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Portable Oxygen Concentators
Hello all,
Does anyone have info on Portable Oxygen Concentrators? I am looking for which kind work best and their cost. Do you have to buy them or can you rent them? Does Medicare cover these machines? Are they continuous flow or pulse?
Thanks for any info.
Pete
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84 Replies
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@golfpi
Hi Pete,
Thanks for writing and good topic of conversation to bring to the forums! I can only share my experiences, and please double check with your physician that your 02 needs can be met by a POC as their flows don’t go too high so sometimes if patients need a lot of oxygen, POCs aren’t necessarily best for them. I have the Respironics SimplyGo machine and my only complaint is the weight of it – 10lbs. I pull it around on a little trolley, so that helps and it comes with both a home and car charger, which helps with portability when I can charge it in the car. It works pretty well for me, and I did have to pay for it unfortunately as Canadian healthcare pays for tanks, meds, etc. but I bought this one and it is also FAA approved to go on flights, as it was really important for me to travel with it. I’ve taken it everywhere – Australia, Hawaii, various other states, etc. Not sure if this helps?
Charlene.
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Hi Charlene,
Thank You for your input. There is a lot of info in that one paragraph I did not know or even thought of. I did not know POC’s flow rates only go so high, ten pounds is a lot of extra weight to carry around, nice to be able to charge battery in you car, and being able to fly with one is great. I have tanks so I currently cannot fly any where if I wanted or had to.
Thanks again, very helpful
Pete
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google “Aliexpress” then search oxygen concentrators. you can get a pretty good one for about $300 including cost of shipping. get at least 02 flow of up to 6 lt minute
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I bought an Inogen one, G5. It has pulse delivery up to 6. It weighs only 5 lbs but can get a neat little cart for it. I don’t know whether it would be covered by Cdn. Health care or not. So far has been excellent for me.
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@golfpi
Hi Pete,
I assume you are in the United States because you mentioned Medicare. In the US, you need a doctor’s prescription to purchase or rent any oxygen system, including a portable concentrator. Your doctor won’t specify a particular brand or model, just how much O2 she wants you to have and when. The doctor’s office probably has a preferred local supplier that they will pass the prescription directly to. Ask your doctor for a paper script if you plan on buying or temporarily renting a unit.
Medicare does cover a portable concentrator if that’s what the doctor prescribes. You can read a lot about the rules by searching Google so I will just give highlights: your supplier will be required to provide you service for 5 years, you will pay a (reasonable) monthly rental fee, they will choose the brand/model you get, they will probably provide you with a backup tank of O2 to help you past a power failure. As far as I’m aware, Medicare will NOT assist in the purchase of your own device.
If you choose to purchase your own please consider these 2 things: 1) You get what you pay for and 2) you really need to get a FDA approved model. If you plan to travel by air, it also MUST be FAA approved. (As with everything you can find FAA approved lists on the Internet.)
I would NEVER, EVER, EVER, buy a Chinese O2 concentrator! They are NOT FDA approved (even if they say they are). You welfare and (perhaps) your life depends on them producing what they promised for a long time. How will you get service if there is a problem? Also, they are NOT FAA approved so you can’t take them on an airplane, even as luggage.
There are plenty of US based sellers whose websites will help you decide which model is best for you. Try searching for “best portable oxygen concentrators for 2020”.
Charlene’s model is the only portable I know that can produce continuous flow which is important if you sleep with it. All others are strictly pulsed and are not recommended for sleeping. I have an Inogen G3 that I sometimes sleep with. It beeps loudly if my breathing gets too shallow. Usually I wake up. It is also noisy. Between the noise and the pulse of O2 shooting into my nose, I have a hard time going to sleep, or back to sleep.
Things to consider:
- Will it produce the amount of O2 that the doctor wants you to have?
- How heavy is it? Even 5 lbs can become a burden to carry after a long time.
- How noisy is it?
- How long will the batteries last at the doctor prescribed setting? How hard is it to change batteries if you need to?
- Can it run off of your car power? Can it charge off of you car?
- How will you get it serviced if something goes wrong? (And something will go wrong eventually: it is a mechanical device, after all.)
