Oxygen therapy.

[Grayjay]

Hi,

I'd like to ask folks who have been on Oxygen therapy for a while a couple of questions if I may.

1. Have you been on O2 for a while?

And if so.

2. Do you think that it could have improved your condition since you started it or not ?

Thanks in advance.

[stone-UK]

Hi

Oxygen therapy is given to protect you major organs, at rest and when doing exercise or moving around, rather than for breathlessness.

It will take the edge of and give you more freedom.

Different conditions Obstructive or restrictive will react to oxygen therapy in different ways.

Essential it’s a medicine and if prescribed will be of benefit.

I use Ambulitory oxygen therapy and without it I would be less mobile and be more restricted in what I can do.

Prior to oxygen my sats have dropped into the sixties, not a good feeling.

With oxygen and being aware of my limitations I can maintain oxygen saturation of 92%, which is acceptable.

[Grayjay in reply to stone-UK]

Since I have been using it I think that I'm sleeping better and don't have as much gunge on my chest in the morning. I haven't done much physical stuff yet due to the weather, but I hope it will improve things.

Cheers.

[claque in reply to stone-UK]

Hi stone

When you say you can maintain saturation at 92% I presume that this is at rest. What sort of levels do you experience when exercising or merely moving about? I can keep my levels at about the same as yourself but with any movement and/or exertion they drop rapidly

Regards

Chris

[stone-UK in reply to claque]

Hi

This was achieved on my last Oxygen review six minute test. Only did three minutes about forty meters before I needed to rest. They did want me to do a extra minute but I declined the offer, they where satisfied that my O2 level was 92%.

[claque]

Hi , I have been on oxygen 24/7 now for just under 3 years and I can't envisage life without it It does take the edge off breathlessness but not much .What it does do is to protect all the other organs and gives them sufficient oxygen to survive without any major damage.My sats still drop considerably on exertion but rise fairly quickly,on rest, with the oxygen and controlled breathing It takes some getting used to particularly with a long 'nose hose' following you every where and without the ambulatory oxygen I would hardly be able to go out at all

[Grayjay in reply to claque]

Thanks claque.

[claque in reply to Grayjay]

I am also told that to be breathless is good for you. It's hard to believe when you are struggling for breath but it means that your lungs are being stretched and that will do them good When you look at the likes of Mo Farah,Usain Bolt and most athletes they are all puffing well at the end of their exertions

Regards

[Grayjay in reply to claque]

There's hope for us yet then. 😂

[Hidden in reply to claque]

Oh that's so reassuring to read! I spend most of my days gasping so it's good to know maybe it's doing me good even though it doesn't feel like it. 😀 Thanks

[skischool]

I am prescribed oxygen for ambulatory purposes,supposedly my oxygen levels on capillary testing(not arterial blood)indicate that my oxygen levels are below the required ph levels on exertion and yes i do get breathless and i have alkalytic acidosis.i can happily sit on air with sats levels below the normal base line for severe copd of 88-92 % without any breathlessness,i can equally be breathless with sats above the base line dependant on what i am doing in terms of exertion.i firmly believe that this site has an obsession as do some medical professionals with sats we measure,others will strongly disagree and harp on about the damage to our organs,my consultant tends to agree and that there is a bigger picture when it comes to evaluating how our individual conditions affect our lives and long term prognosis,we are all individual and one size does not fit all.

i apologise in that i have completely not answered your original question with regard to LTOT and that as others have stated is prescribed because it is considered beneficial in maintaining your oxygen levels for a minimum period of 16 hrs daily which is recommended procedure to protect your vital organs on a daily basis and anything less is considered pointless as far as being of benefit.

[Caspiana]

Hello Grayjay .

I've been on it two years now. As Stone says having it protects your major organs from hypoxia. For me, it enables me to exercise more comfortably, which in turn gives me more energy and expands my lungs and keeps my muscles strong. It helps my breathlessness slightly but it makes me more comfortable when moving about. But no, it doesn't improve my lung disease other than making my day to day life easier.

Take care,

Cas xx 🌿

[Hidden]

Stone-UK has answered it better than I would have! I remember being told that the oxygen therapy was not a treatment for my condition but to protect my organs. Before I had the oxygen (24/7) I was nodding off at the drop of a hat. That has certainly improved.

[Hacienda]

Stone has the correct answer. I have been on 02 for 4 years now. At this very Moment I am on it 24/7, Normally it is 16/7. I do my Sats every Morning as instructed by "Healthcare" who came to give me an Oxygen assessment on Wednesday, They discovered my Carbon Dioxide was too high, this may have contributed to my Valves being misplaced? certainly has made me fatigued?very Tired. After The CT Scan I had Yesterday, I hope to get answers from my Consultant and an admission date to Correct them. We are all Different as Ski's has said, I am fully aware, doing my own Sats and understanding them gives me a Head Start on the day ahead. Yes, without Oxygen, some of us wouldn't be here. Try and understand your Oxygen, and your Body, be your own Judge. Good Luck Hun. xxx

[Mango503]

to be honest i am not sure

[Mosco]

Hi, I have Sarcoidosis and Bronchiactisis and I’ve been on O2 24/7 for 3 years. Won’t improve my condition but my quality of life would be very different without it. Yes, pulling my tube behind me around house, and getting it tangled, caught under doors, on furniture is sooo frustrating but then I remember it’s my lifeline. I also have fillable cylinders and an Inogen portable Oxygenator, so the world is still open to me. Have Oxygen will travel😊. Keep well.

