how to travel with oxygen for cpap?

[pearlhilb]

Hi, I use a Philips Respironics CPAP and my doctor has prescribed that I use oxygen with it, so I got a Inogen GS 100 Home Continuous Flow Oxygen Concentrator. I hadn't been traveling during the pandemic and recently took my first trip. I took the concentrator with me in a suitcase as carry on, but I thought, there MUST be a better way! It's big and heavy and it just doesn't seem like a viable way to travel. What do others do who have to use oxygen at night? Is there a better/smaller/more portable oxygen option? Or something else I'm not thinking of? I would be very grateful to hear others' experiences. Thank you.

[klm49]

Hi, I use a Philips Respironics CPAP and my doctor has prescribed that I use oxygen with it, so I got a Inogen GS 100 Home Continuous Flow Oxygen Concentrator. I hadn't been traveling during the pandemic and recently took my first trip. I took the concentrator with me in a suitcase as carry on, but I thought, there MUST be a better way! It's big and heavy and it just doesn't seem like a viable way to travel. What do others do who have to use oxygen at night? Is there a better/smaller/more portable oxygen option? Or something else I'm not thinking of? I would be very grateful to hear others' experiences. Thank you.

I dont think you will have many options. You have to have a continuous flow machine and even the lightest portable continuous flow portable is as heavy as what you have. https://www.pulmonarypaper.org/portable ... continuous
Possibly you could rent a machine at your destination? You could check with your equipment provider and see what they say. I am on O2 at night but haven't travelled anywhere. My Concentrator is about 40lbs. and I wouldn't even attempt to fly with it. I do have a portable but it is a pulse dose machine and can't be used with CPAP.

[ChicagoGranny]

my doctor has prescribed that I use oxygen with it

Do you have a lung or heart dysfunction that requires oxygen?

[pearlhilb]

Hi, I use a Philips Respironics CPAP and my doctor has prescribed that I use oxygen with it, so I got a Inogen GS 100 Home Continuous Flow Oxygen Concentrator. I hadn't been traveling during the pandemic and recently took my first trip. I took the concentrator with me in a suitcase as carry on, but I thought, there MUST be a better way! It's big and heavy and it just doesn't seem like a viable way to travel. What do others do who have to use oxygen at night? Is there a better/smaller/more portable oxygen option? Or something else I'm not thinking of? I would be very grateful to hear others' experiences. Thank you.

I dont think you will have many options. You have to have a continuous flow machine and even the lightest portable continuous flow portable is as heavy as what you have. https://www.pulmonarypaper.org/portable ... continuous
Possibly you could rent a machine at your destination? You could check with your equipment provider and see what they say. I am on O2 at night but haven't travelled anywhere. My Concentrator is about 40lbs. and I wouldn't even attempt to fly with it. I do have a portable but it is a pulse dose machine and can't be used with CPAP.

Thank you. I thought I must be missing something but it sounds like there aren't very good options.

[pearlhilb]

my doctor has prescribed that I use oxygen with it

Do you have a lung or heart dysfunction that requires oxygen?

Apparently my oxygen levels drop enough during sleep--I assume because of apnea--that I need to have the oxygen at night.

[ChicagoGranny]

Apparently my oxygen levels drop enough during sleep--I assume because of apnea--that I need to have the oxygen at night.

If apnea is the only cause of your problems, optimizing your CPAP process might eliminate the need for supplemental oxygen. If I were in your position, I would get to the bottom of what the doctor is thinking. I would also use the reports on your CPAP machine display and/or OSCAR to make sure the CPAP therapy is highly effective. Doctors do in some cases prescribe the wrong thing.

[pearlhilb]

That's really interesting. So maybe if the CPAP were working better I wouldn't need the oxygen. I'm new to this forum and just read a thread about having a good support team. I really have no support team--I love my doctor, but she's not a specialist in this area. So maybe I need to try to find someone who can work with me more closely to figure out what is going on. That's very hopeful. I'm not ready to give up traveling!

[ChicagoGranny]

So maybe I need to try to find someone who can work with me more closely to figure out what is going on.

Forum members can help in a big way, but it requires some effort on your part.

Which model Philips Respironics machine do you have? You might have to look for the number on the bottom of the machine (Don't spill the humidifier water!). A recent model number format example is DSX500H11.

[Pugsy]

What is the altitude where you live?

What exactly was your diagnosis? Do you have a copy of your reports.....if not, get them.

What cpap machine are you using? Is it a DreamStation 2 CPAP? Look on the bottom of the blower unit for a model number...begins with DSX then 3 digits and then maybe 2 or 3 letters. What are the 3 digits.
DSX200xxx, DSX400xxx, DSX500xxx or higher??
Are you set up for DreamMapper?
If a DreamStation and not the DreamStation 2....are you aware of the recall for pretty much all Respironics machines made between 2009 and April of this year. DreamStation 2 are safe though.

While there are other conditions that can cause a need for added O2 during the night besides sleep apnea....it is entirely possible that with optimal therapy the oxygen levels will stabilize.
Example...without cpap my O2 levels dropped to 73%...but with optimal cpap therapy they don't really drop more than a couple of percent while asleep which is well within normal limits.

Maybe you should have an overnight pulse ox test without adding the O2 but using cpap to see what the O2 levels are.

You could ask your doctor to order that test...or you could even buy your own overnight recording pulse oximeter and check it yourself. Cost between 50 and 100 bucks depending on how fancy you want.
Or the doctor can order it and the DME will do it. Quite common.

[pearlhilb]

So maybe I need to try to find someone who can work with me more closely to figure out what is going on.

Forum members can help in a big way, but it requires some effort on your part.

