Success with CPAP

by George

I have been successfully using CPAP therapy for about 6 1/2 yrs now since mild-moderate OSA diagnosis as a 52 yr old male. Its funny, my sleep apnea doc says I'm not really overweight and anatomically I'm predisposed for the OSA.

Anyway, based on what I am hearing from some hear, I guess I'll stick with my CPAP/APAP machine usage. Its a major hassle to travel with it through ALL U.S. major airports in particular and many other worldwide airports. You're treated as a "criminal/terrorist" and no one at the TSA could care less how humiliated they make you.

Oh... There's a few compassionates out there but not too many. They don't understand sleep apnea or at least having to travel with a CPAP machine at all. You ask them to be careful with the machine when they force you to have it out of its case and in a tray.

Going through the belted x-ray machine and then it's always further examined to be swabbed for explosives in the U.S.. I had one TSA agent trying to be funny and acted like he was "bobbling" it as if he were going to drop it when I had asked him to be careful with it. He laughed at me as if I were kidding (I wasn't - it's my life line). What an insensitive prick I had thought. And, oh boy, if I were to complain to his supervisor I'm sure I would have gotten the once, twice and thrice over treatment on that one, no?

I have absolutely ZERO problem with good, thoughtful profiling (oops, can't do that in America - sorry me forgets!) security to protect us but they exhibit little common sense at all. Off of my rant here, it does work for me. The CPAP/APAP therapy I mean. I must travel a lot for my job position as a professional pilot.

I love what the therapy does for me and I am a compliant, successful patient using CPAP/APAP. I'll stick with it and never complain to others. Especially while I travel and as I take the flak from the surly airline agents, other non-understanding passengers about having another carry on I must have with me that takes up their precious space. Yep, that's my fault I have apnea. Sorry:))