My Loud snoring/Sleep apnea problem - What to do? Do I need a CPAP machine?

[Winston]

Update:

Ok I contacted the Taiwan Customs Office and then the FDA, after Customs told me to contact the FDA. It seems that I cannot import a CPAP machine here without a medical license from the FDA first. Otherwise, the Customs will not allow it through. However, I have no idea how to get this license from the FDA. When I call the Taiwan FDA, the person on the phone keeps transferring me to someone else, and so I keep getting passed around endlessly. It seems no one knows anything and they keep telling me to call someone else. And when I go to the Taiwan FDA website, there is no info on how to apply for an import license and no email or contact form, only a list of phone numbers on the contact page, which if I call, will result in the same thing again where I keep getting transferred and passed around. Some of the phone staff did give me an email to write to, but when I write to them, I get no response. You would think in a first world country like this, this kind of thing would be a little easier than that.

So this doesn't seem to be going anywhere and seems like a lot of trouble. I guess the only way would be for me to go to their office in Taipei and apply for the medical import license, but Taipei is far away from me, and I have no idea whether it would even be approved.

It all just seems like too much trouble. I might as well just get it in the US. However, with this coronavirus thing and lockdown, I'm not sure when I will be able to return to the US. Or when international flights will be allowed into the US again. I hope this virus fiasco is over soon. It's more trouble than it's worth and way overblown.

Or I can look for a special sale or deal in Taiwan. With the global economy going down, a lot of companies are slashing prices, so I may be able to get a good deal now on CPAP machines here.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

I have carried my travel CPAP into perhaps 10 or more countries and it has never been an issue. I would just go to Taiwan, see a doctor for a prescription there, purchase the CPAP and supplies, then put it in your carry on bag on the trip back home.

Customs won’t know how long you had it so long as you unbox it.

[Winston]

I have carried my travel CPAP into perhaps 10 or more countries and it has never been an issue. I would just go to Taiwan, see a doctor for a prescription there, purchase the CPAP and supplies, then put it in your carry on bag on the trip back home.

Customs won’t know how long you had it so long as you unbox it.

I don't think you understood my situation. I'm trying to SHIP a travel CPAP machine from America to Taiwan by MAIL. Not bring a CPAP machine out of Taiwan. I think you totally lost the plot. lol. The problem is that Taiwan customs does not allow CPAP machines to be shipped by mail into the country from abroad. Unless I get a medical license for it. However, it seems very difficult to get one, because when I call Taiwan customs and FDA, they keep transferring me to another department, because no one knows anything. And their website has no way to apply for any license, and not even a contact form, only phone numbers to call, which if I call, will result in no one knowing anything and me being transferred all the time. Too much trouble man. Not worth it.

I'd probably have to go to Taipei and walk into their offices in person to apply for the medical license or something. And that's IF I even get approved for it. I am not sure they will approve it or not. And I have no way of finding out either, because when I call them, no one knows anything and all they do is keep transferring me around in a circle. Eventually I get disconnected or sent to someone's voice mail. lol. See what I mean? It's simply too much of a hassle to deal with.

I can rent a home CPAP machine in Taiwan for 100 dollars a month, or 50 dollars every two weeks. I may have to do just that for now. Then get one when I'm in the US.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

I have carried my travel CPAP into perhaps 10 or more countries and it has never been an issue. I would just go to Taiwan, see a doctor for a prescription there, purchase the CPAP and supplies, then put it in your carry on bag on the trip back home.

Customs won’t know how long you had it so long as you unbox it.

I don't think you understood my situation. I'm trying to SHIP a travel CPAP machine from America to Taiwan by MAIL. Not bring a CPAP machine out of Taiwan. I think you totally lost the plot. lol. The problem is that Taiwan customs does not allow CPAP machines to be shipped by mail into the country from abroad. Unless I get a medical license for it. However, it seems very difficult to get one, because when I call Taiwan customs and FDA, they keep transferring me to another department, because no one knows anything. And their website has no way to apply for any license, and not even a contact form, only phone numbers to call, which if I call, will result in no one knowing anything and me being transferred all the time. Too much trouble man. Not worth it.

