Oxygen

[andyrrc]

Ok kind people I am thinking outside the box a little here.

Currently I do not need to use oxygen but during the summer here it gets very very hot and consequently the perceived level of oxygen is diluted (could be my imagination but it always seems a lot harder to get enough when the temperature is around 42 or 43C). During the day this is not so bad as there is always air-conditioning working wherever you are. At night the situation changes because the AC dries the air to such an extent that breathing becomes difficult as mouth and nose and throat dry up and you continually have to fix the issue or stop breathing so AC switched off high heat (32 to 35C through the night) and again very hot thin air with lower oxygen levels.

So my question (finally) what is the general consensus about using an oxygen concentrator to provide oxygen to supplement that which would normally be available. I know there would be safety issues around the increased oxygen levels but that aside do you think turning your bedroom into an oxygen rich room would work? Please feel free to call me an idiot if needs be

Andrew

[Badbessie]

Hi I sometimes have problems during the more warmer weather. Normally if the air pressure related to the warmth is higher. I have a pulse oximeter and my oxygen saturations remain the same. It just appears to me that greater effort is required when there are higher barometer pressures. I would take advice on the use of oxygen from a professional as I am uncertain that there could be a number of pro and cons to consider.

[O2Trees]

When you say 'an oxygen rich room' Andy, are you meaning you would just aim the concentrator into the room, rather than up your nose?

In general I agree with BB that it is likely to be air pressure differences which are causing your breathing problems. Also that it could be dangerous to mess around with oxygen without professional assessment. Another factor could be that our body thermostats, like everything else in our bodies do need oxygen to function. So you should take the advice to use a pulse oximeter to see if there's any lowering of your O2 levels. Quite a lot of people use a hand held fan to get relief from breathlessness in the hot weather.

[andyrrc in reply to O2Trees]

Yes straight into the room just to increase the level of oxygen slightly. This may also have the effect of decreasing the temperature a bit I think. Fans are good in certain circumstances but the temperatures here tend to make fans just move hot air around - sort of like a hair dryer I use two oximeters one is a proper one and the other which I use on the move is from the Samsung health app on my phone and the level bounce around between 99 and 93% for no real reason that I can see I can be sitting down quietly and have a reading on the low side then climb the stairs at work and have 99% or even sometimes 100%. strange.

Yes you are both correct and I would have to take professional advice - like I said please feel free to call me an idiot -

[O2Trees in reply to andyrrc]

Why would I call you an idiot Andy? In the face of a lack of cure, we are all exploring creative solutions. Don't put yourself down, I thought it was an interesting idea and will be interested to hear what your healthcare people say about it.

[hypercat54]

Hi Andy I have just noticed that you are a smoker. Judging from my own experiences (gave up last August) you will be able to breathe a whole lot letter if you packed it in.

There is a very good Quit site on here so why not have a look at it. x

[andyrrc in reply to hypercat54]

Quit plan in place building up to a set date and then going cold turkey - maybe e-cig if things get rough. So yes smoking is going away after 50 years

[hypercat54 in reply to andyrrc]

\Well done Andy. I smoked for 44 years and found once I stopped I could breathe a lot better and my sats went up from very low 90's to late 90's. This is what keeps me stopped despite still getting cravings.

I also, having read lots of stories on here about those in the later stages of copd, do not want to end up severe and maybe even on oxygen. Dying quickly is easy, dying slowly in pain isn't.

Have a look at the Quit site anyway. I lurked on there for a good couple of months before I stopped absorbing all the positivity and encouragement I could before having the courage to set a quit date. Even then I dallied and dillied before eventually getting so fed up of myself I shoved a patch on to see what would happen. I took it one day at a time and before I realised it was at 1 week. The further I went the more pleased and encouraged I was and the harder it was to start again despite cravings.

I never thought in a million years I could pack it in but I have proved I can. So can you too. xx

[derrylynne]

The higher the temperature the less dense the air is. With it less molecules of oxygen to breathe in. Hence it is more difficult to get that air for us lung challenged. Aircraft need much longer runways to get airborne for instance. Because the air is less dense. It would be worth in investing in an oximeter to see if there is a lowering of your sats in heat, and if so by how much. But never self prescribe oxygen. That is fraught with dangers However, if you are a smoker Quitting should do it..

[music in reply to derrylynne]

hi derrylynne

just like to say that its good to hear from you has always find your posts very intresting and the website about yourself and how your copeing

best wishes

music

[Ruach]

Use a fan on your face.........Oxygen is prescribed for good reasons, plus if you decide yourself to just fill a room with oxygen there is a name for it....a bomb.....flick a light switch and that is it................

[O2Trees in reply to Ruach]

Jeez, you're right Ruach

[andyrrc in reply to Ruach]

depends on the availability of combustible material - oops dust is highly explosive in the right conditions

[hypercat54 in reply to andyrrc]

x

[Magpuss in reply to andyrrc]

Dust, oxygen - smoking😳😱! Mmm, maybe not a good idea😀

[stone-UK]

Hi

Filling a room with enriched oxygen, is a ticking time bomb. Your problem seems temperature related and the only save solution is to install temperature controlled fans, on my last hospital admission one of the patients had to have three floor stand fans directed at his bed.

Its been mentioned that you still a smoker..? Did you now a pulse oximeter can not distinguish between oxygen and carbon monoxide, which as a smoker will be in your blood stream and will give a misleading high reading.

[andyrrc in reply to stone-UK]

Did not know that - it may well explain the crazy fluctuations- yes quit plan in place so very soon be an ex smoker

[BillBruce]

Thankyou to all the people who replied to andyrrc.

My oximeter reads constantly in the 90’s even when I am gasping for breath.

[2greys]

Your idea will not work if a concentrator is in the same room. Also oxygen can be a poison.

I would be more inclined to look into humidifying the air with the AC running, maybe a towel hanging in front of the vent with the bottom of the towel dipping into a bowl/bucket of water so the towel acts as a wick.

[andyrrc in reply to 2greys]

Hummm

So to summarize Oxygen enriched air in the room = explosion risk, poison risk and is generally thought not to be a good idea Oh well back to the drawing board but I might still see what my docs say about it - just for interest.

Humidifier sounds a good idea in theory, the towel idea is good and had not thought about that, unfortunately my AC is built into the apartment so the out let is a 4m long vent up near the ceiling. Tried a humidifier when I was in Moscow (yes it does get hot there in the summer I have seen 35C+ regularly and winter can be the same number but with a minus in front) this seemed to work for a while but needed to have it on maximum output pointing direct at the bed which gave a few issues with damp carpet and bed linen, maybe a more powerful unit with a bigger reservoir mounted in a tray away from the bed.

On a similar but separate note does any one know of a "home use" SaO2 unit?

Again Thank you all for the discussion

Andrew

[andyrrc]

Had an interesting discussion regarding the idea of increasing the oxygen in the room with the medical people they said yes it was an interesting idea to increase the oxygen level and hence the bodies intake but they would not be held responsible for the consequences In other words "are you crazy". The consensus was that whilst this would indeed make things easier the dangers would far out way the benefits and they were pretty sure the health and safety guys at the local Civil Defense organization would be a little upset. (Civil Defense is name they call the fire brigade here). So another idea for the trash can (bin).