Any sleep apnea people here?

[squirrelshooter]

I am really getting interested in the idea of backpack hunting. I may never do it outside of my home state of Arkansas, but I still want to do it. My biggest problem (aside from being over the hill) is that I have sleep apnea and need a CPAP machine for good sleep. I know that they make smaller ones, but have no experience with them. Do any of you guys suffer from sleep apnea, and what do you do on a backpack hunt for it?

 

[Dinkshooter]

I'm not a doctor and don't know if I have sleep apnea or not but I am a snoring machine.

2 months ago I finally got around to getting impressions for a snore guard and my goodness what a difference it has made in me sleeping. It will definitely be coming with me backpacking. Maybe your apnea is to much for this easy fix but I feel like a new person lately.

http://www.endsnore.com/silent-nite-snoring-prevention-device.aspx

 

[ccc23454]

I just sleep on my side and it becomes a quanity more than a quality thing. It sucks when in griz country cause i stress taking a 20 min nap midday on mountain...

 

[MJE2083]

I have sleep apnea and I use a Cpap(with supplemental oxygen) at home or when traveling, but when I'm camping I don't use it. I do find that sleeping on my side seems to help. I certainly sleep better with my Cpap but I can do without it. Maybe my apnea isn't as severe... even before being diagnosed I was never overly tired or had problems staying awake. The only reason I got checked for it was that I became aware of the severe health concerns of leaving it untreated, and I previously had 2 incidents(roughly 15 years apart) where a family member reported to me that I had stopped breathing during the night.

I hear that they now have a device that they can implant inside your body that keeps your airway open through electric stimulation, but that's probably a little further than I would want to go. I know they do make some pretty small travel units that accept a battery pack, but they're not cheap.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

I have it and for that reason I don't do backcountry hunting. This past season went to WY and we camped and had a generator that powered the cpap and that worked great. I found out 2 years ago I can't sleep without it the hard way, paid for a special draw deer tag, went to WY without the cpap and ended up driving for 40+ hours with little to no sleep round trip and ate the tag as I did not want to drive back. This is why last season when I went to WY I made sure I had it and a way to power it other than batteries.

The batteries for them are not cheap either (some places will rent them to you as well)and they only last 8 hours. I'm sure in cold weather that 8 hours is shortened as well. You then have to find a way to charge them back up for the next day. I can take short naps without mine, but for a good nap or nights sleep, I have to use mine.

 

[XXL]

I use Respironics Dream Station without the humidifier- it's pretty small and will run off a sealed 12v battery. The battery will be the biggest PIA since it's relatively heavy for backpacking. The best thing we could all do for this though is drop that 30-40 (70-80 in my case) pounds we're carrying. Sometimes the loss of weight is all it takes to get off the CPAP altogether. I second the notion of the guys who say they sleep on their sides, it keeps that soft tissue from falling back and obstructing your airway. Best of luck

 

[MT_Chad]

I have to sleep with mine, I have a small throat area according to the doctor and have terrible sleep apnea. I have been taking my old Respironics base camp hunting for quite a few years now. I got the 12 volt cable and the cigarette plug adapter to use a deep cycle battery. Works good for base camp, I can go 5+ nights on a deep cycle battery with the humidifier. I am planning on doing a few backpack hunts this fall and my plan is to take it with minus the humidifier and use a lithium ion battery pack I found on amazon that should be good for at least two nights. The whole package will still be several pounds, but is priceless in my mind, feeling like shit while putting on the miles is especially shitty. At some point I might get one of those travel CPAPs but my Respironics without the humidifier isn't much bigger and I already have the cables for it.
I have thought about trying one of those mouth guards to see if it would keep my throat open. That would be really nice to not have to carry the CPAP, until then though.....

 

[Turnbull71]

I got the Transends last year for CO. The battery lasted about 1.5 nights at 8,700 feet, 2 nights at lower elevation. Generator did not work so went to town to charge. I bought the solar panel but it snowed most days. This year will still have base camp and bringing a deep cycle battery, and generator (battery if generator does not work). I plan on maybe doing overnight backcourtry hunt if weather is good enough with the cpap and the small battery.