I'd probably have to go to Taipei and walk into their offices in person to apply for the medical license or something. And that's IF I even get approved for it. I am not sure they will approve it or not. And I have no way of finding out either, because when I call them, no one knows anything and all they do is keep transferring me around in a circle. Eventually I get disconnected or sent to someone's voice mail. lol. See what I mean? It's simply too much of a hassle to deal with.

I can rent a home CPAP machine in Taiwan for 100 dollars a month, or 50 dollars every two weeks. I may have to do just that for now. Then get one when I'm in the US.

I fully understood your predicament. I just gave you a suggestion to GET AROUND the nonsensical red tape which would be to personally procure one in Taiwan and then transport it in your carry on luggage back home as if you always had it. Customs would not know when and from where it came.

Yes, rent one immediately in the meantime. The damage sleeping without one is doing to your system is frightening.

[Winston]

I have carried my travel CPAP into perhaps 10 or more countries and it has never been an issue. I would just go to Taiwan, see a doctor for a prescription there, purchase the CPAP and supplies, then put it in your carry on bag on the trip back home.

Customs won’t know how long you had it so long as you unbox it.

I don't think you understood my situation. I'm trying to SHIP a travel CPAP machine from America to Taiwan by MAIL. Not bring a CPAP machine out of Taiwan. I think you totally lost the plot. lol. The problem is that Taiwan customs does not allow CPAP machines to be shipped by mail into the country from abroad. Unless I get a medical license for it. However, it seems very difficult to get one, because when I call Taiwan customs and FDA, they keep transferring me to another department, because no one knows anything. And their website has no way to apply for any license, and not even a contact form, only phone numbers to call, which if I call, will result in no one knowing anything and me being transferred all the time. Too much trouble man. Not worth it.

I'd probably have to go to Taipei and walk into their offices in person to apply for the medical license or something. And that's IF I even get approved for it. I am not sure they will approve it or not. And I have no way of finding out either, because when I call them, no one knows anything and all they do is keep transferring me around in a circle. Eventually I get disconnected or sent to someone's voice mail. lol. See what I mean? It's simply too much of a hassle to deal with.

I can rent a home CPAP machine in Taiwan for 100 dollars a month, or 50 dollars every two weeks. I may have to do just that for now. Then get one when I'm in the US.

I fully understood your predicament. I just gave you a suggestion to GET AROUND the nonsensical red tape which would be to personally procure one in Taiwan and then transport it in your carry on luggage back home as if you always had it. Customs would not know when and from where it came.

Yes, rent one immediately in the meantime. The damage sleeping without one is doing to your system is frightening.

Huh? Don't you remember? The reason I didn't get one in Taiwan was that it costs $2,000, more than double what it costs in the US. Remember? How does that get around any red tape? If I could get one here, I would have done that already. Remember?

[Winston]

Wow CE, check this out. It's a small hand held CPAP machine that's only $500. What do you think?

https://www.cheapcpapsupplies.com/z2-cpap-base



Since it's that small, maybe I can have them put it in a box and send it to Taiwan and write "camcorder" on the customs form? lol. The Resmed AirMini is especially shaped like a camcorder. Or put it in a box with other items, and only list the other items on the customs form, but not the CPAP device? lol. Aren't there loopholes like that you can use?

[Contrarian Expatriate]

I have carried my travel CPAP into perhaps 10 or more countries and it has never been an issue. I would just go to Taiwan, see a doctor for a prescription there, purchase the CPAP and supplies, then put it in your carry on bag on the trip back home.

Customs won’t know how long you had it so long as you unbox it.

I don't think you understood my situation. I'm trying to SHIP a travel CPAP machine from America to Taiwan by MAIL. Not bring a CPAP machine out of Taiwan. I think you totally lost the plot. lol. The problem is that Taiwan customs does not allow CPAP machines to be shipped by mail into the country from abroad. Unless I get a medical license for it. However, it seems very difficult to get one, because when I call Taiwan customs and FDA, they keep transferring me to another department, because no one knows anything. And their website has no way to apply for any license, and not even a contact form, only phone numbers to call, which if I call, will result in no one knowing anything and me being transferred all the time. Too much trouble man. Not worth it.

