Trip with Cpap to London- help?

So I’m leaving at the month end to see a new grandbaby due this month in London. I plan on taking my CPAP and read already that it doesn’t count as baggage since it is a medical device. Terrific news.

My questions: I always need to hit the ground running when I get there because I’m there to help, not vacation. I usually sleep on the plane.

#1. Should I try to use my cpap while on the plane? Are there plugs or will I need to buy a battery backup. If so, does it need to be specific for my DS?

#2. Any worries plugging in with an adapter once in their flat. Do I need some type of surge protector. Hate to ruin my machine.

#3. Should I take the extra weight of bringing the humidifier section. I’m only using it for cold humification right now.

-#4. Will they allow me to bring some distilled water on the plane if I put it in my cpap bag?

I was thinking of putting a blanket over my head while asleep on the plane so I wouldn’t frighten any small children.

Any other suggestions for those of you who have taken your machine w you abroad would be appreciated.

If you take the proper adapter for the UK, you'll be fine. The Dreamstation CPAP (and most other CPAPs on the market) are fully compatible with the electricity in the UK. Depending upon your accommodations, you may need an extension cord. In the UK, an extension cord might also be known as an "extension lead."

Using it on the plane is complicated. You'll need to call the airline.

Do not use distilled water from a petrol station! If you can't get distilled water, you should be able to use any water that is safe to drink (except flavored, colored, or carbonated). Bottled water is preferable to tap water.

Wrong! Tap water almost anywhere is preferable and most travelers don't take distilled with them (plus you should be able to get it there no problem). The reason for distilled is to prevent hard water 'stains' and/or scum build up in the tank... but it happens over time and is easily dealt with when you get back. It has nothing to do with therapy as such. And the airlines won't let you bring it anyhow.

Make sure you check with your airline ahead of time to find out what their policy is. It shouldn’t count as one of your carry on items, but do you really want to fight it out as you are trying to board?

I had the same conversation with my family, flying to the Philippines at end of August, i was trying to figure out a mini pap and battery, and using on the plane, are people going to think I'm a terrorist with my very own air supply? or what's wrong with the Air, why does that guy have a mask on!?

my family basically chastised me saying no! noone does that! as if they would know...anyway, i won't be using any sort of cpap while flying, will just have my machine complete with humidifier in the carry bag and use with an adapter.

Hi Bednbones,

I live here, in the UK. Let me make your trip easier.

1. The power transformer 'brick' that you have which sits between the wall socket and the DreamStation automatically adjusts to UK voltage so you don't need an adapter for that. Which leaves the wall socket. And the easist and most secure way to plug into a UK socket on your trip is if you buy one of these from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/InstallerParts-P ... 2TMHPAF685

2. Wrt surge protection, the power supply in the UK is very stable. Added to that, the 13-amp plug indicated above actually has a fuse inside it. And there is another layer of protection in most homes nowadays – between the wall socket and the mains there is a 'trip-switch' fuse. Reacts very quickly to short circuits and surges on the rare occasion they occur.

3. As several people have said, distilled water isn't an absolute necessity. It's more of a convenience. And London tap water is safe to drink, and will do.

But you might ask your friends to get you some Sainsbury's Still Scottish Mountain Water (45 pence for a 2-litre bottle). It's the next best thing to safe distilled water, and it's easy to get. Sainsbury's is a national chain of supermarkets and has stores everywhere.

4. Please don't be tempted by the stuff labelled 'distilled water' in gas stations and in motor-vehicle-accessories stores (for example, in a national chain called Halfords). It isn't guaranteed to be sterile. And medically-guaranteed distilled water is only available from pharmacists – and is very, very expensive.

5. When it's time to cross a road with vehicle traffic on it, we don't have jay-walking laws. But we do have people driving on 'the other side' of the road. So when you're about to cross the road, first look right, then left, then right again ...

....and most of the people in England can understand most of what Americans say - so don't worry too much about extension "lead" versus extension "cord"

I think most of the things you need to know have been covered. I traveled to the UK last year and had no problem using my machine anywhere with the proper plug adapter. I was puzzled that I couldn't find distilled water so used tap water, which did leave deposits in my humidifier chamber.

And I did double-check with my airline, who needed to hear from me about the machine ahead of time. Can't remember if I needed a doctor's prescription for the airline, but it can't hurt to carry a copy of your machine prescription with settings. I was on two different airlines -- one for the transatlantic journey, and another to get from city to city. Each wanted me to let them know ahead of time and had slightly different requirements. Ask the transatlantic airline if you can use it on board...I think that's variable. I chose not to use mind because I don't sleep well overnight on planes anyway.