Which model Philips Respironics machine do you have? You might have to look for the number on the bottom of the machine (Don't spill the humidifier water!). A recent model number format example is DSX500H11.

Yes! I see how much support the members of this site provide! My CPAP is DSX500H11C --DreamStationAutoCPAPHumCell DOM (I'm not sure what the last part means--not sure about the cell and DOM?

[pearlhilb]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply and questions.

I live at 6,000 feet, so definitely at altitude.

I was diagnosed with "moderate, positional obstructive sleep apnea" in 2016 after an overnight test at a sleep clinic. I have that report.

I had an episode of atrial fibrillation two years ago while traveling without my cpap and during a hugely stressful time. Since then I haven't had another episode, though I have occasional irregular heartbeats that never last more than a couple of seconds.

I had an at-home overnight pulse oximetry test in January 2020 which showed that my oxygen went down to 84% at some point. I think that's why my doctor added the oxygen--I use the lowest setting on the Inogen, setting 1. A second overnight oximetry test in June 2020 WITH the oxygen added showed I stayed above 90% all of the time. The lowest oxygen level for that test was 90%.

Your suggestion about doing another pulse ox test is great. I'll check with my doctor or get an overnight oximetry device (I got one once and had problems with it, so I'll research it and start over with that).

My machine is DSX500H11C. I did register for the recall and they said my machine was one of the problematic units. I didn't know that DreamStation 2s are ok--I will ask about getting updated to one of those.

I was not familiar with DreamMapper but just looked it up and will get set up. I do look at the data on the machine itself, which includes therapy hours, AHI, mask fit, and periodic breathing. I'm not sure what the periodic breathing is about. But it sounds like the DreamMapper might compile this info in a more usable form?

I think I hit all of the questions--? Thank you SO MUCH for helping me think this through.

[Pugsy]

Actually this software is much more comprehensive in data points.

OSCAR https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... stallation
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... rpretation

If you want/need member input see this thread for which graphs and format
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

I needed the model number to know if it was compatible with OSCAR...it is.
The DreamStation 2 models are NOT compatible with OSCAR at this time.

Using this software we can at least monitor the basics and see if the therapy is optimal.

Your doctor may have opted for adding O2 because of altitude....so first make sure your OSA is well treated and then talk to you doctor about have a pulse oximeter test while using cpap at home and see what your O2 levels are...then decide if continued adding of O2 is needed for you.
Altitude does impact things a bit even if your OSA is optimally treated.
You may or may not still need the added O2 at bedtime. Won't hurt to verify one way or the other.

[clownbell]

Without intending to step on any expert toes here, I would like to challenge one assumption. Does OP actually NEED continuous flow oxygen? Or would pulse flow portable oxygen concentrators be sufficient? The theory behind pulse dose oxygen concentrators is that they supply oxygen when you need it -- i.e. on the inhale. Obviously, you wouldn't be ingesting oxygen on the exhale. Did the doc actually prescribe/require continuous? And is the doc is competent in this regard?

My wife has been on oxygen for about 6 years. Kaiser prescribed a stationary concentrator at home and a portable for travel and daily running-around. #hen we travel, the portable oxygen concentrator does the job at night just fine. Her oxygen sat does NOT fall with the portable oxygen concentrator bleeding into the PAP hose. The Inogen portable concentrators cost ~$2500 retail but only weigh about 6 pounds.

Travels like a dream. Getting on the airplane does not pose a problem as long as you comply with the airline's requirements as to excess battery time. Different airline carriers have different rules (crazy, right?) so check it out well in advance of traveling. And of course they have paperwork for you.

A thought to explore. Again - without stepping on anyone's toes.

[zonker]

Without intending to step on any expert toes here, I would like to challenge one assumption. Does OP actually NEED continuous flow oxygen?

which is WHY chicago granny said this-

Apparently my oxygen levels drop enough during sleep--I assume because of apnea--that I need to have the oxygen at night.

If apnea is the only cause of your problems, optimizing your CPAP process might eliminate the need for supplemental oxygen. If I were in your position, I would get to the bottom of what the doctor is thinking. I would also use the reports on your CPAP machine display and/or OSCAR to make sure the CPAP therapy is highly effective. Doctors do in some cases prescribe the wrong thing.

[klm49]

Without intending to step on any expert toes here, I would like to challenge one assumption. Does OP actually NEED continuous flow oxygen? Or would pulse flow portable oxygen concentrators be sufficient? The theory behind pulse dose oxygen concentrators is that they supply oxygen when you need it -- i.e. on the inhale. Obviously, you wouldn't be ingesting oxygen on the exhale. Did the doc actually prescribe/require continuous? And is the doc is competent in this regard?

My wife has been on oxygen for about 6 years. Kaiser prescribed a stationary concentrator at home and a portable for travel and daily running-around. #hen we travel, the portable oxygen concentrator does the job at night just fine. Her oxygen sat does NOT fall with the portable oxygen concentrator bleeding into the PAP hose. The Inogen portable concentrators cost ~$2500 retail but only weigh about 6 pounds.

Travels like a dream. Getting on the airplane does not pose a problem as long as you comply with the airline's requirements as to excess battery time. Different airline carriers have different rules (crazy, right?) so check it out well in advance of traveling. And of course they have paperwork for you.

A thought to explore. Again - without stepping on anyone's toes.

If you read the documentation with pulse dose portable concentrators you will see that they state it will not work with CPAP.
Pulse does machines depend on sensing your inhale to release the oxygen. They can't do this with the CPAP air flow.
"Although there are pulse flow units that can be used 24/7, it should be noted that pulse dose units are not compatible with CPAP or BiPAP machines."
https://www.1stclassmed.com/continuous- ... pulse-flow