CPAP and Oxygen

[clarenceh9]

Any body using oxygen with cpap?

I just got back from my sleep dr and he wants me on oxygen at night. I was running in the 70's.

I was wondering if I should get the portable vs the home unit. He asked but I was not thinking at the time, other than no I don't want to ware a unit all the time if I don't have to.

After thinking about it. I was wondering if I should get the portable one, for just in case. If I can plug the portable one in at night and use it, then if I did need it all day I would alreading have it and not have to buy a separate unit in the future.

Any thougts?

[Moogy]

I don't use oxygen, but my dad does. The portable units are much better for traveling, as the home units are very bulky and heavy. However, the portable units supply the oxygen in puffs, every second or third breath, unlike the home units, which deliver a constant stream of oxygen. My dad can use either, but it depends on your medical condition. Some people shouldn't sleep with the portable units.

Just my non-medical understanding of this.

Moogy

[WindFlyer]

clarenceh9:

I don't know too much about home oxygen systems, other than they come in different varieties like you mentioned. You may be able to get by with a small tank while you are traveling as long as you don't need it to last more than a couple nights.

There's lots of info on home oxygen at the site below:

http://www.portableoxygen.org/overview.html

Hope this helps!

[Offerocker]

Any body using oxygen with cpap?

I've been using oxygen at night for months now. My unit sits on the floor, on rollers; believe it's callled a 'concentrator'. It pulls in surrouding air, converts it to oxygen, and sends it via small tubing which gets hooked up to my cpap tubing, at a juncture right after the humidifier.

I do not need it during the day (yet?)

One thing to remember is in the manual, but DME may not stress: do not hook up the oxygen to the mask until after you've turned on your CPAP machine. I had done this before I read the manual, with no ill effects, but highly recommend following instructions.

Any more questions? Will try to answer for you.

[GoofyUT]

The reason to avoid starting the O2 until AFTER the CPAP has been started is to avoid having oxygen (which supports combustion) accumulate in your mask or hose and run the risk of getting ignited and BLOWING UP!

Wouldn't THAT be a kick in the pants!!!

Chuck

[Offerocker]

hmmmmmmmmmm
and how much is a "Guaranteed" Kicker???

[Goofproof]

The unit is called a concentrator, it pumps air out of the room and separates the O2 and stores it in a chamber, then the flow is adjusted to your needs and fed to you within 50 feet.

You have to put a check valve on your XPAP output that stops the flow from going in the machine. If your ins will handle the rental, You get to pay the electric bill, you also need Cylinders for emergencies and portable use. Jim

[Offerocker]

The unit is called a concentrator,...

THANKS, Jim!

You have to put a check valve on your XPAP output that stops the flow from going in the machine.

Jim, I don't think I have what I would call a check valve; it's more like a 'v' joint added on an additional housing right out from the humidifier, then to hose to mask.The hose from the concentrator fits onto this 'v' joint.
I asked the NEW DME guy why the 'air' flow seemed to be greater from the humidifier than from the concentrator, and I felt that this would block the oxygen coming in. Of course, I don't remember his response, except that "...it was OK...".

[Goofproof]

The check valve is supposed to prevent the O2 from backing up into the machine, besides that mine had holes in the side, that if the XPAP ran closed off but if the XPAP stopped it would close off the flow into the XPAP, and dump any O2 flow out of the hose (vent).

What I questioned, I was on 2 liters of O2, all day, and they had me on 2 liters of O2 at night with XPAP. Due to the washout of XPAP you don't get near the level at night you do in the day, but the Dr.'s and DME's, never passed physical science in High School, and I could't convence them the errors of their ways. To get the same level would probably have taken 4 to 6 liters of O2 flow. As usual the Sleep Fairy set it to 4.

[Offerocker]

The check valve is supposed to prevent the O2 from backing up into the machine, besides that mine had holes in the side, that if the XPAP ran closed off but if the XPAP stopped it would close off the flow into the XPAP, and dump any O2 flow out of the hose (vent).

Where is the check valve on your system? At the concentrator?

What I questioned, I was on 2 liters of O2, all day, and they had me on 2 liters of O2 at night with XPAP. Due to the washout of XPAP you don't get near the level at night you do in the day, but the Dr.'s and DME's, never passed physical science in High School, and I could't convence them the errors of their ways. To get the same level would probably have taken 4 to 6 liters of O2 flow. As usual the Sleep Fairy set it to 4.

I can relate to THAT! I also noticed that my level dropped at the machine after I turned on the xpap w/mask on. Oops cranked it up to 2...oops...think I'll have the Sleep Fairy visit me too. What's it gonna hurt? From 2 to 4 is no biggie.

[Goofproof]

My port was a 1 1/2" device that fit on the HH out and the mask hose pluged on the end it just made it a little higher. The O2 just plugged into it, they brought it, with the unit. The FF Mask also has a O2 port, if you want to contend with another Snake in bed. I kept it you can never have too much stuff laying around.

