Travel CPAP (inc Transcend)

[Poppy56]

I am thinking of buying a travel CPAP for use camping, visits abroad and for working away from home. My home CPAP is a Fisher-Paykel which is quite big and heavy and not really suitable for carrying on trips, especially with a suitcase and a laptop. Any recommendations? The Fisher-Paykel has a humidifier and so I'm not used to one without. I want something lightweight. I have seen one which has a free battery on this site but it has mixed reviews:

britishsnoring.co.uk/shop/cpap/Transcend_II_Travel_CPAP.php

[martin]

I have been using the Apex 111 with the humidifier (but not the heating bit) for travelling for about 2 years and found it pretty good. Needs a book to balance under the unit and tape the humidifier closed closed otherwise it blows open, you may not need the humidifier but I found it reduces wind noise. Get an extra long lead for the power source (think it was hope2sleep said about it) in case there isn't a plug beside the bed and always check for adaptors. Haven't needed a battery option as I stick to non camping civilised hols whenever possible but a couple of people here have been talking about batteries on another thread and I think intus sell a rechargeable unit that uses an ordinary socket.

[Tom @ Intus]

Hi Poppy, you can find the Transcend Portable CPAP on EU-PAP.co.uk here. Free battery as well applied at the checkout, and free delivery too. You can't say fairer than that

For travel and backup purposes, the Transcend is ideal. It doesn't have a heated humidifier, exhalation relief, or even a display. It is simply designed to be as compact and lightweight as possible, and with the battery options few rival it for camping and such.

We've supplied many of these machines now and the feedback has been great. It will not compete technically with an Icon and all of the advanced features that has, but for a travel unit for the odd few nights it really is incredibly convenient.

The XT-III that Martin mentioned is also popular, although that lacks the option to run off of a battery unless you use an inverter, which we don't recommend. If you want the option of a battery, then the Transcend CPAP Machine would be the stand-out option.

[Poppy56]

Excellent! That's a good offer. I use a Fisher Paykel CPAP which has a humidifier and a heated tube. Would I find it difficult, do you think, to do without a humidifier?

[Poppy56]

Another question if you don't mind. Would my Fisher Paykel mask fit? I also have a Sleepeasy mask (I think that's what it's called, it was a free gift from Intus). Would that fit? I also don't quite understand the humidification thing - I see that it's extra but do you need a special mask just for that?

Thanks

[martin]

All masks I've had all fit the same size tubes. The humidifier is a water bottle that fits into the system if you find your mouth/nose/sinus drying out during the night, doesn't need a different mask. I tend to use it in winter to heat the air a bit as the room is a tad nippy.

[Sleep2Snore]

Humidification just adds some moisture to the air you are breathing.
Most do this by heating water, though you do get ones that work without heat (more common in the States) but there tend to be on the large side and shaped like a large fat disc, air goes through in a spiral and picks up some moisture as it goes. At least that is the theory. Most machines will work without one, some people can use CPAP machines without needing a humidifier, other can't. What happens is your airways dry out and some people find it hard to breath due to dryness.
If you were camping you might get by without one as the air outside tends to be more moist. Unless you are somewhere hot or in the desert.

[martin]

Unless you are somewhere hot or in the desert.

I have only fallen asleep in my dessert once, though I did get keyboard forehead, lots of lil square dents in it. I took them as a sign that I should investigate sleep apnoea.

Oh...desert.........my mistake......please carry on

[Fredxx]

Just to throw another option into the mix...

I had a similar issue a couple of years back , wanting a travel CPAP I could use where there wasn't overnight power, to carry abroad and when working away - my main CPAP is the Fischer and Paykell too.

The option I went for was the DeVibliss Sleepcube, powered by the Super CPAP battery pack. I use a pressure of 16, and that will give me 3 full nights running on battery power. This has now served me well for several years.

[Tom @ Intus]

Excellent! That's a good offer. I use a Fisher Paykel CPAP which has a humidifier and a heated tube. Would I find it difficult, do you think, to do without a humidifier?

For the odd night here and there, probably not. The dry mouth (the main issue with unhumidified therapy) tends to be cumulative, so you may well be OK without. You may want to test with your Icon by disabling the heated humidifier (I think you enable Flight Mode on that machine to do this).

[Tom @ Intus]

Another question if you don't mind. Would my Fisher Paykel mask fit? I also have a Sleepeasy mask (I think that's what it's called, it was a free gift from Intus). Would that fit? I also don't quite understand the humidification thing - I see that it's extra but do you need a special mask just for that?

Thanks

SleepWeaver

Yes it would fit both of those, and indeed any modern CPAP mask as they all use the standard 22mm connector these days.

The humidifier does only work with certain masks from ResMed and Philips Respironics. If you do not have one of the supported masks then you can simply purchase the cushion rather than the whole mask. We do a 15% discount on the cushions when you buy that along with a humidifier; you can read more about that here.

That said, you may not need it! If you try your Icon without humidification for a night and see how you go, you can decide from there. Plus, the humidifier can always be purchased separately at a later date if you wanted to see how you get on without.

[Tom @ Intus]

Just to throw another option into the mix...

I had a similar issue a couple of years back , wanting a travel CPAP I could use where there wasn't overnight power, to carry abroad and when working away - my main CPAP is the Fischer and Paykell too.

The option I went for was the DeVibliss Sleepcube, powered by the Super CPAP battery pack. I use a pressure of 16, and that will give me 3 full nights running on battery power. This has now served me well for several years.

That is an excellent combination, to be honest. If you want a fully-featured CPAP machine (exhalation relief, APAP, data reporting) then that is a great option. The Transcend does blow it away in terms of size and weight, but there are sacrifices made to achieve that.

The SleepCube is still very compact for a traditional CPAP machine, it's just that the Transcend has completely moved the goalposts in this respect.

[Poppy56]

Baby Darth has arrived! It's at my partner's house and he has sent me photos. Grown-up Darth is a Fisher Paykel but the new machine will be for when I travel. Can't wait to try it out.

[martin]

My two are Gail (gale force wind) and baby gail. Anyone else name their machines ?

[jackieb]

I call mine Darth as well