I hope this helps with your decision,
jon
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On the POC, how do you have them serviced? Say the Inogen. I need to take 2 portables to Drs appts or else the cumbersome tank on wheels.
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If someone else has said this please forgive me. If you are on Medicare, your supplier will loan you a portable for travel within the 50. This is in addition to tanks, if that is what you use at home. They will also loan you extra batteries if they are need by law. Again the FAA rule is battery capacity of 150% of the one-way flight. Nobody has ever checked me for this but I would never take a chance. Apart from your health, how would you like to be stuck in the Falklands because they checked you for battery capacity and you didn’t have enough to get on the flight home.
Airplanes (passenger) normally fly at the equivalent of 8000 feet by adjusting their air pressure. This definitely affects your respiratory system if it is already compromised. To sleep safely I need continuous flow on an aircraft. There are several portables (About 4or 5, I believe)that will produce up to 3 liters/min continuous flow but they are all heavy. Often in sales brochures the quoted weight is without batteries and they usually have 2 batteries at a time. So add about 6 lb to the weight – and you have to carry spares. The Oxlife Independence is a good example, with 2 batteries and it’s cart it weighs in at about 18 lb. If you find a lighter one it often has only 1 battery but you still have to carry enough batteries for the trip.
A company that can answer most travel question in the US is Oxygen to Go, https://oxygentogo.com/ but Caveat Emptor they are in business to make a profit. Keep that in mind when dealing with anyone in medical supply.
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Hi Bill,
This is very helpful information about flying with a POC. It’s taken a lot for me to learn how to do this ‘well’ but I am always open to learning more, thank you for sharing your experience. I have no doubt it will help many others as well!
Sincerely,
Char. -
My wife has a POC through Medicare from Lincare. They will not supply extra batteries for flights or travel. We had to purchase one ourselves for $400.00
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Ed,
Sorry about your bad experience with Lincare. My suppliers have been taken over and nearly everybody fired but my experience starting about 4 years ago was good. They had a travel manager and I just had to call her, tell her what flights I was on (I think to make sure I wasn’t flying international) and they loaned me a POC plus batteries. They also loaned me one for a car trip. I had no problem.
Did you call Medicare? Believe it or not they are quite helpful. Obviously things could have changed but my suppliers told me, that by law, they had to supply patients with a POC for travel.
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Hi Pete,
If you live in the U.S. or Canada
Call Robert Scott at Inogen One. If you have Medicare you can get a concentrator
thru your Pulmonologist and medicare. Either way you will need a precription for
a concentrator as O2 is considered a medicine. I don’t have his ph number but you
can Google InogenOne.
Best, Eileen
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I have used the Respironics mini for the last 4 years. I get mine through Medicare by Johns Hopkins pharaquip. It seems to bread once a year and I immediately get a new one. When I was over seas and quit, I had a hard time.
I am on 3 when I sit or am on my scooter, but have moved from a 5 to 7 when walking to the restroom from my chair or my bed. I have been using the 7 all the time inside and a 5 pulse when on my scooter or in the car.
Since my concentrator rides on my scooter, I have no problem with its weight.
When I fly, I have to take 1 1/2 times the amount of battery life I would normally need. I travel with 7 batteries, 1/2 double sized, a car charger and my indoor charger plug. I keep an additional regular size 110 plug in for my room and sleeping. I have a suitcase I carry it in.
I think I’ll be OK sleeping with my sleeping and in the bedroom/bath traveling with only 5. I wont be taking too many steps, so I can sit and rest and not dwindle away missing the 7 when standing. There are no portable 7 concentrators and you are not allowed to take a big tank on the airplane.
Needless to say, I saw my doctor and got put up to 7 and am off to the cardiologist to find out how bad my lungs have caused my heart to be.
Anne
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Does anyone know if POC marketers permit a prospective customer to “try out” a POC? I wonder if I could comfortably tolerate pulse flow and the weight of a POC. Due to Covid travel and other restrictions I’m not actively considering a POC at the moment, but I might well be interested in the future.
Ross
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I know of no one who will try out a condenser. You can get a refurbished on for about 1/2 price. Again, if you have medicare, there’s no problem with trying it out.
