Advise about portable oxygen concentrator

[Andyhaler]

Hi folks, I was wondering if anyone could help me as i am considering getting an oxygen concentrator and they are very expensive ( £2,000-£3,000 ) i would like to know if anyone has bought one and whether it made the difference to your life that you thought it would and what its like to use daily. I would be very grateful for any information you could give me.

[Ern007]

Hi - Are your oxygen levels low? For you to be considering buying an " oxygen concentrator"

If you are short of oxygen can you not get help via your GP?

Reason I am asking is buying an "oxygen concentrator" without a prescription or ordered by a doctor could be a danger, Oxygen tocicity for example can make you quite ill.

Sorry I can't be more of a help, but I would have thought your GP would be the one to ask. if you need oxygen you will get it free on the NHS,

If I have got your post wrong, apologies.

[Andyhaler in reply to Ern007]

Hi again, i appreciate your reply but i don't think I explained myself properly. I have late stage COPD and im on constant oxygen at 2lpm, i have 2 small ambulatory bottles for short outings but was looking to buy a portable concentrator for a bit more freedom.

[PaulineHM in reply to Andyhaler]

Hi Andyhaler, ok, thanks for clarifying things for us on here. By constant flow I guess you mean continuous flow ? In case and according to your prescription am not sure there is a portable concentrator which will deliver the amount of of oxygen you require.

I am in the same position, requiring 4-5 lpm when ambulances and too am restricted to two flasks which give me 4 hrs each when out and about.

I have searched high and low for a portable which will give me more freedom but not come across one yet.

Do check though with your oxygen team.

Go well.

[garshe]

Your Respiratory team will have to give you an oxygen assessment before prescribing you a concentrator at home. Oxygen is not for shortness of breath but to protect your organs.

It can cause more problems if not used correctly and not required.

My Concentrator and cylinders were prescribed by my team and delivered by Baywater. Also they pay for electricity used. xxSheila 👍

[Tykelady in reply to garshe]

And their delivery men are really nice and helpful in my area. i feel that they are friends.

[garshe in reply to Tykelady]

I agree they are very polite. If I need a thing like new cannulars or refills of small cylinders, pho e them and here next day. Like you say always polite and helpful. They extended my tubing from my upstairs concentrate so I can walk around my house with the oxygen on It's quite a large house so I get plenty of excercise. Dont use it as much thesedays as learnt to wean myself of it I do havevit on at the moment as just had bath thats hard work drying and moisturizing also dressing. Once I'm dressed I take it off as dont need it all the time .its like a comforter as know its there if required.

I have never called an ambulance or been hospitalised since it was installed 4 yrs ago. I get regular tests at hospital every 3months.

Have to walk a long corridor without oxygen then sit down. My oxygen usually drops to low 80's after the walk and I talk also which I shouldn't lol .when I sit down I have the oximeter on my finger and as long as oxygen gets back up to at least 91 quite quickly no need for oxygen or blood test

The test is blood is taken from artery on wrist. Depending I that result may need oxygen few hours a,day.

Was first prescribed 8hrs per day but last 9 months told only to use if I have infection or struggling.

Take care xxSheila 💕⚘

[PaulineHM]

Hi Andyhaler, you haven’t mentioned why you feel you need supplementary oxygen, but as the others have mentioned you won’t be able to buy any oxygen equipment without a prescription. Even then these portable machines are expensive to buy, expensive to maintain and resale prices are poor because they are deemed a prescribed item. If you do qualify for one then the NHS provide one or you can rent from a private provider if travelling outside the U.K.

If your oxygen levels are low then your local home oxygen service will offer you an assessment.

Keep well.

Pauline

[AngieB72]

If you are on oxygen therapy already then talk to your respiratory team about getting a POC. They aren’t suitable for everyone and only go up to a certain level. Most of the lightweight ones run on pulse which some people struggle with. The only reason for buying your own is if you wanted to travel abroad as you can’t take the NHS machines out of the country.

[Andyhaler in reply to AngieB72]

Hi AngieB72, thank you for your feedback and can you tell me moore about POC as ive never heard of it and yes im on 2lpm and have been on oxygen for a good few years now due to my COPD which is now late stage.. im beginning to realise that i didn't give much information on my first post.....sorry🙄. Thanks you for your help.

[AngieB72 in reply to Andyhaler]

POC is what I thought you were asking about. Stands for portable oxygen concentrator. You need to have a conversation with your community respiratory nurse or whoever does your 6 monthly oxygen assessment. I have both a lightweight POC and cylinders, all supplied by NHS via Dolby Vivisol. I am happy to answer any questions about them but I can’t tell you if they are suitable for you or not. I have pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension not COPD.

[Millyboo710]

If you are already on prescribed oxygen and are thinking about a portable concentrator for days out, then I can say they are good. I had to buy my own as the NHS didn’t offer to buy me one. I use it whenever I leave the house and it’s made a real difference and made life easier.

[Hidden]

Hi Andyhaler, It all depends on your needs with oxygen, like everyone is saying, oxygen should be used with caution, I know that there are oxygen machines and devices out there that cost a few hundred pounds and less, my brother had to buy his own machine at first, we had to fight tooth and nail to get his oxygen from the NHS, got an apology from the NHS in the end, anyway that was quite a bulky little machine that you put water into and it extracted the oxygen to breathe through a mask.

More recently I have seen a couple of smaller devices that are based on the same principle, one of those was a hand held device very similar looking to a large inhaler, these belong to people who like to travel abroad and need the occasional boost of oxygen, as far as I know they are sold on Amazon.

I understand that with our lung conditions we get to a needs must situation and we do whatever it takes to ease our situation, well I know I do, but please be very careful, stay safe.

[Ian1967]

Hi Andyhaler, thanks for clarifying you are on Oxygen already, your first call should be to your Oxygen Nurse/Specialist to see if you are suitable for Pulse Flow Oxygen (POC), because most Portable Oxygen Concentrators are Pulse Flow.

You can get Continuous Flow POC's, but they're much heavier and battery draining than Pulse Flow POC's, they also only have maximum flow rate of 3, whereas Pulse Flow POC's can go up to a flow rate of 6.

Continuous Flow Oxygen runs until you turn off your POC, whereas Pulse Flow works on detecting your bodies Pulse and for this reason you will need to be tested to see if your normal breathing will trigger the POC Oxygen flow.

If you are suitable for Pulse Flow Oxygen, your Oxygen Nurse/Specialist should be able to get you POC supplied to you, Free of Charge from your Oxygen Supplier.

I hope I have been some help.

Ian.

[Biker88]

Hi Andy, I know a few people who purchased purchased oxygen concentrators to use instead of the cylinders when they went out, and they found them much easier to use. As for costs you can get them cheaper than 2-3K, shop around and do a bit of research.

[HoltHorses]

Hi - my husband has sadly passed away and his "oxygen concentrator" is looking for a new home. He only had it a few weeks. Let me know if interested and I will send further details. (not looking for any money).

Thanks , Sue

[Currygirl in reply to HoltHorses]

So sorry to hear of your husbands passing, I would be very interested in the concentrator you have when you feel ready to share with me about it x Jane