I'd probably have to go to Taipei and walk into their offices in person to apply for the medical license or something. And that's IF I even get approved for it. I am not sure they will approve it or not. And I have no way of finding out either, because when I call them, no one knows anything and all they do is keep transferring me around in a circle. Eventually I get disconnected or sent to someone's voice mail. lol. See what I mean? It's simply too much of a hassle to deal with.

I can rent a home CPAP machine in Taiwan for 100 dollars a month, or 50 dollars every two weeks. I may have to do just that for now. Then get one when I'm in the US.

I fully understood your predicament. I just gave you a suggestion to GET AROUND the nonsensical red tape which would be to personally procure one in Taiwan and then transport it in your carry on luggage back home as if you always had it. Customs would not know when and from where it came.

Yes, rent one immediately in the meantime. The damage sleeping without one is doing to your system is frightening.

Huh? Don't you remember? The reason I didn't get one in Taiwan was that it costs $2,000, more than double what it costs in the US. Remember? How does that get around any red tape? If I could get one here, I would have done that already. Remember?

I just respond to the posts as they come. And that was months ago so I would assume the cost issue would have been already resolved by now.

If you have to dig ditches, deliver food, borrowing money from family and friends, and flipping burgers to get the money to purchase one, I encourage you to do so.

But since your circumstances force you to have one imported, it stands to reason that a local medical professional you enlist there to evaluate you or a local medical supplies dealer could simplify the importation process on your behalf as they should be the ones handling medical import license issues, not the patients themselves. So try reaching out to a local medical supplies dealer first and follow his guidance on the matter. That would be my best advice.

[Winston]

Wow check this out. I found a travel CPAP machine for $249 here:

Apex Medical XT Fit CPAP Machine
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/apex-x ... ap-machine

Wow that's the cheapest I've ever seen. Yet the reviews are very high for it, almost 5 stars. Is there any drawback to it? Why is it so cheap? What's the catch? If it's not good quality then why are the reviews so high on there? Can you trust the reviews on that site? Could they be rigged by the manufacturer and filled with fake reviews? What do you think?

Btw in case anyone's interested, here is some info about home sleep tests to gauge your sleep apnea.

http://freecpapadvice.com/home-sleep-tests

[Winston]

Question: Since Taiwan FDA and Customs seem so disorganized and when you call them, no one seems to know anything, could it be possible that I might be able to sneak a CPAP machine past them? lol. Since the one CE uses looks like a camcorder, maybe I can have it labeled as a camcorder on the customs form? lol. They would never notice right? Especially since they seem so clumsy and disorganized. What do you all think?

Btw, I found a CPAP store and website from Hong Kong. Maybe they will know if it can be shipped here?

https://www.cpappal.com/

[Winston]

Good news. The Hong Kong CPAP supplier from www.cpappal.com said they can ship to Taiwan and that most of the time, it goes through customs without any problem. Here's what they told me by email:

Thanks for your inquiry.

We do offer free shipping for any CPAP machine to Taiwan.

We receive numerous orders from Taiwan every months. Everyone received their CPAP.

Actually CPAP is allowed to ship into Taiwan. There is a permission you can apply for through Ministry of Health and Welfare.

If your stock is being inspected, you can show the permission to get back the stock.
Although it costs time to go through certain procedures to get the permission.
But even if you do not have the permission, you can still place the order and we will ship the stock for free.

They are rarely inspected and even if so, we will ship another new package.

We guarantee the stock will arrive Taiwan.
Our store will receive payment through Paypal so Paypal will also ensure customer receiving their ordered items.

If the stock could not arrive Taiwan no matter how we ship, Paypal offer the right for customer to get back the money they paid.

More information about CPAP, you can check our website: https://shop.cpappal.com/en_us/product- ... /autocpap/

Feel free to ask me any question or contact me through any other platform

The CPAP machines we sent mostly don't get inspected especially to Northern Taiwan. Only few were inspected and will be returned back to Hong Kong. We will then send another whole new package again. It works every time.
We will always label the stock in way so it can pass the customs faster.