You can put a 5 pound bag of sugar in a strap over your shoulder and wear it around at home.
If you use a walker, then the walker seat can carry the condenser for you. I do this when going from my house to my car.
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Good afternoon to everyone. As soon as I saw today’s article is about portable oxygen , I had to get involved. After getting out of the hospital in June, My wife and I wondered how we would around with a tank that is hard to navigate with a walker and /or wheelchair. I had to use a wheel chair for awhile till I got my sea legs back under me. We had seen ads for the Inogen 5 that said it would go to 6. When I am just setting, 5 is okay, but moving I need at least 6. The home unit only goes to 5, so had to get a second one so it could go higher if needed. My doctor sent a prescription for a machine that would go to 10. 4 months and still don’t have one. Anyhow, I got the Inogen, it is heavy with the battery but don’t have to mess with a cylinder that only goes to 4. My complaint with the Inogen is it is a pulse machine. Only gives you air when you breath. The house one is continuous. The Inogen can leave you wanting oxygen on a long walk. I took the Inogen to my lung doctor, he looked at it and told me it doesn’t put out what it says it does. He said it is about half. I was wondering why I was out of breath when I use it and am trying to do something. We where going to send it back, but got to thinking about the inconvenience of trying to haul bottles around which only last 2 hours. So, I just use it in the car and when taking a short walk around home.
Hope this gives people food for thought. This has been my experience with the portable. And yes, you need a doctors prescription. I think medicare will pay for one if under a flow rate of 4.
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I hope I can help you here.
I have both a small portable POC and a larger one that has more flow and pulse settings.
To be able to travel you need to have the right POC for a plane. They require you to have enough battery power for at least 2x the flight.
Also when I travel overnight by car I make sure it can charge in the car. But you also have to be able to sleep on it if needed.
I have to have a POC to sleep on. The smaller pulsation models are very conducive for that.
But they have been great for a quick run to a store, restaurant, visit, etc… so much mire mobility. Plus they plug into car and outlets.
You can get tanks delivered to your destination if your service allows. But it can be a pain
I have been on Oxygen for over 4 years and have traveled by air and car.
POC gives you your life back through mobility and flexibility.I would suggest a phone call to
Caire Medical INC. They are awesome!
tell them Oxygen man sent you:)
hope this helps
bob
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Correction
pulsating models are NOT conducive to sleep on
sirry didn’t catch it before I posted
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Randy,
There are no portable units that are strong enough for you to use. If you want to walk, you’ll have to use the big O2 bottle and roll it around with you. Or, even use a walker or wheelchair and have the big bottle in the chair and you push it.
The portable units are pulse and 5 is supposed to be like a 2.5. I thought my 5 pulse gave me more air than my 3 regular. Now that I’m on 7, the 5 pulse is just NOTHING.
I go out in a scooter and can take pretend walks with the dog and my hubbie when we are traveling. I get to the car using my condenser from the back door—– setting the tank on 7 L. I keep one of the little tanks in my car to get to my scooter to go to the store or doctor’s.
I use the tank in my car to go back to my scooter. I get the scooter off the lift, put my portable condenser on my scooter lift and close up the car—the tank of O2 stays with the car on the lift. Then I scooter off all on my own using the portable condenser which gives me enough O2 to use while I’m sitting. When I come back to the car from shopping or the doctors, I change over to my tank of O2 which goes up to 7L to use while standing or walking; put the scooter back on it’s lift; close up the mini-van back; walk around to the drivers door using my tank of O2 7L. I switch back to my condenser of O2 plugged into the minivan—the unit I used while riding my scooter.
I know this is a lot of changing of tanks, etc, BUT IT LETS ME BE FREE!!!! I can do it myself and not have grumpy hubby fuss.
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I notice no-one is talking about LOX – liquid O2. You can’t travel by air with it but otherwise it is far and away the best solution for most people who are able (and want )to stay mobile. You can get huge flows and it lasts longer than most POCs and much longer than gas.