[Grayjay]

Thank you all for answering my querie. At present I'm new to O2 so you'll understand why I need to ask. I suffer with Emphysema and Chronic heart failure so it's doing at least 2 jobs. I have been using it 10 mins here and there and not used it while doing physical things as yet. Maybe today as the sun is shining 🌞. I do get fatigued as Rayswife and Hacienda mentioned, which can get a bit worrying.Over probably the last 2 years or so I've got to grips with the disease and can cope better, and hope that I can do the same with the O2. Perhaps my mobility will improve a bit.There's a lot to get used to.

Thanks to you all.

[mogs302 in reply to Grayjay]

You need to have it on all the time so that your heart is not in chronic failure. It is positively dangerous to use it as you do.

[gingermusic]

I started on home oxygen back in approx 1999 on 16 hours a day so as I was working at the time I went on at 4 when I got home from work and came off again when I got up at 5 am. It was then increased some 16 years ago to be used when I was out walking as I was struggling to much to walk without it. Now this past 18 months I find I am using 24/7 on advice because I struggled to do anything indoors such as housework, ironing etc,

Hope this helps

[JasperDylan]

Hi Grayjay

I have been on ambiglatury Oxygen now for 4 years if you are prescribed Oxygen for the same you need to be on it has soon has you stand up to move around then when you sit back down leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes

It’s given to you to help you get about plus save your vital organs with out it I wouldn’t be able to go outside it gives you a better life style so to speak

You can go on holidays not be a prisoner in your home .

[Inamoment]

I'm on full time oxygen, it is essential. Cooking is a problem as i am time limited. Making a risotto is pushing it a bit, even sitting on a stool. The big plus is i don't have to do the 6mwt any more, i used to hate doing that

[mikeadams51]

Oxygen therapy is not to improve your lungs but to protect your other vital organs from lack of oxygen. I’ve been on oxygen for years and still very SOB when moving about or on exertion. Fine sitting down

[poppy08]

Hi Grayjay. I have been on O2 for some time now and although the difference is small it certainly has made a difference . Going on O2 is more about protecting your other organs from a lack of oxygen.

Regards

[Boeta]

I've been in hospital for 3 days for removal of kidney stones....not on oxygen at home...received in hospital....felt great....even afterwards without this at home...need to suggest it to my pulmo.....it's been great!

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Boeta]

Feel better soon ☀️

[Diggydog]

Hi Grayjay

I have been on oxygen for almost 12 months (not as long as some), but mine was given as when seeing my specialist I was having trouble with my words, almost like having a stroke, I was asked to do the 6 minute walk test but before even completing the first lap as such I my hands went ice cold finger nails went completely white head was spinning, the nurse asked me to sit down and called the specialist, I was unable to speak at that point, the specialist asked for the oxygen which I had put on.

After about 5 minutes they were happy for me to get up and come back to the specialists room where he told me my oxygen levels had dropped to 83 he asked if this had happened before and I said it had fairy often, and when it happened I just had to sit down where ever I was before I fell down. the specialist reckons this was the reason for may word difficulty as the brain was being starved of enough vital oxygen. I from that day have been on oxygen use it all the time I am moving about and have to say I have not had the episodes of needing to sit down when out. It is a God send, I will add though I still get breathless but I know the oxygen is not for that purpose, the breathless to me means my lungs are at least trying their hardest to keep going.

Hope this helps

[Grayjay in reply to Diggydog]

Thanks Diggydog, I sympathise with your condition as I have similar episodes such as 02 level dropping and having some sort of seizure. Not had same symptoms as you have, thank heavens. I'm sure the 02 will help me, just need to know the "ins and outs". Look after yourself.

Thanks again

Gra.👍

[southcats]

i've been on ambulatory oxygen for about two years too, but have just come off it - the lowest my oxygen levels got while doing the 6min walk was 87%, some 6 months ago; the latest results were 96% at rest, 90% while walking without the oxygen, so the nurse/physio thought it was safe for me to stop using it. i walked a tiny bit faster than the last time too. one thing that i found really difficult to get used to was the weight of the 'adult' size cylinders, might be worth talking through all of the options with your nurse/physio people.

[Grayjay in reply to southcats]

Thanks for your reply and well done for your great improvement ,that's great.👍

[mogs302]

When I was first put on oxygen 24/7 eight years ago, for the first year I woke up every morning thinking, "I feel better." I think my organs had so enfeebled from lack of oxygen that I didn't even realise what bad shape I was in. A whole year of "feeling better." Oxygen therapy is a great boon, and now that they have portable oxygen concentrators, you can go anywhere with it. I am 85 years old.