For prices, you can refer to our online store:

(Ordinary Auto CPAP)
https://shop.cpappal.com/en_us/product- ... ecf1cb3d36

(Travel Auto CPAP)
https://shop.cpappal.com/en_us/product- ... ecf1cb3d36

The prices are based on HKD and approximately times 4 for NTD.

For instance, the most popular model Dreamstation Auto with full set will cost HKD7600 and will be about NTD34800.

We don't have the most updated information about price but I guess in Taiwan will cost about 1 fold or more higher.

For travel CPAP, Dreamstation Go Auto will be a fully functional CPAP with compact size. On the other hand, AirMini AutoSet is one of the smallest CPAP on market this moment. Both are currently the most popular travel machines.
We accept credit card payment online.
As mentioned before, payment will be transfer through Paypal so both of our rights can be protected. (No Paypal account required)

All CPAP machines come with 2 years warranty for main unit. If any problem encountered, you can ship the machine to us for repair and maintenance. Only the shipping fee for sending machines from Taiwan to Hong Kong will be paid by you. We will responsible for all other charges.

Prescription are not necessary for buying CPAP machines.

All CPAP machines' interface and user manuals are in English.

What do you think CE? Is that a good deal? The prices he quoted for travel CPAP machines are like 1100 to 1200 USD.

Btw, look how expensive CPAP machines in Taiwan are. See here:
https://www.ezsleep.com.tw/categories/resmed
(1 US dollar = 30 NTD)

[Winston]

I got a personal question.

I've been having a lot of nightmares lately. I don't know if it's due to the Coronavirus stress or not. But even before that event, I had a lot of frequent nightmares. I don't know if it's midlife crisis or unresolved subconscious issues or whatever. They cause a lot of anxiety during sleep though, since they usually involve bad dreams where I'm lost or naked or back in school where I feel out of place or can't find my classes or can't keep up with the homework, etc.

But I was wondering, could nightmares and bad dreams also be due to sleep apnea? Is sleep apnea known to cause that? Did any of you have bad dreams and nightmares while you had sleep apnea? If so, did they go away after you started using CPAP? Can any of you share your experiences on that? What do you think CE?

[Winston]

One more question:

CE, if I order a travel auto CPAP device from them, can I just turn on the auto settings and just let the device adjust itself according to my breathing during sleep? Can I do that and follow the instruction manual for all my needs with the device? Or do I need to get the assistance of a nurse or sleep specialist? Can I just do it all by myself using common sense logic and the instruction manual without any outside help? Or even if I need outside help, I can just ask forums like this for advice or assistance right?

I hope so, because it's a pain in the butt to go to the hospital here and find a sleep specialist. There's a language barrier, and plus the closest sleep center is far away from me too. I'd have to bother my parents to drive me there, since I don't even have my own car here. So I'm looking for a way to use this thing without needing assisting from nurses and sleep specialists.

What do you think @Contrarian Expatriate?

[Contrarian Expatriate]

I got a personal question.

I've been having a lot of nightmares lately. I don't know if it's due to the Coronavirus stress or not. But even before that event, I had a lot of frequent nightmares. I don't know if it's midlife crisis or unresolved subconscious issues or whatever. They cause a lot of anxiety during sleep though, since they usually involve bad dreams where I'm lost or naked or back in school where I feel out of place or can't find my classes or can't keep up with the homework, etc.

But I was wondering, could nightmares and bad dreams also be due to sleep apnea? Is sleep apnea known to cause that? Did any of you have bad dreams and nightmares while you had sleep apnea? If so, did they go away after you started using CPAP? Can any of you share your experiences on that? What do you think CE?

I have never heard of sleep apnea causing nightmares. While I am not a doctor, I would say many sleep apnea sufferers lack the REM sleep to have nightmares.

