Help just been told to go 16hrs on Oxygen!

[Falcon22]

Hi I am 63 and been living with COPD /Emphysema for 23 odd years. Moderate to Severe....had seven small cans of Oxy to go out with per week. Thought was doing ok ....not using Oxygen much as not going out ...approx 3 a week....just been for Oxygen assessment and had ear gas test ... Consultant came in and said yeah fine 16 hours .a day...was shocked didn't hear much after that! So any advice much appreciated.

[BreatheasyBe]

Hi please don’t be alarmed about the prescription. I too have been given a prescription of hours… I use when I need it .., ambulatory and if suffering an infection.., usually when resting I don’t require it at the moment as long as my sats are above 88 but it’s there to preserve all the cells in your body not just for the lungs. I’m sure the oxygen team will sort you out with something more manageable to get out and about with. I first got put on ambulatory oxygen 2019 and have continued to use it as and when required mostly ambulatory. Get a pulse Oxy meter to check your levels every now and then and gauge when it’s appropriate.

[Falcon22 in reply to BreatheasyBe]

Hi BreatheBe...Thank you for you reply and advise. I have an Oxy meter usually around 104...91...93...,but was lower at appointment as had meditating while waiting! Thank you for replying and all your helpful advice x

[gingermusic]

If you have been advised to use oxygen for 16 hours a day then please do so as it is not just for your lungs but will help other organs particularly your heart to stay healthy. I have been using oxygen now for some 25 years, started off with 16 hours and now use all the time. I use to go on it at 4pm and then come off again after I had washed and dressed in the morning around 8 am so I was not confined to it all day if that helps. Best wishes.

[Falcon22 in reply to gingermusic]

Thank you ginger music for your reply ....I had had my heart tested about a month ago and only about two weeks ago say it was fine ...which is great but added to my confusion as felt in myself pretty ok ....and had been out the night before for me birthday. Thank you for your advice and information breathe easy x

[lyndene]

I'm a male 73 have been on 16-hour oxygen now for about 5 weeks. so, count myself lucky for getting this far. only needed it for flying on holiday up to then, was told to get at least 16 hours a day to protect all my organs not just lungs, my sats were showing very low readings 75/80 so it was my time for me to do 16-hour oxygen, although I knew this day would come, Covid and bouts of pneumonia have really affected me with a sharp decline in health, the end of last year and the beginning of this year I have had two bad virus infections the last one put me in hospital for 12 days home all fixed up and on I go plus a few more tablets, on my oxygen side I have been given oxygen concentrators for home and a mobile one for when out and about. so, the best we can do to try and keep the progression from continuing so fast is to eat healthy and stay proactive around people with coughs and colds. easier said than done. I now. we are all in the lottery of life. Will still get away to hotter Climents when I can. so, all try and keep safe.

[Falcon22 in reply to lyndene]

Thank you for your words of wisdom...stay safe and breathe easy