idea for international travel, thank you so much! I do not want to fry this machine and I KNOW the power's going to be wonky, even if I stay just in Accra. I absolutely love Ghana - I work a lot in West Africa (Cote d'Ivoire most recently, but we also have projects in Liberia) and it's just one of the most amazing places in the world.

Thanks everyone again - I've had some anxiety about adapting to the CPAP life (especially with my travel-heavy job), and honestly I don't have any close friends/family who have dealt with it, so it means a lot to get support here.

[HalfAsleep]

I'm a newbie, too, so I can't offer you much advice, and it sounds like you're familiar with West Africa.

I believe, from others on this forum, you may be able to carry a small bottle of distilled water in your CPAP case. That way, you'd have it and not have to go immediately scrounging around Accra for a supply. It may be difficult to find it there. On the other hand, a humidifier may be 100% overkill.

Are you going to be in a hotel? Or are you roughing it?

Do flights still stop over at multiple capitals in West Africa before you get to the one you want? (In the old days, it was one flight a week on PanAm out of Kennedy.) That might pose some challenges for rest/sleep on the plane: it's a looooong flight. Maybe from somewhere in Europe?

If you're using your CPAP aboard, take some kind of collar so your head doesn't droop and shut off your airway.

In addition to a dual voltage surge protector, you need the right prongs to stick in a wall socket. You might have those already?

Verify that your CPAP unit can accommodate the higher voltage.

I grew up in Ghana and Benin. I've visited Côte D'Ivoire and Togo. How I wish I could go back...

[DeepBreathing]

Did you make the medical device tag yourself?

Yeah, I just knocked something up on MS Word. I printed it out and trimmed it down to the right size to fit in a standard label holder. Carrying your prescription isn't a bad idea, but you really need something on the outside so you can conveniently show the airline staff. I've only ever been questioned about the machine twice: Once in Australia where the guy was in the process of becoming a hose-head and wanted advice. The second time was recently in Qatar where the security lady wanted it opened up and tested it for explosives.

I don't know what the public water supply is like in Ghana, but I use bottled water anywhere the tap water is deemed unsafe for my delicate western stomach. Distilled water isn't really necessary, though it does help prevent mineral deposits in the humidifier (which can be washed with vinegar if necessary).


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[rememberyes]

HalfAsleep - wow, growing up there must have been really interesting! I can't imagine what it took even 20 years ago to get to some of the places I work; now, getting to Accra is as easy as a flight to London or Frankfurt and a second flight to Accra. I think some airlines do still do multiple stops, but I've only had that happen on smaller airlines and usually only going to or from places like DR Congo. I definitely already have the adaptors needed to use the wall socket, although I might buy a separate universal adaptor just for my CPAP machine to keep in the bag. I almost always stay in hotels or guesthouses - I've had to 'rough it' once or twice but if that were the case, I would probably not take my CPAP and just try to sleep on my side! I use bottled water in my humidifier but not sure I'll need it in West Africa unless I need the AC cranked!

DeepBreathing, lol, I love that the agent wanted your tips! I've had the weirdest things tested for explosives, so I'm sure this machine will get its share of love if my iPad, work computer, chapstick, and sneakers have all been suspect. Thanks so much for the tag template!!! I know I've got a spare luggage tag around here that will work for this.

Day 2 on EPR at 2 and my AHI was the lowest ever - 0.38, only 3 events the entire night. I didn't even wake up to pee before 5am!!! Wow.