OT Liquid Oxygen

Does anyone know anything about liquid oxygen use? I am losing my little portable machine because my supplier is going out of business and no one else here provides them. Neither my husband or I can handle the oxygen tanks and I have to walk with a walker. DH is going to have more surgery on his leg soon and it is going to be serious and
maybe even amputation. I know liquid oxygen last longer so I am trying to find something that will get us through all of this.

Stormynights wrote:Does anyone know anything about liquid oxygen use? I am losing my little portable machine because my supplier is going out of business and no one else here provides them. Neither my husband or I can handle the oxygen tanks and I have to walk with a walker. DH is going to have more surgery on his leg soon and it is going to be serious and
maybe even amputation. I know liquid oxygen last longer so I am trying to find something that will get us through all of this.

I think liquid oxygen is meant for home use, as portable it would be heavier and bigger, and harder to use. For home use a normal O2 compressor is fine as long as power is working. You can buy portable O2 machines on the internet. Jim

I read that the liquid tanks are lighter and not heavier and that the oxygen lasts longer. I have googled and I can't find out wher=ther I can get that or not. I can call tomorrow but I would like some personal advice if I can find someone that has had experience with it. I would be afraid to try to keep the portable machine. Besides, it is dishonest

I wasn't up on Liquid O2 (Med), I have used Liquid Nitrogen for many years in indrusty settings. Here's a link you might need.

http://www.inogen.com/resources/oxygen- ... id-oxygen/

Liquid O2 uses it's own evaporation to remain in a liquid state, basically it's it's own refrigerator, by venting pressure and boiling off.

Sounds costly and bothersome, maybe beyond your your limits to deal with. Best of wishes for you and hubby. Jim

My relative who uses oxygen now uses liquid at home and on the go.
LinCare fills the tanks at her home, outside, of course.
They come into the house, wheel the tank out by the truck, fill, and bring it back inside.
The portable tank is filled from the big tank.
Her insurance will cover either tank or concentrator, and tanks are more reliable in case of power outage.
She uses a small 30" tank (bought on the Internet) for long road trips.

When I first started using oxygen I had the tanks and they were so much trouble that I just never left the house for about 4 months or more. I was so thrilled when I got my little portable machine because I wasn't tied to my home. Now my DME is going out of business and no one else will provide a portable unit and I can't afford to buy one. I would love to buy my own. When I was reading about liquid oxygen a tank of liquid would last about 4 times longer than a larger regular tank. My husband has been doing the shopping but now it will be up to me. I am not sure my insurance would even cover the liquid oxygen. I am just trying to figure out my options before I see my doctor on Thursday. The drive time to where my husband goes to see the doctor is about an hour and a half one way. His appointments can last over 4 hours. That is a lot of tanks for just one trip. I have to figure something out soon.

We have electrical problems here. I think our lines are just old and the electric takes a little time out several times a week.

Before my MIL moved into the nursing home, she was on tanked (liquid) oxygen 24/7 for a couple of years. (She had to switch to concentrators when she moved into the nursing home two years ago.)

As I recall, MIL's set up was this:

She had a large, non-portable tank set up in a spare bedroom. At night she used an O2 nasal canula that went from the large, non-portable tank through the small hall and into her bedroom. The line was plenty long enough for her to get around her bedroom and adjacent bath without any problems.

She also had a rather small (maybe 8 or 10 inch) refillable cylinder for use in the daytime. Every morning she would fill the refillable cylinder from the big, non-portable one, put it in the basket of her walker, and switch canulas from the large tank to the small one. Then she'd go about her day using the small cylinder. She would periodically refill the small cylinder as needed. Any time she was going to be out of the house, she made sure she fully filled the cylinder before leaving. As I recall, she probably got about 4-6 hours out of the refillable before it needed to be refilled. (I know she got more time with the refillable cylinder than she currently gets out of a fully recharged battery for her portable O2 concentrator right now. My impression is that the current rechargeable O2 concentrator weighs more than her old small refillable cylinder did.

As for handling the big monster tank in the spare bedroom: The DME was responsible for delivering the new O2 tank, setting it up properly, and removing the empty one. So she never had to deal with the fact that it was far to heavy for her to move.

Good luck with the switch.

My relative has tubing long enough to reach every room in the house, and a short distance outside.
Her portable has a shoulder strap, and waits next to the big tanks, ready for filling.

chunkyfrog wrote:My relative has tubing long enough to reach every room in the house, and a short distance outside.
Her portable has a shoulder strap, and waits next to the big tanks, ready for filling.

MAX recommended length of O2 line to pump is 50 feet. Green Hose is more anti-kink and durable, for those of you who don't want to be kinky!
Jim

Thank you so much for the information. I think this will be my next best option for when I have to turn in my little machine. Maybe the switch won't be so bad after all. I was dreading it so much. Now I am not afraid anymore.

Stormynights wrote:Thank you so much for the information. I think this will be my next best option for when I have to turn in my little machine. Maybe the switch won't be so bad after all. I was dreading it so much. Now I am not afraid anymore.

I don't understand how them going out of business means you have to turn it in...

maybe you could buy it for a discount? I wouldn't suggest you tell 'em it was stolen out of your car...

I wish I could help.

Stormynights wrote:Does anyone know anything about liquid oxygen use? I am losing my little portable machine because my supplier is going out of business and no one else here provides them.

First, don't swap one problem for another! Next, you should be more specific. For example, what is "my little portable machine"? Brand, model? Does it use bottled O2? Do you rent it? Are you part owner and can you buy it from the supplier?

I use a portable oxygen CONCENTRATOR. No bottles. It takes the O2 out of the air and concentrates it for your breathing. It weighs 2 pounds, and is run by a battery that lasts 4.5 hours. With a spare battery, you have more than 8 hours of oxygen. The brand I use is Inogen, model G4, and can be purchased for about $2,250, or rented via Medicare or insurance.

I have two home chargers and a charger in each car, so it is frequently being re-charged while I use it.

Search the Internet for "oxygen concentrator" and you will find many other brands, prices and features.

Finally, why not change supplier? They are like grocery stores. If you don't like one, you can always change to another. You are not bound to the first one that you engage.

I tried to purchase the one I have and they said that they couldn't sell it. I can't afford to buy a portable one. I have spent hours searching the web. I can't find anyone that has them that takes my insurance. Believe me, I have tried. That is how I ran into the idea of liquid oxygen.

Choosing the type of equipment is related to your need for oxygen.
Do you need oxygen for day and night (h24)?
How many liters per minute of flow do you need?
Liquid oxygen is usually used for great needs and for high flow.
My mother-in-law needs 6-8 liters per minute for h24 (8 liters when using venturi mask at times of fatigue). This means he has 4 large liquid oxygen cylinders per week. To go home, use a high flow stroller that has an autonomy of about 2 hours.
My mother-in-law can't use an oxygen concentrator because there are not 8 liters per minute ...
Liquid oxygen is a very important and challenging technology.
It's usually used for home care for patients with severe respiratory diseases.
The cylinders are very large and heavy. Use a trolley with wheels to move home.
If you need info, ask as well.
Hello,

Oltremare