Welcome to our NEW Blog:
"LTOTnet-org.blogspot.com"
We hope our blog will serve you well for informative and
interesting discussions regarding Long Term Oxygen Therapy (LTOT).
Robert McCoy
Long Term Oxygen Therapy Network
http://www.LTOTnet.org
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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9 comments:
Sorry for the delay in posting the first blog. Lee set this up two weeks ago and I have been traveling.
The purpose of the blog is to give you an update on oxygen issues and ask for your feedback. I hope to keep this up to date, so send me an e mail if I fall behind.
Right now the key issues are understanding diagnosing and the capabilities of oxygen equipment. We need better tools, better understanding of technology and a system that focuses on patient oxygenation, not equipment.
send me your stories both success and failure of the "system" related to home oxygen therapy.
thanks
bob
Bob, what a great idea! Perhaps, we should start from the basics. For many years COPD patients have been debating the superiority of liquid oxygen (LOX) over gaseous cylinders (COX). After using both (mostly LOX) for many years and by talking to many patients on COX, I have come to the conclusion that the issue is not superiority, but convenience. With the advent of better quality conservers and the reimbursement cuts, it seems to me that we will increasingly rely more on COX and POCs, which are continually improving. I would appreciate your comments. Thank you.--Vlady, COPD-ALERT
Hi All,
Traveling is going to be an issue for me, yet I will try to keep up with comments and requests.
there have be requests for topics to discuss from the myth of hypoxic drive to which device is best for LTOT.
I would like to get feedback from all that are looking at this blog and I'll attempt to get some good conversation going and add comments and observations.
We are into the winter months up north so for all that live in the cold, stay warm, drink lots of fluids and try to stay away from sick people that are trying to share their colds.
Thank you Lee Olson for your assistance in what I should click to successfully post. As you see my husband "got it". I rechecked my Google membership, I hadn't been using my full member id.
thank you.
Now...LOX COX & POC's I am glad Apria in the Denver area continues to supply both liquid and concentrated O2, and they do rent for travel, POC's portable oxygen concentrators . I am grateful for any form of supplemental oxygen, but the best for me during hard exertion/exercise is liquid. With compressed I could not carry enough for my high flow need for an appreciable period of time. Vlady...yes, it seems convenience/weight size are factors, and the smaller lighter weight compact LOX improves quality of living...getting out of the house and ability to walk distances and for hours... but I ALWAYS want a back up of COX cylinders, they don't evaporate or require electricity.
Question for Bob.
I would like to hear what your take is about debunking the hypoxic drive theory. Many on line patients fear too much oxygen will hurt them or even kill them if they are CO2 retainers.
Lyn
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
Now that you have consumed mass quantities of Turkey, turn up your oxygen and take a walk.
Roxlyn asked an important question that needs an in-depth response. Mark Mangus has agreed to do that in-depth response; we just need to prod him a little and hopefully we will get it on the www.ltotnet.org web sit.
Hypoxic drive is an issue and the medical community has been warned (scared) to not give too much oxygen to a patient with high carbon dioxide levels (most COPD patients) unfortunately this fear has starve patients of needed oxygen and limited activity. Giving to little oxygen is as bad as giving too much; the only difference is how fast the consequences catch up. Oxygen dependent patient need as much oxygen as necessary to keep oxygen saturations above 90% while doing the activities of daily living. An oximeter is a valuable tool, yet need to have a good level of understanding on what factors affect the oximeter. It is best to ask your clinician the issues so you can make an informed decision when using an oximeter. As Roxlyn blogs, she uses a lot of oxygen while exercising. The result - excellent conditioning. She is able to do actives that people not on oxygen can do. A lot of oxygen has not hurt her as she is using the oxygen at that high a level. She needs to turn the oxygen down when the activity is reduced (which she does)
The bottom line is a patient needs as much oxygen as necessary to maintain oxygen saturations above 90% at the activity level they are using the oxygen. We recommend patients exercise as much as possible to realize the benefits: improved utilization of oxygen, improved conditioning, improved secretion removal and an overall improvement in quality of life. Don’t let a low oxygen level or a device that cannot keep your oxygen level above 90% mask the problem of your disease being a limiting factor when it might be the device or setting that is the culprit.
If you have not read Dr. Tom Petty’s new book “From Both Ends of the Stethoscope” I highly recommend it. He describes the healing art of medicine that comes from compassionate clinicians using both skills and products to heal patients.
Thank you Bob,
yes, up the O2 during exercise, as all who read my blog know, MY comfort level is 96% preferably 98%.No way can I forget to turn down high flows of 12-15 % when I stop exercising. Also should mention I walk at 5500 ft altitude and this in itself requires higher oxygen use. Roxlyn G Cole, roxlyngcd@comcast.net
http://360.yahoo.com:80/roxlyngcd
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