I got a prescription from my Dr indicating that I needed to bring my machine and distilled water for medical purposes with me on the plane. I would take two water bottles filled with distilled and pack the rest in my luggage. When the airlines started the business about no liquids on board with you I showed my prescription and was allowed to have it on board with me. Heidi

Hi Marsha, If you're having a problem going into/or staying in REM sleep, you'll probably end up getting a c-pap machine. I have sleep apnea, and 2-years ago, before my surgery, I needed the machine. After wls, my sleep apnea went from severe to moderate, so I returned the machine (it was a rental, paid for by my insurance company). I lost 130-lbs, and my weight lose stopped, even though I'm about 80-lbs away from weight for my height. It seems that my sleep apnea is giving me problems again. I go into REM sleep once a night, but we're suppose to go into REM between 2 and 4 times. So I sleep for three hours and then I'm up every 90-minutes, or I just never get back to sleep after the first 3-hrs. You have to sleep more then 90-minutes before REM sleep kicks in. I have a combination of - times when I stop breathing and times when the breathing patterns change, I also wake up about 3 to 4 times each night. Signs you're sleep deprived - that you're not getting enough REM sleep - waking up tired, always feeling as if you never get enough sleep, waking up with headaches, falling asleep in the middle of the day, wanting to take naps, poor concentration and feeling delirious (from lack of sleep). If you qualify for the machine, try it. It has help me in the past. I'm getting a new one tomorrow. You'll see change and make you feel like a functioning person again. Good luck Nan

Contact your MD office and ask. Get a social worker to search for grant money or a special fund for you. Petition your insurance company to drop the 25% co-pay. Call the company from which you would get the C-PAP machine and request to talk to the Respiratory Therapy department head to give you information.

I use C-PAP nightly at setting 18. I know I feel soooo much better the next day - more awake, have a sense of a longer day, much less irritability - that it a priority to keep it on all night. I have a comfort gel mask small and I have used another type too. Call your MD for tips -- a bandaide to protect your skin, a built-in humidifier into the unit, a more secure headdress? I sleep on my stomach and fold the long tubing up and over.

I would suggest you tell the MD you have sleep apnea. I recently had some 1-day orthopedic surgery, and ran into some major respiratory problems that resulted in a partially collapsed lung and pneumonia. I'm not telling you this to scare you; I'm telling you because I had not yet had my sleep study and the anesthesiologist said that he was sure I had sleep apnea and that + my weight contributed to the problem. Guess what - I went for my sleep study last week and within 2 hours I was placed on CPAP. You can bet I'm going to find a way to get comfortable with that mas****il I lose the weight!