Hi! I care for my mom at home. I’ve been on the phone all day with O2 supplier, Dr office, and insurance - still awaiting call backs. In the meantime I wonder if anyone here can offer guidance. What is the next step when my mom’s needs surpass what her o2 concentrators can offer? As she gets further into emphysema we have had to increase oxygen, add more inhalers etc. I’m sure you know the drill. We tether 2 - 10 lpm concentrators together to receive approximately 18 lpm. That’s her baseline 24/7 oxygen. Anyway, we are currently at the max a dual concentrator can offer (both set at 9.5 lpm). It sustains her if she is sitting, but she needs to use 20, sometimes 25 lpm to walk to the bathrooon or to recover if she is short of breath. There is no way to make our concentrators go that high and tethering 3 concentrators is not an option (the pressure will damage the machine). We use portable etanks when we need 20/25 lpm but they only last 25-30 minutes. Also, we are limited to 12 tanks per week per our o2 supplier. Where do we go from here? What is the next step ? Our pulmonologist has ordered /we are waiting to receive an external ventilator which *should* decrease her oxygen needs to a more manageable LPM, but we’ve just found out that using this devise would mean giving up a huge amount of independence and quality of life, as it can only be used on a plug in concentrator. It’s not for traveling out of the home. My mom (given an adequate # oxygen tanks) is still an active, independent person. Has anyone been or is anyone currently in our shoes? What is the next step?
—Denice