POC's what a pain

[Feelingblessed2013]

My oncologist ordered my poc on June 5th, it was approved by my insurance on June 26. They called to say they were bringing it out today, hearing that made me feel a little better, at least until it arrived. They brought me the CAIRE Freestyle 5. It weighs 6.7 pounds. With the carry case and the extra battery pack it is almost 10 pounds. I can't carry it, it is too heavy. I called Lincare and asked why they sent me such a heavy unit? (When I had originally gotten the tanks etc. they gave me 4 hour tanks "because I live out in the middle of nowhere", the tanks were too heavy. I had to call and have them bring the 1 hour tanks). You would think someone would have noticed the weight of this poc and called to advise me, to see if I still wanted it??

She really pi*sed me off when she said that's the lightest one they have, "they don't yet have the technology to make them smaller". I was looking right at the book so I asked about the Freestyle that only weighs 4.9 lbs with battery pack (only goes up to 3, but my current level is 2) . So then she said "so, do want me to order the smaller one? Let me warn you, you're gonna wait a long time, they don't get them in very often". I also mentioned that the battery only lasts 2.5 hours set on 2, she insisted each battery will last 4 hours, when I said I just read it in the book, she said she would debate me on that, I again said I was looking right at the book, it states 2.5 hours per battery. I am not very happy with lincare.

Someone is coming to pick up the unit on Monday, and I am starting from scratch. If I cannot find a unit that is under 5 lbs, I will just have to stick with the tanks.

Any suggestions on where to go and what to get, would be greatly appreciated.

[ram32541]

you got yours fast, I applies 9/2017 and got it 6/2018. Lincare says they only get 5 per year?

[Feelingblessed2013 in reply to ram32541]

ram, I had to call the main office (headquarters) and talk to someone there because the local office had "no idea why it hadn't shipped yet". It was actually a person from the local office that gave me the number to call and the department to ask for. She said she has found that the customer gets results faster than they do. That sometimes it takes the customer calling corporate to get thing moving. A week after I called corporate, my machine arrived. I'm not keeping the one they sent me, but at least they finally send it.

[lsherald53]

call inogen. i have the inogen g3. lpm goes up to 5. only weighs about 5 lbs with battery. the battery doesn't last as long the higher the lpm. this comes with 2 batteries. my smallest battery last around 4 hrs on lpm 2. i believe they accept medicare. i bought mine before i was on medicare. good luck!

[Feelingblessed2013 in reply to lsherald53]

I am calling inogen on Monday. They do accept my insurance, I have Independent health thru medicare. I talked to them when I knew there was a possibility of going back on oxygen, but when the time came, I opted for a local company, like they say...live and learn. Thanks for your response.

Forgot to mention, the almost 8 lb poc lincare sent me has a battery life of 2.5 hours on 2.

[Jocopd]

I have the inogen G2 that also goes up to 5lpm and half the price of the others. But you have to ask for it specifically. Although Inogen said my insurance would cover it they did not. I even went down to each word in the Medicare contract but my medicare advantage company said no. So I bought it on my own. I hate it. The "special" carry case makes the filter cover pop off and then you loose it - $20 for a new one. The only way to get serviced is to send back to Inogen and you can buy a new one cheaper by the time you pay shipping etc. Pulse flow is the pits. You only get a little puff of air when you inhale so if you get sob then your sol since it only pulses so fast and you need to take more breaths or deeper breaths then it can't keep up. Its just not the same as a steady flow like from your home tanks. I am going to try and get an Invracare Home Fill unit as those are small bottles that weigh far less than the Inogens and easier to carry and not pulse.

[judg69]

Please Read : Just a fact, there is No 5 lpm portable unit available on pulse flow units . The 1,2,3,4,5 etc settings are just numbers representing modest steps up in the pulsed oxygen, Period. This may not be what any of us want, but it is the absolute truth with the technology available today. Kind Regards, judg69