Association Forum

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Cpap

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Albanker
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
40 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/11/2013 : 20:27:05

Anyone use Cpap on boat ?. Mine says it can use 12v draws 2.5 amp. ResMed

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2013 : 06:20:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Albanker
 Anyone use Cpap on boat ?. Mine says it can use 12v draws 2.5 amp. ResMed
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I've used one before on my own boat and on charters. The new ones with external power brick are best, because they are designed to work off 12v all the time. Just get a 12v adapter that plugs into a standard automotive 12v receptacle. Don't bother with an invertor.

Don't use a heated dehumidifier unless you're on 120v shore power.

I had a little problem on a charter boat, because the boat's battery was iffy and didn't seem to put out quite enough voltage for the CPAP to start up. I would have to run the diesel motor to get the voltage high enough for the thing to start. Once the CPAP was running, it would continue running even after I turned off the diesel. It was just a startup issue, when the CPAP seems to need a little more juice to get going.

I've also used one camping, using a 12v portable jump-start battery. This one gets me about 20 hours of use between charges. I often bring it along on the boat as a backup battery:

<center>

</center>

Edited by - TakeFive on 04/12/2013 06:21:46

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2013 : 19:31:20

I use one every night wherever I am and have not missed a night in 19 years. I have several and always have one on my boat. The one I use on the boat is as Rick said, a native 12 volt unit... as are most these days. On a boat the humidity is often very high and it is easy to get stuffy sinuses by bed time. I keep a generic antihistamine onboard and take one most nights. Also if you put on your mask, I use a nasal mask, about 10 minutes before you lay down and just sit up those 10 minutes it can clear your sinuses. I keep a spare full face mask around incase I am completely congested. I just got a new machine and it is my first with a humidifier, I am not sure I like it.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5431 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2013 : 21:13:33

Ditto - my trusty ResMed CPAP / C-Flex will plug right into a 12VDC lighter plug. I can run the CPAP and my anchor light all night with a fully charged battery. My newer unit uses an 18VAC supply so I can only use that at home on 120VAC power.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2013 : 18:28:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 ...My newer unit uses an 18VAC supply so I can only use that at home on 120VAC power.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
It's good that you have a 12v unit. But if you need 18v for CPAP or laptop (such as Dell), you can use this. I found one on black Friday special for about $25:

http://www.amazon.com/Targus-Charger-Charging-Warranty-APM32US/dp/B005LXOP8Y

Edited by - on

Novi
1st Mate

Members Avatar

Canada
59 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 08:58:26

I'm happy to hear that there are good experiences with CPAP on board. Full discloser, I work for ResMed (software development) and having never used a CPAP myself it hadn't occurred to me that a 12v device would be so handy.

Here's to sailing, overnighting - and good health!

Edited by - Novi on 04/14/2013 09:01:28

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 12:29:14

When you dry camp, (no 110 volt hookup), you need a 12 volt capable unit in RVs as well. It also can be important during power outages.

BTW I have yet to see any Mac software for personal history tracking for the end user.

Edited by - pastmember on 04/14/2013 12:31:45

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 15:25:29

I use my RemStar CPAP on the boat and in my camper. It has both 12 VDC and 120 VAC input connectors, so I can run it directly from the boat or RV batteries without an inverter. It draws only about 1.5 amps at 12 volts, and with a Group 27 house battery and 50 watt solar panel on the boat, I never have to worry about running down the battery.

Edited by - on

Novi
1st Mate

Members Avatar

Canada
59 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 15:37:03

Hi Frank - shameless plug:

We have software for cloud data monitoring CPAP usage and statistics. It's called U-Sleep. Unfortunately it's not marketed directly to consumers but through the DME suppliers, if the DME sets up the account, you can log in with any browser (even Safari

) and see all of your usage, AHI, leak etc data as well as get reminders and notifications.

www.u-sleep.com

Over all - you are right - CPAP software is lagging behind other health care verticals and that is one of the things we are staying up late at night trying to fix.

Edited by - Novi on 04/14/2013 15:42:53

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5431 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2013 : 20:00:41

Speaking of CPAP, I find that if my headgear slips off kilter or if there's a gap in my chinstrap and my mouth opens slightly, I get a terrible headache and "chapped sinuses". Ouch!
Anybody recommend a good quality headgear with a "positive" chin strap?

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 15:22:30

Thanks for the reply Todd.

Bruce, why do you need a chinstrap? What pressure are you at? I will occasionally wake up with dry mouth meaning my mouth was open some but it is rare.

This is going way afield, my bad.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4316 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 16:43:33

So since we are on this subject, I need to have the test done as I'm sure I have Sleep Apnea. Anything I should be asking when I go in for the test? What make and model machines should I be looking for?

People I've known that got a CPAP said it was like turning the lights back on and they feel much better. Have any of you had similar results?

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 18:11:20

Gary, I liken it to getting glasses for the first time and suddenly your eyes are relaxed. A good night's sleep after years of low oxygen saturation in your blood is like feeling years younger. I was falling asleep while giving lectures to my classes! HOWEVER sleep apnea is a death sentence for life insurance purposes. The lack of oxygen is making you stupid and killing your heart. Once you have a sleep study done and are diagnosed you will not be able to get life insurance except through a group. In the long run you should just buy a machine, set it at 10 and move on. BTW if you have severe sleep apnea you are probably having a problem controlling what you say to people, the lack of oxygen reduces one's ability to process thoughts and uncensored thoughts tend to pop out; not my info, my doctor's info.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4316 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 18:25:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pastmember
 Gary, I liken it to getting glasses for the first time and suddenly your eyes are relaxed. A good night's sleep after years of low oxygen saturation in your blood is like feeling years younger. I was falling asleep while giving lectures to my classes! HOWEVER sleep apnea is a death sentence for life insurance purposes. The lack of oxygen is making you stupid and killing your heart. Once you have a sleep study done and are diagnosed you will not be able to get life insurance except through a group. In the long run you should just buy a machine, set it at 10 and move on. BTW if you have severe sleep apnea you are probably having a problem controlling what you say to people, the lack of oxygen reduces one's ability to process thoughts and uncensored thoughts tend to pop out; not my info, my doctor's info.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
A. Can you buy a CPAP machine without a prescription I've heard you can't)?