One thing that was very interesting to me is that my AHIs were much lower in the UK than here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. AHI is, I think, naturally in higher altitudes, and most of the UK where I was was sea level. I was also a lot more physically active in the UK, so probably had better quality sleep for that reason.

Have fun!

Look at the label on your power bricks (PAP, laptop, whatever) and make sure the "input" has a voltage range like, "100-240v~50-60Hz". that means the brick won't need a transformer and can handle voltages between 100 and 240 volts and 50 to 60 hz. That covers most of the globe.

The problem then is the wall outlets in the UK. Presuming you are in the USA, your two or three prong cords won't fit in the UK wall outlets. So you need an adapter. I travel with three adapters similar to these: https://www.amazon.com/SAUNORCH-Univers ... B078M32R41.

That's a newer version of the ones I use and I really like that it has USB charging ports built in. I have yet to find a wall outlet I could not adapt my USA cords to.

Whatever you choose for power accommodation, congrats on the new youngern' and safe travels!
-JD

Hello again, Bednbones,

Ah, men – well, some men – and their love for gadgets, especially the latest, more complicated, whizz-bang gadget – and as Tim Allen of Home Improvement fame useta say, "More power! More power!"

Bednbones, I think as a sensible lady you want something simple. The cord that I recommended above which goes from the wall socket to your power transformer is simple. For the duration of your trip, it replaces the wall-to-power-transformer cord you use in the US.

And once this UK cord is plugged in, it won't wobble or come loose. And there are no buttons or sliders to work, or figure out. And it's cheaper than the gizmo JayDee suggests.

So I repeat my recommendation:

https://www.amazon.com/InstallerParts-P ... 2TMHPAF685

rick blaine wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 6:05 am

Hello again, Bednbones,

Ah, men – well, some men – and their love for gadgets, especially the latest, more complicated, whizz-bang gadget – and as Tim Allen of Home Improvement fame useta say, "More power! More power!"

Bednbones, I think as a sensible lady you want something simple. The cord that I recommended above which goes from the wall socket to your power transformer is simple. For the duration of your trip, it replaces the wall-to-power-transformer cord you use in the US.

And once this UK cord is plugged in, it won't wobble or come loose. And there are no buttons or sliders to work, or figure out. And it's cheaper than the gizmo JayDee suggests.

So I repeat my recommendation:

https://www.amazon.com/InstallerParts-P ... 2TMHPAF685

Yes, this cord will work. The problem is that if you travel quite a bit you could collect up to fourteen different cords and have to store them all. Also, if you're visiting more than one country on the same trip (example UK and France), you might need to pack more than one cord.

rick blaine wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 6:05 am

Ah, men – well, some women – and their love for gadgets...

You forgot, not every one in the US knows about Monty Python...
And Europe, oups sorry... England is old and not so clean !

D.H. wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:49 am

If you take the proper adapter for the UK, you'll be fine. The Dreamstation CPAP (and most other CPAPs on the market) are fully compatible with the electricity in the UK. Depending upon your accommodations, you may need an extension cord. In the UK, an extension cord might also be known as an "extension lead."

Using it on the plane is complicated. You'll need to call the airline.

Do not use distilled water from a petrol station! If you can't get distilled water, you should be able to use any water that is safe to drink (except flavored, colored, or carbonated). Bottled water is preferable to tap water.

All great advice. I asked if they had an extension cord and I’m going to bring one because the room only has 1 plug.

NoOnesPerfect wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 08, 2019 10:10 am

Make sure you check with your airline ahead of time to find out what their policy is. It shouldn’t count as one of your carry on items, but do you really want to fight it out as you are trying to board?

Ok- I didn’t think of that and I’m not flying on a US carrier so it makes sense.

rick blaine wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 10, 2019 6:05 am

Hello again, Bednbones,

Ah, men – well, some men – and their love for gadgets, especially the latest, more complicated, whizz-bang gadget – and as Tim Allen of Home Improvement fame useta say, "More power! More power!"

Bednbones, I think as a sensible lady you want something simple. The cord that I recommended above which goes from the wall socket to your power transformer is simple. For the duration of your trip, it replaces the wall-to-power-transformer cord you use in the US.

And once this UK cord is plugged in, it won't wobble or come loose. And there are no buttons or sliders to work, or figure out. And it's cheaper than the gizmo JayDee suggests.

So I repeat my recommendation:

Easy buddy... This is not a competition... Everything's going to be ok.

-JD