Oxygen to fly

[meagan123]

I have been told by my consultant that I need oxygen to fly no other information as to what flow etc. Where do I go from here. I am looking for advice. I am not a oxygen user but am a retainer.

[Ian1967]

Hi meagan123,

I’m also oxygen retainer, but I also use oxygen 15 hours a day at rest 1 litre also I use ambulatory oxygen between 2 and 5 litres on exertion, I also use BiPAP at bedtime with oxygen.

I was tested for flying last year by my respiratory nurse and given permission to fly in Europe on 1 litre of oxygen, even though you retain oxygen you will need oxygen to fly, because your oxygen oxygen levels can drop by half in flight.

Are you on BiPAP or CPAP for your retention, because if not it causes numerous problems, which can be life threatening, you really need to discuss a flight test with your respiratory consultant.

Regards,

Ian.

[meagan123 in reply to Ian1967]

Hi Ian

Had flight test consultant just said need oxygen to fly. I am not a oxygen user my stats are 94/95. But I need to know where do I go from here as to what flow rate etc I will need to fly. My GP is pretty useless with COPD.

[Ian1967 in reply to meagan123]

Hi, meagan123,

Your respiratory consultant should tell you what level you need to fly, not your GP they are not specialists in respiratory medicine.

If you don’t normally use oxygen, your consultant will advise you about obtaining oxygen to fly, because I use daily, I get it supplied through the NHS by Air Liquide at home, I’m also supplied with a portable oxygen concentrator for ambulatory oxygen, which I can also use when flying within the UK, to fly outside the UK you need obtain your own oxygen, I purchased my own POC to use abroad, you can rent it, but it is quite expensive.

Regards,

Ian.

[meagan123 in reply to Ian1967]

Hi Ian

That the problem consultant just said need oxygen to fly no more.

[skischool in reply to meagan123]

If you had a proper hypoxic challenge test,see below

lhch.nhs.uk/media/1098/hypo...

the technician will have determined what lpm you require and should have passed that information to your consultant,it may well have been put in a letter to your Gp but you could ring the consultants secretary to ensure you are furnished with all the details.

Regards Ski's and Scruffy

[meagan123 in reply to skischool]

Hi ski school

Will do that in the morning

Thanks

[Minxey in reply to Ian1967]

Hi Ian what countries do you fly to within the EU and who do you get your insurance from please

[Ian1967 in reply to Minxey]

Hi Minxey,

I haven’t actually used oxygen to fly abroad yet, I did try to book a holiday in Tenerife last year, but because I suffered from a dose of pneumonia at the end of 2017 and couldn’t get insurance, but I did fly to Cornwall from Manchester, it only took 35 minutes instead of the normal seven and a half hours by train from Liverpool with four stops.

I didn’t actually need medical insurance, because I was going to Cornwall and was covered by the NHS, but I did take out travel insurance and it cost me £26 through Age UK.

Regards,

Ian.

[Minxey in reply to Ian1967]

Ok thanks

[PollyP in reply to Ian1967]

Spot on advice Ian, I too bought I my own POC to fly with and use abroad.

[JasperDylan in reply to PollyP]

Hi who did you get your POC from what make and what does it give you in litre flow rate and price wise

Thanks I’m always hiring them could work out cheaper in the long run

[PollyP in reply to JasperDylan]

I got my unit Inogen one G 3 from Pure 02 Oxygen.

They are a great company. An ex demonstrator model was £1500 vat free.

It is a pulse only machine 1-5 setting.

So I use it at my prescription on setting 2 and setting 3 on strenuous like exercise, house work and so on.

Am on Ambulatory use only.

[JasperDylan in reply to PollyP]

That wits the company I hire my Concentrator from

[Ian1967 in reply to PollyP]

Hi PollyP,

Yes I managed to buy an Inogen one G3 with a 16 cell battery second hand off someone on the BLF site, it was only £1.500

instead £2.300 new, it was only 2 months old.

The gentleman I bought it off had bought it from intermedical, when his wife was wrongfully diagnosed as needing oxygen whist on holiday in Spain.

When I bought it I contacted intermedical and the Guarantee was simply transferred over to me. I now use the machine around the the house daily, because I had my oxygen cut from 24/7 to 15 hours a day 1 litre at rest and between 2 and 5 litres ambulatory oxygen on exertion.

It’s much easier than trailing a massive tube around the house and tripping over it all the time.😀

Regards,

Ian.

[PollyP in reply to Ian1967]

That is great Ian, so pleased it works for you. 😊

[JasperDylan]

You would need to take a flight test at your local hospital they will take some blood from your wrist or your ear plus you then go onto the oxygen simulator to see how your readings are the oxygen levels on the plane are very different to what you are on the ground hence taking the test good luck