Which?

[Looseloafers]

Which is better for going out and about an oxygen cylinder in a backpack 🎒 or a portable concentrater? Thanks all x

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Hi, I have a portable concentrater and find it alright when I'm out and about. Hope this is helpful, have a good day and take care of yourself 😊 Bernadette xx

[Jomo46]

I started with small cylinders that lasted about 2 hours on no2 setting. I could not carry 2 cylinders because of weight. In hospitals they will always bring you their supply of oxygen if you need it. However I always felt I could run out. I still have some cylinders for going from upstairs to down etc, between the big house concentraters. I also use them for my local walk sometimes, but I have made a sort of shoulder bag for it. Again the back pack twisting does not suit me.

They transferred me to a portable concentrater which gave me 5 hours. Very pleased with that. Oxygen can be continuous flow or pulse. On pulse, it only gives you the 02 when you breath in. You have to learn ( or I did) not to breath in through mouth. They won’t give you one until you can prove you can use the pulse method.The back packs are ok but twisting to get it off and change setting has begun to hurt my back. The concentrater has a small trolley or shoulder strap. You can have a trolley with the cylinders. I found it unwieldy. The concentrater trolley is easier to manage. However I still drive and lifting the concentrater plus trolley into the passenger seat is a twisting motion. On a good day it’s ok. On a bad day it’s a major difficulty.

I can have a day out with the Imogen. They give you a car charger and home 3pin plug charger. Some places are better than others for letting you have a portable concentrater.

If you buy your own, you have to pay for maintenance.

Hope it goes well for you.

Jo

[Looseloafers in reply to Jomo46]

Thanks for the info. I’m new to this so just feeling my way x

[James48]

Portable are much lighter and easier to carry.

Smallest and lightest I think is the Airsep Focus but only gives out 2lpm (litres per minute) pulsed. Can get for about £600 second user.

Inogen are a good make too and I think can give out up to 4lpm pulsed. Have you had an oxygen assesment and been told what oxygen level you need?

[Looseloafers in reply to James48]

Hi James yes I had my assessment this week 1at night 2out and about. I am finding the cylinder too heavy but will ask about a portable x

[James48]

That's good Looseloafers. I'm not sure you can get a portable one on the NHS. Hopefully you can.

[O2Trees]

I use paediatric cylinders, 2L on pulse. I cant tell you how long that lasts as I only need it for fast walking. But the cylinder is far lighter to carry than the standard adult ones and I can do much more than when I had the adult ones.

It's obviously better to breathe through your nose if you use a conserver (pulse) but I do often breathe through my mouth when Im active but still seem to breathe in enough air through my nose to activate the conserver and it must be reaching my lungs as my O2 sats keep high enough whereas without they would go to 86%.

[Looseloafers in reply to O2Trees]

Don’t know if I can have paediatric ones I’ll ask my supplier x

[O2Trees in reply to Looseloafers]

Your supplier will have to carry paediatric cylinders Looseloafers. The person you need to speak to is your oxygen nurse who is the person who does your HOOF (home oxygen prescription). Tell her/him that you would do a lot more exercise if you were able to carry a lighter load.