long term oxygen

[andyput]

I am about to start on oxygen 15hrs a day can anyone suggest best time to do 15hrs or split it as I like to get about?

[CDPO16]

Sorry I can't answer that, hopefully someone who can will come along. Failing that try asking your respiratory nurse for her advice.

[Ian1967]

Hi Andy, does the 15 hours include bedtime? If it does that will mean you only need 7 hours of a day, when I went down from 24/7 to 15 hours I would keep it on the morning until I made up 8 hours, if I hadn’t been in bed for the full 8 hours.

I would then put it back on at about 10am for 3 hours, I would then put about 3.30pm until 7.30 pm, then I put it on for bedtime at 10.30pm.

That worked fine for me, but you can tweak it yourself to suit your needs.

I hope I have been some help.

Ian.

[SparkySW123 in reply to Ian1967]

Andyput, I agree with Ian. Some years ago, I was put on 15 hours a day oxygen which included night time so best to spread it out during the day depending on what you're doing. I'm assuming you've had a concentrator installed so going out you'd need to use your portable cylinders. Hope that helps.

[andyput in reply to SparkySW123]

I have a portable concentrator for going out but told that will not count for my 15hrs . It is 15hrs rest low oxygen flow,

[SparkySW123 in reply to andyput]

Okay, So that means you'll be using your portable concentrator say for 8 hours at night and then for 7 hours at tiems that suit you in the day.

[Joy123 in reply to SparkySW123]

Hi, I was told never use portable concentrator for sleeping as usually only “pulsed” oxygen. For sleep you need “continual flow” because whilst asleep we don’t inhale so deeply. Joy x

[SparkySW123 in reply to SparkySW123]

I was a little surprised when you sai you had portable concentrator because if my memory serves me well, you don't use that at night and Joy 123 has confirmed that. It strikes me that that they should have supplied you with a proper continuous flwo oxygen concentrate that is run on electricity (you get subsidised by your supplier). How are you expected to use 15 hours per day on a portable? As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day, May I suggest your request installation of a cntinuous flow concentrator for night use?

[andyput in reply to SparkySW123]

yes i have got fixed and portable

[SparkySW123 in reply to andyput]

All I can say is that when I was on 15 hours oxygen a day but on an installed concentratot, running off elctricity, my sleep time constituted towards the 15 hours but as someone has already said, I understand you CAN'T use a portable concentrator for nightime sleeping. As you say, best to check this out with the medics.

[andyput in reply to SparkySW123]

I have a fixed oxygen concentrator for the 15hrs , and a portable concentrator for going out shopping walking around any thing other than resting. I do not think portable counts towards 15hrs will have to ask?

[Tykelady in reply to Ian1967]

That's interesting Ian. I saw my oxygen nurse last week and she told me that I could reduce my 24 hours to no less than 15 but to increase the flow when out and about. The 'free' hours were only for when I was literally sitting doing nothing.

[Ian1967 in reply to Tykelady]

Hi Tykelady, yes that’s the same as I was told by my respiratory nurse, I only use ambulatory oxygen and oxygen and BiPAP at bedtime now, but when I went down to 15 hours I still had to use ambulatory separate to the 15 hours and as you say, I also put my flow rate up when showering, walking or exercise.

When I was on 24/7 oxygen I was not allowed to go above a flow rate of 1 at rest or 2 for walking, I couldn’t exercise because my SATS would drop dangerously low at that flow rate, the reason I couldn’t go above 2 is because I’m a Co2 retainer, but now I use BiPAP I no longer suffer from retention, so I can now go up to a flow rate of 5 for walking and exercise.

Ian.

[andyput in reply to Ian1967]

Thank you Ian for your reply that is good hours I was told not to do odd hours ie 1 or 2 but night time the best time and to choose time best for me and not let it rule my life.

[Hidden]

I split mine up if I am going out somewhere.

[Millyboo710]

Ask your respiratory team. Nobody on here knows your medical needs or history and aren’t qualified to give such advice.

[Geronimo]

Hi andyput. When I was first prescribed oxygen for a few hours a day my oxygen nurse suggested using it in the evening and overnight. That way I still had most of the day free to do what I wanted to do without being connected to any machine. It worked well for me.

[GDanker]

Why is it necessary to use oxygen in the daytime when your oxygen levels are okay? During the night I can understand since you don't know if and when your levels might dip too low. However, during the day, you can see where you are at with your oximeter. They don't even put you on oxygen therapy unless your levels are 88 or below so why should a person use it if they are, say, 90-92 or thereabout. Mine vary quite a bit, sometimes a bit higher or lower but usually only reach 88 or lower when I'm moving around quite a bit, and when I sit down my levels go up very quickly. I'm really glad to see this question because I've been having some similar questions of my own!

[Kristicats]

You should clear this up with your respiratory team.