CPAP use while winter camping

[Matt W]

I’ve got a buddy that has backpacked with me and is looking to get into winter camping with me.  He has a newer style machine that he’s able to run off a battery brick during summer trips.  Although he <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>does not</span> use water when he uses it, i suspect condensation will be an enemy.

Has anyone found ways to use their system during your winter trips?

Would getting a longer hose and just coiling it up inside the sleeping bag help?

[Jerry Adams]

There was another thread about this

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/cpap-for-backcountry/

Maybe things have improved since then

ask your doctor if doing without for just a few days is that important

my original apnea doctor said no big deal – sleep on my side to minimize apneas

I recently went to another doctor, actually a physician’s assistant that totally disagreed.  And I should do another sleep study in their clinic.  And it was illegal for me to manually set the cpap like the original doctor showed me how to do.

[Roger Caffin]

And I should do another sleep study in their clinic. And it was illegal for me to manually set the cpap like the original doctor showed me how to do.
Sounds very fishy to me. They want you to spend lots of money in their clinic, and they want to frighten you away from what someone else suggested. Illegal my fat ****
Yeah, right.

Cheers

[Bruce Tolley]

@Matt
Are you saying that your buddy brings the CPAP plus batter plus humidifier on summer trips? Batteries for the Transcend and ResMed travel CPAPs usually recommend not using the humidifier since its use decreases the battery life. I leave the humidifier at home for summer camping.

I have not taken the CPAP winter (snow) camping since I am already hauling snow shovel, extra insulation, extra fuel, etc. I use the “sleep on side method” described by Jerry above. Once I took just the face mask and a chin strap to prevent mouth breathing.

[Matt W]

I’ll have to get more details from him.  However, i believe he does not use the humidifier at all.

He can go 1 night without, but 2 nights would be a less than desirable event.

[Adam G]

I once camped with a guy who used a battery powered CPAP in a snow cave. I don’t think he made any particular adjustments and I don’t think he had any issues.

[Scott B]

I was diagnosed with (mild to moderate) OSA.  My doctor suggested trying Provent therapy, which are small and extremely light band-aid like disposable pieces that work for those who have success with nasal device only therapy.  I got the starter kit and used it on the Lost Coast Trail for a slower-paced three night trip and two nights in the Trinity Alps sleeping on my side with my gf and she said she never heard me snore.  I noticed no signs of unusual fatigue.  I hope to try it out on a more lengthy Lone Star Trail trip next month.

I think it is definitely worth a try for those looking for lightweight options as they are basically the size and weight of band-aids.  Worth asking your doctor about it at least.  If you do use it, I suggest having a means to clean some of the oil off your nose before putting it on to ensure best adhesion.

https://www.proventtherapy.com/

I’ll add that I normally use an APAP at home.  Provent is also used by some who have OSA and have trouble using APAP/CPAP devices.

[David Thomas]

“And I should do another sleep study in their clinic.”

I’m married to a doc board-certified in sleep medicine (and internal medicine) and, yeah, those sleep studies are some of the highest reimbursed hours, just on the doctor side.  Then there are all the lab and technician fees that, since they already have the lab, are mostly profit.

I’ve long wondered if you took the optician approach – a technician instead of an MD to deal with one thing: checking your prescription or dealing with your sleep disorder.  Why spend $2000 on a sleep study just to conclude, always, that you should 1) lose weight, 2) sleep on your side, 3) try CPAP on various settings.

Or, jeez, wear a t-shirt with a pocket in it and develop a smart phone app that tracks your restlessness and snoring through the night, runs it through some AI, and spits out recommendations.

My other solution involving t-shirts is to sew a tennis ball to the back of one.  Resulting you NOT sleeping on your back.

[Roger Caffin]

sew a tennis ball to the back of one
Brilliant!
No profit for Big Pharm, sadly, nor for the VCs.

Cheers

[Greg Mihalik]

Provent Therapy –

https://pulmccm.org/sleep-review/provent-for-obstructive-sleep-apnea-osa/

(click on the background to get past the signup popup)

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