But if I were to venture a guess, many people have been having symptoms of general anxiety the last two months because of the situation we are in. People are concerned about lost income, their children’s health, their parents, and nightmares can be a symptom of that overall anxiety of the time. I’d say get out in the sun for exercise and vitamin D, listen to music, meditate, and turn of the television reports about Coronavirus and you might find this anxiety going away.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

One more question:

CE, if I order a travel auto CPAP device from them, can I just turn on the auto settings and just let the device adjust itself according to my breathing during sleep? Can I do that and follow the instruction manual for all my needs with the device? Or do I need to get the assistance of a nurse or sleep specialist? Can I just do it all by myself using common sense logic and the instruction manual without any outside help? Or even if I need outside help, I can just ask forums like this for advice or assistance right?

I hope so, because it's a pain in the butt to go to the hospital here and find a sleep specialist. There's a language barrier, and plus the closest sleep center is far away from me too. I'd have to bother my parents to drive me there, since I don't even have my own car here. So I'm looking for a way to use this thing without needing assisting from nurses and sleep specialists.

What do you think @Contrarian Expatriate?

The issue there is that a doctor has to determine your AHI (Apnea/HypoApnea Index) and then therapeutically set the machine to treat you. You could set the low and high levels yourself (mine are 5 and 20), but those might not be therapeutically ideal for you.

Also, the specialists determine your mask size and fittings which are critically important, and the teach you how to keep the masks and tubes clean each week to prevent infections. Finally, you need to know to have filters and how and how often to change them.

So there is a great deal of information and guidance that you would be missing. You should at least find some YouTube videos addressing all of that and get to a specialist as soon as you can.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

Good news. The Hong Kong CPAP supplier from www.cpappal.com said they can ship to Taiwan and that most of the time, it goes through customs without any problem. Here's what they told me by email:

Thanks for your inquiry.

We do offer free shipping for any CPAP machine to Taiwan.

We receive numerous orders from Taiwan every months. Everyone received their CPAP.

Actually CPAP is allowed to ship into Taiwan. There is a permission you can apply for through Ministry of Health and Welfare.

If your stock is being inspected, you can show the permission to get back the stock.
Although it costs time to go through certain procedures to get the permission.
But even if you do not have the permission, you can still place the order and we will ship the stock for free.

They are rarely inspected and even if so, we will ship another new package.

We guarantee the stock will arrive Taiwan.
Our store will receive payment through Paypal so Paypal will also ensure customer receiving their ordered items.

If the stock could not arrive Taiwan no matter how we ship, Paypal offer the right for customer to get back the money they paid.

More information about CPAP, you can check our website: https://shop.cpappal.com/en_us/product- ... /autocpap/

Feel free to ask me any question or contact me through any other platform

The CPAP machines we sent mostly don't get inspected especially to Northern Taiwan. Only few were inspected and will be returned back to Hong Kong. We will then send another whole new package again. It works every time.
We will always label the stock in way so it can pass the customs faster.

For prices, you can refer to our online store:

(Ordinary Auto CPAP)
https://shop.cpappal.com/en_us/product- ... ecf1cb3d36

(Travel Auto CPAP)
https://shop.cpappal.com/en_us/product- ... ecf1cb3d36

The prices are based on HKD and approximately times 4 for NTD.

For instance, the most popular model Dreamstation Auto with full set will cost HKD7600 and will be about NTD34800.

We don't have the most updated information about price but I guess in Taiwan will cost about 1 fold or more higher.

For travel CPAP, Dreamstation Go Auto will be a fully functional CPAP with compact size. On the other hand, AirMini AutoSet is one of the smallest CPAP on market this moment. Both are currently the most popular travel machines.
We accept credit card payment online.
As mentioned before, payment will be transfer through Paypal so both of our rights can be protected. (No Paypal account required)

All CPAP machines come with 2 years warranty for main unit. If any problem encountered, you can ship the machine to us for repair and maintenance. Only the shipping fee for sending machines from Taiwan to Hong Kong will be paid by you. We will responsible for all other charges.

Prescription are not necessary for buying CPAP machines.

All CPAP machines' interface and user manuals are in English.

What do you think CE? Is that a good deal? The prices he quoted for travel CPAP machines are like 1100 to 1200 USD.

Btw, look how expensive CPAP machines in Taiwan are. See here:
https://www.ezsleep.com.tw/categories/resmed
(1 US dollar = 30 NTD)

I paid 1200 for mine so those are ok prices.