Going on o2

[Margie2553]

Going on oxygen soon I know a bit engineers and tubes advice please on all aspects managing tasks at home getting out dealing with people staring going for a meal the practicalities feels the begining of the end to me

[southy]

I too am new to it but only on mine for 16 hours so 6pm till 9/10 am. Don't go out much of an evening anyway so not bothered by it but seemed to have gotten used to it quite quickly. The wires are a bit of a nuisance at times but really not so bad xx hope your ok about it all xx

[Time_2_drink]

I know how you feel I went on oxygen 23 December still not come to terms with it so I would advise you to get out as soon as possible don't hibernate like I did I haven't been out on a evening since December but hope to one day hope you do too .

[Margie2553 in reply to Time_2_drink]

I intend to always tried to get out and about I'm a very social person just don't want people's looks of pity like when I had cancer

[mrsmummy]

I didn't get looks of pity, just curiosity, especially from children. Adults tended to register the cannula and look away. Children were more likely to keep looking. At this point parents usually turn them away. I had one little girl of about 5 ask me outright why I had tubes up my nose. I said it helped me to breathe and she accepted that and walked away with a very embarrassed mother. After a couple of weeks they must have gotten used to seeing me around because people stopped looking or I stopped noticing. Getting out and about and getting used to using it will help. I have been using it for many years now and feel undressed without it.

[Sheilab123]

Hi Margie, there's no need to worry I'm on oxy 24/7 and it doesn't stop me doing anything. You soon adapt your home to it, the tubing can be a pain but you soon get used to it. As for people staring maybe I've been lucky but I have only had a friendly word or a smile. It's certainly not the beginning of the end! It's just another med. Wishing you well. Xx

[Caspiana]

Hello Margie2553 .

Please don't fret too much. The truth is, the O2 is a necessity for us to function and so leaves us little choice and it soon becomes a friend rather than a foe. As for the starring, I get it a lot. Sometimes people do a double take. It used to bother me but not so much anymore. I know it's not in malice. It's just curiosity. Sometimes someone will ask me why I need oxygen. Children stare less than adults I think. 😑 If you start feeling stressed, remind yourself that life is better when you aren't starved of oxygen. Also, do come here anytime. People are always happy to help each other through the tough times. It will be okay

*HUGS*

Cas xx 🌿🌸

[Phil61]

It's not so bad at home, I'm on 15 hrs a day.

If your pipe is a good length you shouldn't have any problems, as for going out take your portable concentrator with you and use it to top yourself up if you get a bit depleted.

Works for me.

[Catnip]

Greetings

Well, it's not "the end"; it's just another stage of your life. You don't say if you have a cylinder, or what...

Much has already been said about curious people who stare. I'm on oxygen all the time now, so apart from a sore nose and ears, I don't notice - until someone stands on the tubes and cuts off the supply... That's one problem. The cats think the tubing is a toy and try to chew it, the dog lies on it or gets his feet tangled in it, at which point my ears come down and my nose goes up... I try to remember to keep a length of slack in my hand at all times.

Logistically, you will need to know how much oxygen you need for the length of time you will be out, and take enough. That may mean having a 2-cylinder bag. You may think about buying a rollator to carry your cylinder and give you some stability and something to lean on. Cylinders can get heavy.

Make sure your tubing is long enough for you to get to what you need to reach, unless you have a cylinder, in which case you pick it up. I was about 6" short of tubing to reaching the back door, to let the dog out!

Good luck: it's a new lease of life. Enjoy!

Catnip

[sarcoid1234]

Dear Margie

I totally agree with what Mrs Mummy has said in this thread. People are very kind. An advantage is that in the UK I can 'hire' a mobility scooter at shopping precincts for free which saves on the oxygen as I can turn it down when sitting - Google Shopmobility.

If you are going on holiday you phone your oxygen supplier company about 3 weeks before and they will arrange for your usual oxygen prescription to be delivered to your destination accommodation.

I sleep with oxygen as well as using it during the day, and the tubing is no bother at all.

No-one has talked about the different kinds of oxygen equipment:

If you are on long term oxygen (I am 24/7) there are static oxygen concentrators which plug into the electricity and filter out the oxygen from the air, so you receive nearly 100% oxygen in your tubing. They may supoly a portable tank which can be fixed on top of this which will fill up overnight.

There is compressed oxygen. You phone your oxygen supplier when you have nearly used it up (you will be given more than one cylinder) and they deliver the next day. Some tanks are smaller than others. You can have a conserver attached which only delivers oxygen when you breath in so the oxygen lasts longer.

I have a liquid oxygen container (dewer) which is kept in the garage and I fill up my portable tank just before I go out as it evaporates over 24hours.

There iare also portable oxygen concentrators. They plug into the electricity while you are using it and it charges a battery at the same time so you can go out and about with it. They are very expensive to by but I believe some oxygen suppliers in the UK will lend them on the NHS. There are different suppliers in different parts of the country. I am supplied by Dolby Vivisol; other parts of the country (UK) are supplied by Air Liquide or British Oxygen Co (BOC). There may be others.

So, all in all life on oxygen is not much different from life without it. We are very lucky to have it! In my way of thinking, with oxygen my other organs in my body are being kept very healthy as they all need oxygen!

I hope everything goes well for you. You will soon get used to it.

Christine

[sheila9999]

I feel exactly the same good luck.

[sheila9999]

I feel axactly the same sheila