B. How much does a good one cost?

C. What is a good make and model?

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 18:43:50

Good point about life insurance. Buy your policy BEFORE you have a sleep study done. I waited until afterwards, and had some difficulty, but was able to get a decent term policy at a decent rate. But I was under 40 at the time. I'm not sure I would recommend using a CPAP without a sleep study. Sounds dangerous to me.

I once (13 years ago) bought a spare machine on ebay without a prescription. But it's important to have the right pressure setting, and I had that from my sleep study. I believe that ebay has banned sale of these devices since then. I can only seem to find accessories, not the machines.

I think the machine is the least important part, aside from getting 12v capability if you want to use it on a boat. I'm told all the new machines have 12v capability.

BY FAR the most important consideration is the mask. These things can dig a severe groove in the bridge of your nose and other places, and create all sorts of other problems. It's very difficult to get something that can lay on the same spot of your skin for 7-8 hours, every night, without causing problems. The only mask I've ever been able to use is the Phantom Mask by SleepNet. Every time it comes up for replacement, they try to talk me out of my "old fashined" mask and try one of the new nasal pillows or some other latest-greatest design. (They seem to just be too lazy to special order it.) And every time I try something else, I end up hating it and going back to the Phantom Mask.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 19:28:52

CPAP machines are hair dryers that cost about $1400. I am on about my 8th machine give or take. I adjust my machines when I feel the need. I recently had a second sleep study because I have lost 80 pounds since I was first diagnosed in '93. In '93 my setting was 10.5, now it is 9. An honest clinician will tell you 10 is a fine place to start. If your wife says you are still having events then move it up a little. There are user sites like this one http://www.apneaboard.com and many look like you can buy machines "to control snoring", (a side benefit of a CPAP machine). I use a Res Med Ultra Mirage ll as my regular mask and a Respironics Amara full face when ill and cannot breath through my nose. I would suggest a full face rather than a chin strap if blow through is a problem. The secret to a mask is to realize that if it is too narrow and close to your nostrils it will put pressure on sinus areas and make it hard to breath, a mask needs to be wide enough to sit on cheek bone rather than breathing passages. A mask that fits well does not need to be tight, the inflation of the mask will set it against your face, I never wake up with strap marks. My wife has used a CPAP almost as long as I have we do not worry about home invasion, we figure two pod people lying in bed will scare anyone away. My information is of course based on my experiences YMMV but as with most things... CPAPs ain't no big thing. Found this on one of the sites.

So that we can process your order quickly, please write your order number on your prescription before sending it.

The prescription can be written by any of the following care providers:

Medical Doctor
Doctor of Osteopathy
Psychiatrist
Physicians Assistant
Nurse Practitioners
Dentist
Naturopathic Physicians

We will not accept prescriptions written by:

Chiropractor
Podiatrist
Optometrist
Psychologist

(unless the above is a licensed MD or DO)

If your doctor is aware of your sleep therapy and use of a CPAP machine, contact the office to request an Rx. We have a standard prescription form your doctor can use.

Edited by - pastmember on 04/15/2013 20:02:24

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2013 : 20:40:08

Good topic! (...although "different" for a sailing forum.) It's got me thinking... I suspect my dad was affected by some severe apnea--almost like small strokes.

I know I have airway problems if I sleep on my back, but I almost never do that. How do these machines work for somebody who sleeps on his tummy and moves his head from side to side during the night? (I'm thinking "not well.") I probably should research this elsewhere.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4316 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2013 : 11:31:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 Good topic! (...although "different" for a sailing forum.) It's got me thinking... I suspect my dad was affected by some severe apnea--almost like small strokes.

I know I have airway problems if I sleep on my back, but I almost never do that. How do these machines work for somebody who sleeps on his tummy and moves his head from side to side during the night? (I'm thinking "not well.") I probably should research this elsewhere.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Maybe this would work?

[url="http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Apnea-Pillow-Nasal-Device/dp/B002ABNSQ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1366136858&sr=8-2&keywords=CPAP+Machines"]Pillow[/url]

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2013 : 13:23:09

I use a down pillow, yes a real one. They cost a lot but can be punched into any shape and will hold it. My wife is a tummy sleeper and has no issues, the exhaust location depends on the mask but can usually be "aimed" so it gets a clear, she only has a feather pillow and it lets her create any shape she wants as well. I am a side sleeper. One HUGE advantage to a CPAP is you can finally sleep completely under covers just like you wanted to when you were little. Now rather than the air getting stale under the covers you bring your own air. My wife likes it cool with a ceiling fan and I just burrow under, depending on the length of the supply hose I pop up in unexpected places! Between the added weight most people get in their neck with age and the loss of tongue muscle tone also with age an amazing number of people has sleep apnea, if you live alone you don't have a partner to alert you so you need to do something to record an hour of sleep. As for old machines for sale, poke around... everyone dies.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2013 : 19:36:16

Thanks! I could continue this discussion (based on living alone 4 days/week on average), but I'll let us get back to sailing.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.