Oxygen therapy

[Hwgrtmb]

I am going to start oxygen therapy to be used when moving or exertion. Any advice or recommendations please? I see you can buy equipment, what are the advantages of this? How,do you manage to go out and about? This is only my second post but I follow and read every day. I think this is a special forum. I enjoy reading the regulars. Skischool has amazing knowledge. Apologies for my strange unpronounceable name, what was I thinking!

[peege]

People will be along soon with their ideas.

I don't know much about using O2 however, people at my old exercise class used it. Two had a trolley caring a tank. Three had a smaller tank in a back pack. Those were much more mobile and able to drive, taking their back packs with them or on public transtport. As you're to have ambulatory O2 you could request the back pack tank & tubes? You might have to buy your own back pack, I'm not sure. Good luck. P

[Jomo46]

The nhs provide your equipment. I started ambulatory oxygen in January.

I was given several small tanks, a trolley, a backpack carrier and cannula. I am on my feet most of the day, so was using quite a lot of tanks. You are. Given a phone number to order more tanks and they bring them the next day. They then gave me a concentrater, a machine you plug in and it takes in air from the room and gives you an oxygen rich mixture. I had a long lead on this so I could walk all over the house. You are reimbursed for the electricity you use. The oxygen nurses and technicians from the oxygen company explain it all to you.

When I go out, ( I drive still) I take my tank in the back pack. I started out on level 2 oxygen, and the tank is supposed to last 2.5 hours. There are different size tanks . I have the smallest as they are heavy. I find the trolley ok for walking from the house, but unwieldy and heavy for getting in the car.

This week I was given a portable concentrater an inogen g2. It is supposed to last 5 hours. This is because when I went for 2 hospital appointments on one day, I ran out and 2 hours is not enough. I am out every day, usually twice a day. It is annoying to keep switching it off when I sit, then back.

This operates on a pulse, only giving you a burst as you breath in so you have to learn to use that. The original tanks are on continuing flow . The pulse flow means the tanks last longer.

My back hurts sometimes because of swinging it up, and carrying the extra weight, but I can do more and basically grateful to the nhs for providing me with the oxygen. Don’t buy anything yourself until you have given the nhs a full chance.

Best wishes joanna

[Guy59 in reply to Jomo46]

i was going to write something similar to this post , all good

[Hwgrtmb in reply to Jomo46]

Thank you for your help.

[clematis5932 in reply to Jomo46]

great reply just what i wanted to type. All the same for my husband, we have had everything provided for us.

[stone-UK]

Hi

Treat oxygen therapy as any other medicine, use only as instructed.

I’ve been using Ambulitory oxygen for several years, at home I use a cylinder with conserver.

Because I live on the first floor, the options supplied by the NHS, where not suited. So I did buy my own POC, which I use when out and about.

For yourself there are several options that may suit you, cylinder with or without conserver, come as standard or paediatric size. Typical weight upto 3.3kg, comes with bag and trolley.

Liquid oxygen, require place for Dewar you then self fill a flask. Typical weight 2.2kg to 3.7kg comes with shoulder strap.

A inogen one G2 POC. Typical weight about 5kg comes with bag and trolley.

Some are still offering the inogen one G3 weighs 2.2kg goes to 5lpm pulse only. The same as I self purchased.

[Hwgrtmb in reply to stone-UK]

Thank you for your help.

[Carnival567]

I have been on ambulatory oxygen for a year. At first I used the shoulder bag, then got a trolley from the supplier on which I made my own carry bag - lots of old belts, very useful! For Christmas my dear husband gave me a specially designed bag called an O2 sidekick, whilch you can tow or carry. The supplier does have them, but they are only issued in special circumstances, so we bought mine. It cost a £100 and we are fortunate to be able to afford it. You get used to ambulatory oxygen and it does mean you can still get out and about. If you are at a hospital appointment ask if you can use their oxygen if you are there for ages.

[Thomac]

My husband is on O2 24hrs and has recently moved onto liquid O2 for when he is out. The respiratory nurses have been great at trying different options until the found something that works for him so you don’t have to worry about being stuck with something that doesn’t work for you.

[Spacecat1]

Get equipment through respiratory department at hospital. They arrange everything. Someone from oxygen company come out and show you what to do. When out and about ask if you can have smaller oxygen cannister/bottles which last a bit longer and also lightweight. And when you start to tun low you can ring oxygen company and they take empty cannister away leaving full ones. They come out every 6 months to service the oxygen machine. And about every 3 months ( I think its 3,) you get a cheque usually between 25-30 pounds which is what you would incur from electricity of the machine in the house.