oxygen cylinders

[acme]

Is liquid oxygen better than

oxygen cylinders ?

only got the normal ones but find them rather heavy

[Hidden]

I had the same problem and my nurse enquired about the LOX for me. Problem is I was told if you find the air cylinders heavy you may not be strong enough to manhandle and fill up the liquid O2 cylinders. It was recommended that I stick with the air ones and have the extra lightweight cylinders, which I now do. Incidently the lightweight ones seem to be quite popular around where I live as I see others using them quite often.

[ivyleaf]

Hi acme I have two of the portable cylinders and found them too heavy i can hardly lift mine !!

So they gave me a little trolley to pull along with cylinder in. very handy in garden!

But someone on this site came up with the idea of a shopping trolley.

My nurse also told me she didnt think i would cope with filling the liquid one plus the oxygen co. said i havnt got room for the main cylinder......i only have a small flat........ivyleaf

[ivyleaf]

Auntiemary..... how long do the lightweight ones last? i,m on 2l.

Ivyleaf

[Hergernt]

You will get the most oxygen for the least weight with liquid oxygen it is in a condensed form as a liquid. My advice would be to try and get it if possible whilst taking in considerations such as storage of the "mother tank" (dewar) that you fill the portable unit from along with how it is tolerated some users that I have met reported it feeling cold (breath of fresh air for others with each to their own)

[Hidden in reply to Hergernt]

Grown used to 400 cylinders, I suppose it would be akin to changing my brand of tea now, just not what I am used to and feel safe in the familiar surrounds of an old friend.

[Jonty]

My Helios has a built in conserver for those that can use them which makes it last longer not as active it does need to be in the constant flow if walking any distance more than a few yards from the car.

In short there is no best system we are each one of us different and placing quite different demands on the equipment, all we can pass on is the experience with using a supply meeting the demands placed upon it.

Regards Trevor

[Hidden]

The smaller 200 and 300 cylinders are only available for children and very frail patients from my supplier. Do not know if that is a national policy or only the local way of distribution that sets things this way.

Discussing options with the oxygen nurse that knows the options available and what is necessary in maintaining a healthy level.

[Hidden]

I agree with all the above, these cylinders are so old fashioned and much too heavy, you would think that after all these years they could come up with something better. My husband has all on to walk never mind carry a cylinder the size of a world war 2 bomb around with him, so I have to carry it for him.

When we go out he carries it in the wheelchair, but that makes pushing him so much harder. He is 6 ft 4 ins. and weighs 17 stone and with the cylinder I dread coming to a hill. I am 5 ft 7 ins and 70 years old and could do without all the extra weight.

We have looked at mobility scooters, but with him being so big, the larger sized ones don't fold down to go into the car, and he looks like a pea on a drum on the small ones.

If there was a smaller cylinder that held about 20 minutes of oxygen that would be better for people who just have to walk to and from the car and are in a wheelchair the rest of the time. I have to carry the' bomb' from our front door to the car in the garage, then turn it off. Then carry it back from the garage to the front door when we come home, the rest of the time he is in a wheelchair and thankfully does not need oxygen. We timed it the other day, it took him 5 minutes to walk to the car and the same coming back, so that only used 10 minutes of oxygen but I still had to carry the big tank with us.

My eyesight is not all that good, even with glasses, and fiddling around with the dials is so annoying, there should be a switch you could turn on and off instead of having to turn the dial all the time.

It is about time these tanks were modernised, there must be another easier, lighter way to help people who have enough on their plate trying to breathe without having to carry extra weight around with them.