Has anyone with sleep apnea like me figured out a way to bring your CPAP machine to the Boundary waters? I was wondering how to power one out in the middle of nowhere? I have checked on solar battery chargers and am trying to figure out how to avoid bringing a 50 pound deep cycle battery. On our trip last year I was half asleep every afternoon because I could not get a good nights sleep. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

I have seen some solar panels you can buy for backpacks and such. I have no idea what they can power.

link

It still might not be worth the expense or the hastle to bring it in. I say if you enjoy the boundary waters until 3pm and then are worn out, then so be it and enjoy what you can.

I also have sleep apnea and enjoy an afternoon nap. The down side is that my wife has to take ear plugs to get any sleep.

I agree 100%
its vacation and its the BWCA, if its nap time, have a nice nap. Fish will be biting when you get up(hopefully)

besides nothing like a good snorer to keep the nocturnal food hunters away
LOL

paul1264, checkout the Brunton Solo portable power source. I looked at one today at the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo. The Brunton rep stated that some insurance plans will pay for these units. Here is a link that describes the unit.
Brunton Solo

If you find a way to transport it and it doesn't weigh a ton, let me know.

I have a good friend who has sleep apnea. She still goes on canoe trips but doesn't take the machine because of the weight. She doesn't get great sleep on a trip, so that would help her a lot.

Thanks for all the links and info everyone. It looks like it's going to be a whole lot cheaper ($30 vs $300+) to invest in a good old hammock for an afternoon nap every day. Not a MESH one either you can ask ekffazr about that disastor last year on Insula.

If you are in the market for a good hammock, let me suggest the one that I use... a Hammock Bliss Hammock... Cost about $30.00 - $35.00 made of parachute silk, weighs 14 oz. It is very comfortable and When it is hot and the wind blows the silk feels cool... I use the double... big enough to cover up with to keep the friendly flies and mosquitoes off of you... and it holds my 6'5 285 lb body just fine!!

Bruce

Hey ArMan, is Hammock Bliss the name of the company where you got your's? Do you know if they have a website? I'm looking to replace mine before I come up next month.

Check out this website for camping cpap machiens:
http://www.breathex.com/
One battery last 2 days and they are lite!

Cool! I'm forwarding that to Bear Dancing Woman!

There are several companies which handle the Hammock Bliss Hammock... I saw it online an did a goolge search and came up with several sites... I believe I ordered mine from Campmor, and Cabela's has them now too.

Bruce

Hey thanks for the link reddcin. I looked this up and it looks very promising that company BreatheX is going to make a lot of money if they work. They don't list the price but I am going to check with my insurance company to see if they will cover it!!

Thanks for the hammock info Arkansas Man. Last year I bought one of those cheap mesh hammocks and took it out of the package before our trip to try it out and then put it in my pack. By the time we got to camp and I went to set it up it was one tangled up mess. Needless to say I spent all week trying to untangle it and ended up throwing it away. The hammock bliss hammock sounds great I am going to get one.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea last fall, and I am on treatment nightly with cpap. This makes me an official hosehead!.....lol

I have followed the development of the BreatheX that Reddcin noted. They are nearly ready to ship their first of production....I have had discussions with a few of the Hoffman Labs staff. I plan to use www.cpap.com for the purchase. No pricing available yet. You would need to fax them a copy of your prescription to complete the order. I like doing business with these guys. The BreatheX uses a small lithium-ion battery that will provide 1-1/2 to 2 nights therapy, depending on your pressure setting. Extra batteries can be ordered so that it should be quite easy to get nightly therapy during a bwca/q trip. This unit only works on the battery.....there is no option to plug it in to 120v. However, they will include a plug-in type battery charger. This design further saves on the overall weight. The biggest technology breakthrough with this product is it's small and lightweight blower motor.

Since I sometimes travel a lot by air, the BreatheX will make a better solution to long in-flight and hotel use compared to some of the other boat-anchors out there.

I studied the photovoltaic route and found that you still need a pretty hefty battery, plus the new thin film solar cells are a bit pricey.

I'll be happy to provide feedback after I get mine and have tried it out.

HP

Thanks HP I was also diagnosed with SA last fall CPAP really makes a difference doesn't it. Send me an email and let me know what you think of the BreatheX. I emailed Hoffman too to see if my insurance co will cover it they told me to contact cpap.com. I hope these don't cost over $1000 because I doubt most insurance companies would pay for them.

I read your post about a battery for a CPAP machine.

Sounds like some people were suggesting leaving the CPAP at home.

If you choose to do so, let me offer you some advice on what you can do to reduce the severity of your apnea on the trip. (I am a long-time BWCA paddler, but also a sleep specialist...)

You should know the severity of your apnea. Typically this is measured by the number of apneas per hour, or the number of arousals per hour (called the RDI, or AHI). You should know if your apnea was more severe in different positions, and in different stages of sleep. This information is in the copy of the sleep study report that was generated after your night at the sleep lab (or, maybe in your home, depending on where you had a study done...)

You could use this information to adopt behaviors that will make your apnea less severe. For example, don't drink alcohol on your trip, since it is a depressant and will cause the muscles in your upper airway to relax, worsening your apnea. Avoiding sleeping on your back may help, if your apnea is positional (i.e., if it occurred more on your back then on your side). Some people have apnea in all positions.

If your apnea is mild, you could probably cope without the CPAP for the trip. But if your apnea is severe, for your restfulness and for your cardiovascular function, it would be best to bring the CPAP-so I hope you find a lightweight battery.

good luck.
gb

Thanks for the info greasebucket. The BreatheX mentioned above by HP looks promising if it is covered by insurance.