That's So Not Fair...!: I did ask ever... - Lung Conditions C...

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That's So Not Fair...!

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10 years ago•15 Replies

I did ask ever so nicely and I can't have one...a longer tube thing for my oxygen. Apparently it's because the converter has a humidifier attached and that won't work if the tubing is any longer than it is at the moment...not much point in arguing about it.

It's all very well being practically tethered down in one place and I'm pretty certain it's probably purely in my head...but I get seriously pis**d off...it's such a faff to get the ambulant tank and switch it on and stick the nodules in my nose just because I need a pee or the dog wants to come in the back door...

When I was first on oxygen I could do without it for quite a while...plenty long enough to walk round the garden for instance or to have a shower...now if I leave it off for longer than a few minutes I swear I can feel the air being sucked out of my lungs...

Last time I saw the Consultant she told me I ought not to use the Ventolin reliever because the nebuliser should be enough...and if I do get short of breath, to use the short breaths in and long breaths out, pursed lip breathing technique...that takes absolutely forever to work though.

It's a bit dis-heartening really...then there's this business of being a retainer...our local pharmacist has recommended I wear an alert bracelet in case I collapse and am inadvertently killed off by an enthusiastic medical person giving me too much oxygen...no point in reminding Himself to tell an ambulance man...he'd forget and anyway he told the hospital last time I was admitted that I was a Catholic...did rather wonder why the priests were beating a path to my bedside...

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15 Replies

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redted10 years ago

Oh my goodness,never a dull moment,but bit of a piss** that you can't have the longer tubing,but you are very adaptable so if there is a way you will sort this and try to make life easier for youself.

Nikkers10 years ago

So nice that you can still laugh about it all Vashti. You're an example to us all. XX

10 years ago

Im on oxygen too and have never been told anything about the length of the tube...how long is yours.

I am also a retainer and was given a nippy machine last year which i wasnt happy about but its made a difference...have they suggested that x

punkyb• in reply to10 years ago

a retainer is a person with emphysema right? what is a nippy machine?

• in reply topunkyb10 years ago

no its someone who retains co2 and a nippy machine i use when sleeping it forces air into my lungs through a mask which helps lower the co2 x

punkyb• in reply to10 years ago

Thank you.

10 years ago

ive just found an article that says the tube comes in various lengths one of them is 50ft and can be extended

It also says that the tube should be replaced every 90 days or sooner if damaged.......I dont know about anyone else on here but ive been on oxygen now for well over 1 year and never had mine replaced

RibvanRey10 years ago

I was told that the max length for a concentrator is 15 metres. Over this the machine will not work reliably as it cannot balance it's flow. I discovered because I too asked about having a bit more length added so that I could sit outside in the sun a couple of years ago.

The only answer was to move the machine to a different socket nearer the door.

jimmyw123• in reply toRibvanRey10 years ago

with my oxygen concentrator i can have 25 metres, in fact possibly longer as i have never asked,,, i did joke with the oxygen man though,asking for tubing that would reach asdas [about 2 miles away ] ,,,, true,,, but even the 15 or 20 meters can be a nuisance, catching under the doors, catching round the door handles,, ripping my lugs off in the process. still i suppose we should be grateful

vashti.. can you not get portable cylinders ? ?

regards jimmy xxx

RibvanRey• in reply tojimmyw12310 years ago

My tubing runs under the doors. If I did complain to Air Liquide that they had not changed it then the new extra thicker-walled and larger diameter, slightly opaque tubing that they supply now, would not fit under my doors and I would have to get a carpenter or freeze with the doors open.

jimmyw123• in reply toRibvanRey10 years ago

hi rib is your tubing green ? mines is a green colour ,, also very pliable,,,,

im off to bed now rib, so tired cant even see what i'm printing , it seems to have come on me all of a sudden,,

,,,, so as i said in another post,, its meds nebs and beds.. not forgetting catheter bags,, hate them :)... jimmy

punkyb10 years ago

Well I think it is a great idea to wear a bracelet or something. I think the emergency techs could kill a person on too much oxygen...

hufferpuffer10 years ago

I have an extension lead that I roll out into the garden and I just plug my conserver in and my laptop on a nice day, in the summer I practically live outside, I can't wait for the better weather after being stuck in for months. I do think controlled breathing has helped me though at first I was dubious, I find it's very calming now and I can get my sats back up fairly quickly.huff xxx

halsa10 years ago

Dear Vashti,

I have been on oxygen for years through 3 different companies in England and do not have a long line which I believe is difficult for people to cope with, all the three companies I have been with are prepared to install the oxygen through the house! they use the same tubing and I have a connection in each room (similar to a valve) which I plug a line into as I go into each room, I even have a connection in the conservatory to which I can put a long line on to go around the garden. The concentrator is in a permament position and the tubing is fastened neatly around the skirting and their is very little mess when they drill through the wall. They do not advise people about this but if you ask they do it for no charge.

For what it is worth I have only had a line changed once when it was punctured so have never heard that a line should be changed every year, some of mine are over 10 years old.

Thoroughly enjoy your articles I am sure you could easily get them published in a book as they are really readable and should be available to a wider audience.

Best regards,

Robert

sassy5910 years ago

Dear vashti, how annoying things must be for you on an everyday basis but nobody is beating any path to your bedside, no matter where you are, you are here for a long time yet so they can all go an p*** off can't they. You take care. Lots of love and good wishes to you and Himself. xxxxx