Portable oxygen question

[Savannah10]

I got nitetime oxygen concentrator last Oct. Oxygen drops when sleeping. Now I had to take another test and it drops when exerting. I was blessed to get this Simply to Go Mini Portable Pulse.

I don’t see why you can’t use on treadmill. Can I use it to Sleep? I tried one nite and early morning the alarm went off saying to breathe. I could barely hear it. Is this dangerous to sleep with if you go away a nite? I don’t see my Dr. for another month. Could someone please explain?

My thoughts are with you all going thru the same things. I went to the store today, and it’s getting harder all the time. I don’t know why. I have been exercising on elleptical and treadmill 20 mins. Ea. every other day. Have to use oxygen concentrator because oxygen drops while doing it. I do feel better afterwards though.

[Jensmom]

Hi, sorry for not answering faster. Have you talked with the pulmonologist it may be, and I'm no dr, that the copd has progressed. What stage were you diagnosed? I'm on oxygen 24/7 for over 2yrs now I'm stage 4 Very severe.

[LORBIC]

At one time I had a pulse machine and doctor told me not to sleep with it as it only gives oxygen when you breath, there fore you are not getting enough oxygen at night, which you already have a problem with, the pulse will not help it out. I was put on the tank oxygen and that works so much better at night for me. it's probably the same reason you can't use the pulse on treadmill.

[Feelingblessed2013]

Sounds like you need to see your pulmonologist, or at least your primary care.

Maybe a sleep study? It sounds like you may have sleep apnea? I was diagnosed a little over a year ago. My sleep study showed that my breathing got so shallow at night that my oxygen level would drop into the 80's, at one point it hit mid 70's. I now sleep with a CPAP machine.

[Jocopd]

As others have said the portable units are pulse only and when you sleep your breathing gets very shallow so you do not breath enough for the portable machine to detect your breath so it doesn't puff/pulse the oxygen to you.

Not sure who told you that you cannot use your portable on a treadmill. Other than the fact that most people don't pay attention to the tubing and could trip on it. If you do pulmonary rehab they prefer for legal liability for you to use the portable tanks they supply. But if you are at home you can use your stationary unit or portable. I would use the portable unit at a gym if on a treadmill there.

While the treadmill and elliptical are great and I congratulate you on keeping up with those but the pulmonary rehab I mentioned will help you tremendously too. It has to be doctor prescribed, insurance does pay and it will teach you other exercises just for COPD. We need to exercise a little different than normal gym users.