Showering and Oxygen

[Munster12]

Hi, I am recently on oxygen 24/7. Just wondering how you all manage to have a shower. I am bathing for now but do miss a shower and to be able to wash my hair in the shower.

[Caspiana]

Hi Munster. I have a shower chair. It really helps. I also kept the door open so it wouldn't steam up too much. Steam makes air dense causing more breathing difficulties. I used to use a bathrobe made of towel like material. After my shower I put that on and used it to dry myself whilst sitting down. A fan helps too. xx 🙂

[Munster12 in reply to Caspiana]

Thanks Caspiana for replying. Did you take your oxygen off whilst doing that. I have been told showering is quite a strenuous activity. I have a towelling robe somewhere, not used for ages. just need the chair then 🙂

[Caspiana in reply to Munster12]

Yes I did. I had a really long hose connected to the concentrator. It went all around the house.

[Millyboo710 in reply to Caspiana]

You must NOT use oxygen from your concentrator in the shower or bath. Electricity and water do not mix. I’d been using mine in the shower and my home oxygen nurse went mad! She told me to use my cylinders instead.

[Samjeff in reply to Millyboo710]

that sounds like good advice about the concentrator, so you can use a cylinder in its stand. Inside the shower. ?? Thankyou Sam

[Millyboo710 in reply to Samjeff]

Hi Sam, I don’t have a stand for my cylinders. I just carry them around and then stand them on the floor of wherever I am. I used to have the cylinder inside the shower with me in the hospital but they were walk in showers, like a wet room.

[Caspiana in reply to Samjeff]

You can use the concentrator in the shower. 🙂👋

oxygenalways.com/2018/04/15...

[casey16gatsby in reply to Caspiana]

Thanks Caspiana. I used one one for over 2 years in the shower before my transplant!

[garshe in reply to Millyboo710]

I use my oxygen whilst bathing. My Respiratory team and Copd team know this and agree The only time I was told to Never use was cooking over stove. ..

[Caspiana in reply to Millyboo710]

Oh dear. I was never told that and did it for two years!! xx 😱😱😱

[Kate124 in reply to Millyboo710]

I’ve used mine in shower for two years., Has the concentrator is in another room can’t possibly effect it.

[Millyboo710 in reply to Kate124]

That’s what I thought - I have a concentrator in my bedroom and the tubing led into my en suite. The nurse was adamant though. Don’t shoot the messenger!

[Caspiana in reply to Millyboo710]

Actually you can. I thought it was okay too because many people have such high oxygen needs the tanks are insufficient. 🙂

oxygenalways.com/2018/04/15...

[Millyboo710 in reply to Caspiana]

Really? Obviously people are on different flows, but I would have thought a full cylinder would be fine for a shower. I’m on 2 litres and a full cylinder lasts 3 hours.

[Caspiana in reply to Millyboo710]

For us fortunate people our flow is under 5 litres. Some patients are on 15 or more litres. Often they must use both the concentrator and the cylinders because cylinders are limited. People that need more than twenty would need to be in a special facility to accommodate their oxygen needs. I only know this because I have friends on the transplant forum with these needs. xx 🙂👋

[Caspiana in reply to Millyboo710]

Sometimes the nurses don't really comprehend life with oxygen . If you have questions the oxygen supplier should be helpful too. xx ❤️

[Poppy2525 in reply to Millyboo710]

I cant see that unless you take your concentrator in the bathroom with you, I have a 40ft long hose and I don't think you will get a shock from that and my repertory nurses know I take it into the shower and have never said anything, so I think you have been told wrongly. I would double check, it should be ok with a long hose and don't take the concentrator in the bathroom.

[BreatheasyBe]

Hi Munster Showering is a lot of effort compared to going into a bath. As Caspiana suggests above the use of a shower chair and towelling robe would help. An other suggestion is some grab rails you could hold/lean onto to support your weight as you stand up from the chair to wash the back of your body and legs.

[Millyboo710]

I’m on oxygen 24/7 but found I can’t use oxygen in the shower as I breathe through my mouth when washing my hair. I now have the window open to let out the steam and leave the bathroom door open. I have a shower stool which I sit on and I take my time so I don’t get too puffed. Once finished, I wrap myself in a bath sheet and wrap my hair in a towel, put my oxygen cannula back on and sit quietly while I dry.

As I said to Caspiana, NEVER take your tubing/cannula into the shower or bath as electricity and water do not mix. I had been doing it and got told off! The nurse said to use the cylinders when bathing or showering.

[Davegt in reply to Millyboo710]

But the tubing is plastic and will not conduct electricity. Make sure the tubing does NOT slope down towards concentrator to avoid water running down outside of tube. Caspiana has sent a helpful link concerning use of concentrator when showering. healthunlocked.com/redirect...

[Kate124]

I use a stool. Keep my oxygen on as would black out without it. I try not to get the water running over my face bcus off the oxygen but use a flannel to wash my face instead. It’s easy to wash your hair this way too. I stand at the end take shower head off and have a good rinse. I also use a large towelling robe, after a quick run with towel I put it on. Then sit for a while to get breath back.

[kathbrad3]

I use my oxygen in the shower my oxygen knows and has never told me not to my concentrater is on the landing

[Caspiana]

P.S. how to use your oxygen concentrator in the shower. 🙂👋

oxygenalways.com/2018/04/15...

[ghousrider]

good day try and get your self one of the white deck chair ot put by your sower /bath 7 try a short shower as steam of shower will help your breathing as well i not on oxgen yet i find a shower does help me i let it run on my bck for a few min i have copd @59 year old had it now for 13 years all the best ghoust rider

[Tykelady]

My upstairs concentrator allows me to use the bathroom but when bathing I always leave it off. I was told not to let the tubing get wet. Funnily enough I can get in and out of the bath quite well. I do need to sit a while once dried and dressed though to let my oxygen levels come back up.

[SparkySW123]

There seems to be different opinions about using the cannula from your concentrator in the shower. I have been categorically told not to use my concentrator in the shower but to use cylinders. As someone said, water and electricity don't go together and would most likely damage the concentrator anyway. For those of use in UK, we are fortunate to get our oxygen free so I am very grateful. In some countries, patients have to pay for it.

[Munster12]

Spoke to BOC person today about showering with oxygen. As . long as my concentrator is away from source of water, there is no problem showering with cannula on. Water will not get into nasal tubes, the air will push it away. I have had new tubing put on upstairs concentrator, allowing me to move all around bathroom and bedrooms. Feeling a bit vulnerable, as I am now using liquid oxygen as my portable supply, so have had cylinders taken back, just have 2 Companion flasks.