Everyone who uses oxygen wants to have the lightest portable possible. Several devices have been developed over the years to stretch out the time you can stay out on a cylinder of oxygen. They are referred to as CONSERVING DEVICES. There are two basic types of units for use with oxygen cylinders. They are battery driven units and there are pneumatic devices. The difference between these units is the power source. The battery driven devices are obviously powered by a battery and pneumatic units are powered by the oxygen in the cylinder.

When using your oxygen at home you are receiving a continuous flow from your concentrator. With a portable cylinder you find that you will run out of oxygen fairly quickly. More time requires a larger cylinder, and therefore heavier. Conserving devices extend the time out by cutting off the flow of oxygen while you are breathing out. They start the flow when you start to breathe in. Using this method, your cylinder will last somewhere between 2-3 times longer. Typically, the battery driven units last almost 3 times longer and the pneumatic units last around 2 times longer. These are approximate times because they are both dependant on how fast you are breathing. The slower you breathe, the longer they will last. Regardless of which unit you receive, they will not weigh less than around 4-5 lbs. depending on what size cylinder you are using. With any conserving device you must breathe through your nose to trigger the machine.

Your Doctor has ordered Oxygen for you and now you need to know what this is all about. Normally, the Doctor orders oxygen for one or more of several reasons. One, your blood oxygen level is low and this was determined by either taking blood from an artery (painful), or putting a clip on your finger (much better). Secondly, because you have complained of increasing shortness of breath. Oxygen is set at a liter flow expressed as a number of liters per minute. Oxygen is a prescription drug the same as any other prescribed by your Doctor so do not adjust the amount unless your doctor prescribes it. The amount you receive is actually small normally, just enough to raise your blood level to an acceptable range. Oxygen is odorless, colorless, and tasteless and most importantly DOES NOT EXPLODE. Oxygen does support fire that already exists so make sure you are no closer then 6 feet to any open flame when using your oxygen. You should be using your oxygen according to your prescription. So if the doctor orders it 24 hrs/ day that is how it should be used. Failure to do this can result in a strain on your heart and lungs further complicating your problems. In an attempt to make up for the lower level of oxygen, your body will tell the heart to beat faster and then the lungs will breathe faster which all requires more Oxygen. Get the picture? Another time that is particularly important is when you sleep. A lot of people think that since they are sleeping they don’t need to use the oxygen because they are not active, but of course this is not correct. When you fall asleep, you travel down several levels of sleep until you reach stage 4. At this stage, your respiratory muscles relax. Some say up to 70%. This is when your muscles regain their strength from the day’s activities and prepare you for tomorrow. Anyhow this rest period lowers your oxygen level even farther so you can now see that wearing your oxygen to sleep is indeed very important.