Happy New Year! So glad to hear from you.
Golly, I'd be on the floor gasping for air, almost passing out or having a heart attack if my blood O2 hits below 85%.
I had to get a bigger machine this spring too. If you recall my smaller machine would only give 90% O2 at 1 LPM. It wasn't a standard big unit at only 16 pounds in weight, but it had the advantage of running off of either of a pair of battery packs I have for 2 hours during a power failure. It only gives 50% O2 at 2 LPM, & 40% at 3 LPM. It will pump up to 5 LPM but at only 30% O2, which is pretty much a useless level.
I actually eventually had a match pair of the smaller machines in case 1 fails, & also I can T-splice the O2 from both machines for twice the amount if I need it. But I had one die on me with only 2700 hours on it, so I don't trust the remaining small machine anymore. I just save the smaller one as a source of some O2 that will run off my battery packs a few hours in an emergency. At only 16 pounds, it's transportable too.
No O2 tanks. But I have several full 42 liter O2 storage bags scattered around the house. During a power failure, I'd just take breaths off the bags as I need it rather than use up my batteries for continuous flow O2. Then I'd just fire up smaller machine just refill one bag while I use another bag.
I got a larger machine for daily use now. It's the standard blue Respironics that will give up to 5 LPM at 95% O2. At 350 watts consumption, my electric bill skyrocketed. Especially in the summer. The dang thing gives of so much heat, my AC was running on full blast just to keep things just bearable.
I have no battery backup to run a 350 watt machine. I live in a mansion converted into 16 very small rental apartments, so a generator isn't an option. I found one massive Lithium battery backup that will run it for a little over 2 hours but at $799, I won't be getting that anytime soon.
My place & the building is poorly designed for summers, & gets very hot. An 80F day would be in the 90s in here. A 90F day would be in the 100s up here, & uninhabitable.
At rest, not moving around at all, relaxed, or sleeping, I usually can keep my blood O2 level at 89-93% with no supplimental oxygen... if I take my homemade medicine every 6-8 hours. But if I'm busy doing something while sitting, change my position, or just stand up, I can need up to 3 LPM at 95%. Walking across the room, going to the bathroom or trying to make a meal, I have to turn it up to 5 LPM, taking frequent rest breaks to catch my breath & wait for my pulse to go down to safe levels.
But I'm not permanently attached to a nose hose. I just keep the hose in my mouth gripped with my mouth or teeth puffing on it like it was a cigarette. That way I can just pull it out of my mouth when my blood O2 level gets high enough or quickly put it back when it drops, rather than run back & forth to adjust the machine for the best continuous flow for that minute. I keep the oximeter hanging on my neck so I can instantly check my pulse & blood O2. I've even learned to talk perfectly with the O2 hose still in my mouth.
The end eventually gets a little beat & chewed up by holding it with my teeth after a few weeks, so I just snip about 1/2 inch off the end of the 25 foot hose for a fresh new end.
No dry nose that way, & no humidfier required. Your own warm saliva will add all the humidity to the O2 that you need. Adding humidity & moisture to the hose with O2 can breed some pretty nasty bacteria in the hose, risking more sinus & lung infections.
1 year on the same hose & it's still in clear, clean perfect condition, except for a few pinholes I had to patch. When I first got it, the cats thought the hose was some neat cat toy to bite. Fortunately yelling & screaming if they even look at it, they've learned to leave it alone.
Beet juice and/or spinach powder does wonders to improve your oxygen & blood flow efficiency. I can go at least twice as far with almost half the supplemental O2 using it. Runners & athletes use beet juice to improve performance & endurance. But be careful you don't have too much at once, or too much in a day.
If you never had it before you may want to start out with just a little bit, or it may be too much if you're not used to it.
I put 1 level teaspoon of beet juice powder with cinnamon, real lemon juice, brown sugar, a spoon of canola oil & cold water. Or 1 level teaspoon with garlic powder, a pinch of salt, & canola oil in cold tomato juice. Stir vigorously to avoid clumping, & stir between each sip so it don't settle to the bottom or separate. It must be consumed cold. Heat kills most of the beneficial effects.
Also take about 600-800mg of CoQ10 a day. I take 200mg in the morning, & 100-200mg every 6-8 hours after.
After you're used the beet drink a while & get used to it, you may try my super O2 & energy boost drink:
1 teaspoon of beet juice powder,
1 teaspoon of spinach powder,
1-2 teaspoons of Nestle Nesquik instant chocolate powder (depending how much you like chocolate),
1 teaspoon of caffeinated instant coffee,
3-4 teaspoons of sugar (depending on how sweet you like it--kills the yucky beet taste),
1 teaspoon of canola oil, &
1-3 teaspoons of dry milk -- depending how lactose intolerant you are. Dry milk will effect your intolerance less, & 1-2 teaspoons will be easy on it. If you can't even handle a little milk you could try milk substitutes, or delicious lower lactose "Morning Moo" (at Walmart & Amazon).
Mix the dry ingredients in a glass until the powder is an even color (too avoid clumping). Then add cold water, immediately stir vigorously or it will clump. Stir well between every sip.
DO NOT consume beet juice or spinach drinks more than once every 6 hours (once every 8 hours should be better). Too much can cause kidney stones. Lots of it & coffee may also cause a racing heart. So use less & start out slow if your pulse it already too high.
DO drink real lemon juice 1-2 times a day, it dissolves kidney stones, but also cleans up your kidneys & liver.
Have you considered a powered wheelchair or scooter, so you can get around the house a little more without using up as much O2, & causing your pulse to race too fast? The lithium powered ones are a lot lighter & smaller too.
I was hoping on finding a used one cheaper. But right not my place is small, so it's cramped/cluttered. There's not enough space to easily maneuver a chair well. But I am considering purging a lot of my stuff & furniture just so I can get around in a used chair or scooter... or find a bigger affordable place.
Topic: Happy New Year (Read 9042 times)
