Oxygen usage
Do any of you who are on oxygen, change your settings up and down depending on what you are attempting to do? If so I would love to hear about it.
Thank you for letting me be part of this group!"
Hi Mama, and thanks for your post.
I am hopeful others in the community will see your comment and respond to your inquiry by sharing their own anecdotal experiences using supplemental oxygen therapy and adjusting flow rates.
I will share with you that there are several community members here who have shared that aspect of managing this disease on their own, often - with the guidance from their physician.
I do see that you posted something similar yesterday and our site lead,, made a suggestion about posting the concern here in the forum section. Thank you for doing just that!
Now, I hope others will chime in with their own responses.
Wishing you well,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)Good morning, MamaB! I have two floor concentrators, one upstairs and one down. Both adjustable, of course, and I adjust the flow as I feel necessary. After all, who knows better than us how we feel. I also use "wine bottle" 02 when outside or driving, shopping, etc. I felt very awkward initially and a noncompliant patient but all at risk to myself. Having been diagnosed 8 years ago, prescribed oxygen and reaching my mid-70's has taught me that people around us truly do not care, or even notice. And if they do, so what? COPD is a difficult diagnosis since there are little if any outward signs and our loved ones don't really comprehend what it is like to weigh the consequences of every action and if we are able to function. Also, I feel that family members have lost patience after so many years. God bless and I wish you many happy and healthy days ahead!
I use 3 different devices for supplemental oxygen.
(1) Stationary oxygen concentrator Inogen Home (also have a backup Millennium M10 that my insurance provided)
(2) POC Inogen G5
(3) E-Tanks
At home I have the Inogen set a 2 LPM; if I’m going to take a shower of something else that takes some extra exertion I turn it up to 5 LPM. Also if I’m doing a lot of coughing to get up mucus I turn it up to 5 LPM.Driving or going out to eat I use the Inogen G5 and most of the time it’s set on 5.
I have (3) 16 cell batteries, and on a setting of 5 each battery will last 4 hours.
With the testing I have done using an oximeter plus charts I think a setting of 5 is very close to being equivalent to 3 LPM.
If I plan on doing extra walking I get the E-tank out of the trunk and switch to it. If I’m walking I have it set on 5 or 6 LPM constant flow, and when I sit down I put it on 4 or 5 pulse setting. (This is using a Precision Medical Easy Pulse5+6 Oxygen Conserving Regulator) If using a regular Regulator I will have 5 LPM walking and when I sit down maybe 2 LPM.
I appreciate your detailed information!! I was discharged from the hospital in January 2022 after a bacterial lung infection, that was most likely initiated by a covid infection when I tested positive on January 6, 2022. By the time I was admitted to the hospital I no longer tested positive, thus the bacterial infection. I was discharged on January 29, they advised me I had lost 75% of my lung function, and that I needed 6 L of continuous flow oxygen 24/7. I have had issues trying to get a portable machine due to the requirement of 6 L as well as the continuous flow. I can't get the insurance company to approve the purchase as most companies don't have that high of continuous flow. When I am home, I am on 5 L and it works just fine for me, keeps me between 95 and 100. I am stir crazy from being tied to the house all the time! I have resigned myself to the fact I am going to have to purchase the portable equipment out of pocket and be done with it. Any help, references to sales people, etc, would be greatly appreciated.
At home I have my concentrators and normally have it set at 6, although at rest I do not require 6 but as soon as I get up I, like, need it now. my 6 is just for normal walking, when cleaning or being active I have it on 8 and feel comfortable. When I go out I always have 2 E size tanks on my cart. An E size at 6 continious setting will give me 1 hour , maybe a little more so the second tank will be there as needed. Better safe than sorry.