People complain about a CPAP unit being loud, Actually it wasn't too bad, for what it did, what I didn't like was the heat it caused, I don't take heat well, and the fact it was using the O2 in the room. I would have felt better with it in another part of the house. When I got better, I drilled a hole in the first floor floor and ran it into the cave where I reside. It's cooler in my cave. Den can probably appreate that. Jim

[Offerocker]

My port was a 1 1/2" device that fit on the HH out and the mask hose pluged on the end it just made it a little higher. The O2 just plugged into it, they brought it, with the unit. The FF Mask also has a O2 port, if you want to contend with another Snake in bed. I kept it you can never have too much stuff laying around.

Jim, that's the setup I have. I was told that 'they' found that more oxygen enters the mask when that tube is inserted from the humidifier; if at the mask, it tended to blow out with the excess air. (?)

People complain about a CPAP (Condenser) unit being loud...

I'm one of them! getting a different (and newer) unit from a different supplier (BETTER DME** also)

...Actually what I didn't like was the heat it caused, I don't take heat well,...

SAME HERE - indoors OR out!

... and the fact it was using the O2 in the room. I would have felt better with it in another part of the house.

I put mine in the hallway, on a 2x2 piece of interlocking hard foam rubber. But now, it's reverberating off the walls! Need to move to adjacent room.

When I got better, I drilled a hole in the first floor floor and ran it into the cave where I reside. It's cooler in my cave.

So, it's just a matter of turning it on, then climbing down to your cave, eh? I wish we could put a 'wireless remote' on the unit, or a long extension cord w/an on/off switch at our end!! May seem trivial, but that part can be a pain at times, especially on some mornings when I'm too groggy to remember to unplug the oxy feeder from the hh before I turn off my cpap, etc. Your cave sounds "Really Cool, Man!"

**THIS DME said they will come out at regular intervals to replace larger filters!! DME never did that!

[clarenceh9]

So I guess I can rely on the DME to give me the best Oxygen Concentrator? He was telling me today that no one buys them? I google them on the net and they run from $700.000 - $1200.00. He said my 15 per cent after insurance was going to cost $85.00 or so. Sounds like it would pay it self off in a year. How reliable are they?

[Goofproof]

Mine was new from Lincare, I had it 3 months, and 12 extra bottles, they were only good for a few hours. I only used Tapped 3 of them, I didn't feel like going dancing. They came to change the filters, two weeks after they took the machine back, I looked at some books on the web, it looks like they are like 2 cycle engines, they wear out and the pumps have to be rebuilt at so many hours, They are supposed to be checked for O2 output but they don't do that either, who knows if they are working, mine was because the O2 made my nose feel dry. The only thing I can say about this ordeal, I seldom get bills, I don't even know what it cost, I just know I couldn't afford it. They put more money in me than this old horse is worth.

Jim

[linda b]

I started using oxygen at night last November. My DME, Lincare, brought me a concentrator, several "take-a-long" tanks, a couple of the taller tanks and a rolling cart to put a tall tank on. They will come to replace any of these tanks with 24 hours notice and come once a month to service the machine and to replenish my supply of tubing and cannulas. I have my concentrator in the empty bedroom next to mine with the tubing running about 25 feet to get to my APAP. I, too, use the extra connector at the humidifier.

On several occasions, Lincare has provided me with a concentrator and canisters in Hagerstown, Md when we visit my daughter and grandchildren. I recently requested and got a smaller concentrator (only goes to 3L) for use here at home because we needed to travel with it in our camper and the other one was too heavy for my husband to lift. He refuses to consider liquid oxygen. My cost for all this service has been $41.18 per month (20% of the allowed amount). The APAP, which I just started about 6 weeks ago, will cost another $24 a month for 10 months. I'm not sure what happens after that.

I can't speak to the longevity of these concentrators, but they seem pretty durable to me. I can say that they are noisy and generate a good bit of heat which is why I have mine in another room.

There are also liquid oxygen systems available. I don't know alot about them except that they are much more costly. Don't have a clue as to how insurance companies feel about them, but the portable units are much smaller, weigh a little bit less, and last longer. Helios and Claire are systems I've read a little about on other forums.

A lot of people on this foum talk about how much better they feel after starting their xpap therapy, no longer feeling sleepy and foggy all day. That is the experience I had almost immediately after starting just the oxygen therapy. The overnight oximeter readings the DME took on me to qualify me for insurance coverage showed that my oxygen levels got down into the 50's several times during the night. That is dangerously low. Anything below 89 can cause numerous problems including stroke, heart problems, memory loss, etc. So, my advice is that if your doctor wants you on oxygen, do it!! Yes, it can be a little inconvienent, but the alternative is much worse.