C-pap and b-ipap are quite similar. Bipap has a backup rate. Question:: Any one every use a bipap for flying with a humidifier? We were told we were not allowed to use the humidifier on board the plane from special services at a airlines.
My grand-aughter has to have  bipap while flying. We fly to CA every month(Have since she was 9 months old) or when we she is not sick to a clinical trial. She is 3 years old now.  We have never had a problem until now.


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www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/
http://www2.caringbridge.org/il/elizabeth/

I can't help you with this but was wondering what the reason was that they gave for preventing you from using necessary medical equipment?


Michelle :  )
Mommy to Alex (cleft lip/palate, asthma, OSA, TTD, mild hearing loss) and Ryan - 4/30/95
                Christopher (glaucoma, apraxia) - 11/22/01
CarePage: www.carepages.com   (CuttlersJourney)

It was American Airlines that said that the company that makes the humidifier said they could not guarentee no malfunction with it.  
Yes I know how stupid it is. I have been through heck with America Airlines the last few weeks.
Elizabeth has to have a Bipap on while flying.
here is here web-site if you like to read all about her.
www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/


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www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/
http://www2.caringbridge.org/il/elizabeth/

Jeanna~  Oh my what a frustrating experience.  What happens next?  What happens if she uses BiPap without the humidifier?  I was looking at the beautiful sites that you have done for Elizabeth and my littlest one, Christopher said "where did you get that music? Who is that?"  I explained that Elizabeth was a little girl who was sick (trying to simplify things for him) to which he replied "should we send her some soup?"  and then proceded to sing along with the music.  We won't be sending any soup but lots of prayers for you and your beautiful family.  Hang in there.

Michelle :  )
Mommy to Alex (cleft lip/palate, asthma, OSA, TTD, mild hearing loss) and Ryan (LD)- 4/30/95
                Christopher (glaucoma, apraxia) - 11/22/01

CarePage: www.carepages.com   (CuttlersJourney)

ahhhh Michelle Alex has a great big heart. Soup..... how cute !!I used the humidifier on the plane but did not turn it on or plug it in. So she was getting a bit of humidity from the bipap blowing over it. She did have a mucus plug at the Airport in SFO Friday. I did everything I can do to win this battle and I have ran out of ideas .  I am Hoping to hear from DMV about a bipap that has a humidifier included.They could not guarentee we could get one. Medicaid probaly will not cover it.
WE are going to Disney nexy week for Lizzy's Make A wish and we are driving from IL because of all the hassles with flying recently!!
Thank you for reading Elizabeth's site and I hope you and Alex signed the guest -book!!
Hugs,
Jeanna


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www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/
http://www2.caringbridge.org/il/elizabeth/

Jenna-

I know it seems strange that a highly technical BiPAP ST can run on alternative power sources, but a simple heated humidfier can't, but AA is correct that the planes power source will not work. It has to do with the type of power a heated humidfier uses that makes them malfunction when not using a regular plug in and damage the humidifier. I don't know the technicalities, other then it needs a pure Sine (sp?) wave power, which battery packs & other alternative power sources can't provide. Which brand of BiPAP does Elizabeth have? Most Repironics can be run on DC power with the correct cable, which is a lot more efficient if you are using a battery backup type system. When you convert battery power to DC power through an inverter, you waste a lot of power in the conversion- and BiPAP use more power then regular CPAPS, so we need to conserve all we can (Respironics Synchrony BiPAP ST user). You can use the humidfier as a passover, possibly having a flight attendant warm distilled water every so often in the planes galley so she gets more moisture then from cold water. If you insulate the humidfier with a blanket or something, it would keep the water warm longer too.

I noticed on her site you had problems with her enteral feeding pump on a recent trip- I'm glad they got it straightened out & you were able to fly with next day. As an adult who uses an enteral pump, I would be interested in what the other name they finally found it under. I don't have any plans to fly anywhere soon, but I would like to be prepared, just in case. Also, which brand of enteral pump does she have? The best thing I did was switch DME's so I could get a Zevex Enterlite instead of a Kangaroo Pet, as the Enterlite is so much smaller, lighter, and not fussy about how its positioned. Zevex even has a newer, smaller pump out now called the Infinity.

Here is a link to a thread at another site that has links to most of the discussions on using batteries for xPAPs from several Apnea/xPAP forums- http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=9682 Alot of them are camping related, but its the same issue of how to use alternative power sources for xPAPs.

Jeanna wrote:

  I am Hoping to hear from DMV about a bipap that has a humidifier included.They could not guarentee we could get one. Medicaid probaly will not cover it.

Just an FYI that you have to make sure a built humidifier is empty when you go to move an xPAP, otherwise water can get back into the machine & damage it. Thought I would mention it, as I know Elizabeth needs her BiPAP ST all the time & I would hate for you to run into a problem while traveling.

Christine

Christine:
We have been using the same gel battery with 300 watt adapter for 2 years. We have-never ever had a problem before. I do not undertand why now.
The pump was on transportion of food rather than delivery. It is all in one catagory now thanks to us and calling Senator Obama's office. Hope the guy runs for president... he has my vote!!
Elizabeth has the Enterlite also. I love it . Elizabeth has a Sychrony Bipap S/T by respironics. We carry and do not use IPV machine, cough asst and nebulizer. Yeah...... its torchure caring all this stuff but she is worth it.
Elizabeth can not sit on her own .
She is great kid,very smart, beautiful and a miracle. If it was not for the trial at Stanford I do not know where we would be. It has stopped her progression of the disease.
Did you read the chicago Tribune article about her ? It was under updates.
Thanks for replying Christine!!


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www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/
http://www2.caringbridge.org/il/elizabeth/

http://www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/machines.htm  she also has a feeding pump I have not put in her site yet..... keep forgetting to do that!. She only uses bipap while flying, when she is sick sometimes naps and always at night.
Thanks Christine for that bit of info about the machine.  


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www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth/
http://www2.caringbridge.org/il/elizabeth/