Having a POC that goes to a setting of 10 is meaningless unless you know what it means. They can put 24 settings on it but it may only give 2L/min. Sadly, people buy POCs and find that they won’t meet their needs. Worse, sometimes they don’t realize that it isn’t meeting their needs and do damage to their bodies.
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@warlock
Hi Bill,
Really good point! I think one of the reasons why a lot of people don’t consider/talk about liquid 02 is due to the availability of it. It’s really hard to come by here in Canada, and I’ve heard the same throughout the US. I agree with you – its definitely the best solution for portability and 02, but hard to obtain. Do you find that where you are?
Char.
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I have a portable oxygen concentrator called a OxyGo Next It’s lightweight and fits in a bag to carry around very convenient weighs 4.7 pounds. Through my insurance I pay 37.00 a month and that includes the Home concentrator also. Hope this helps.
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My Respirontics portable condenser is only about 5 pounds, but you have to add the weight of the batteries. It has a handle and a strap on it’s bag. I don’t pay have a co-pay for mine.
anne
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@charlene-marshall
Hi Charlene,
Long story short I have been quite sick since Labor Day USA but slowly improving except my O2. So if I fly I will need a portable unit. When using your’s on flights do you store everything in the overhead and stuff the unit under the seat in front of you when using it?
Stay well,
Steve
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Hey Anne,
I’m just curious: do you have the Respironics SimplyGo mini or the standard machine? I have the standard one and I think mine is 10lbs, or maybe I’m just way off based in my weight assumption and should really weigh it. 🙂
Oh, sorry Anne! I just saw in an earlier post you mentioned you use the mini version of the Respironics POC. I hoped my weight assumption of the 10lbs wasn’t that far off haha…
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https://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/ is one of the best sources of information that I know of. Of course they are trying to get you to buy as well.
Here’s some data I gathered some months ago…
Portable Oxygen Concentrator Specs
Respironics Simply Go
Respironics Simply Go Mini
Inogen One G2
Inogen One G3
Inogen One G4
Inogen One G5
SeQual Eclipse 5
SeQual eQuinox (discontinued): believed same as above
CAIRE Feestyle Comfort Port
Invacare Platinum Mobile
AirSep FreeStyle 5
ResMed Mobi -
Thanks for sharing Karen!
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@golfpi
Hi Pete,
No problem, happy to help where I can. Looks like your inquiry sparked some great conversation about oxygen options and POCs! Hopefully this information is helpful as well. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to connect.
Sincerely,
Charlene. -
Hi @steve-dragoo
So nice to hear from you my friend, though I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been sick! Feel free to only share what you’re comfortable with, but did something trigger you to get sick, like a virus or other type of infection? I think I remember you were doing quite well, aside from the SOB and fatigue. Sad to hear you’ve been so sick, and really hope you’re improving now. Great question re: flying with my POC…
The POC I have has a fold-up trolley to carry the machine on, and it folds up to be quite compact. I put that in the overheat bin above me (I usually put it vertically if I can, as it keeps more room in the bin for others’ items) and then I place the machine under the seat in front of me. I usually put my feet on either side of it – not pressing against it though – for two reasons: 1) it holds it in place during take-off and landing and 2) I can monitor it that way in case it gets hot. I’ve never had this happen but the flight attendants always seek me out when I board the plane with a POC and tell me to let them know right away if it gets hot. Let me know if this helps 🙂 I also always ask for priority boarding, which I’m given due to needing oxygen, just so I can get in and settled before the plane boards everyone else and its a scramble.
Talk soon,
Char. -
@charlene-marshall
Hi Charlene – no problem sharing just didn’t want to take up space.
Well, I started feeling rough Wednesday after Labor Day Monday and got worse daily for a long time. Head Nurse sister-in-law had her hospital portable lab come by and take a bunch of tests including covid which was negative (I knew that by my symptoms but it is protocol). Tests showed electrolyte imbalance (minor) so we had azithromycin on hand just in case and I took it for 5 days and it helped a little. I knew it had potential side effects so I stopped it at 5 days. Since I was still unable to do much of anything I had my wife get some amoxicillin and took it for 9 days.
Finally started to feel better and went into the CR 12 feet away and my heart started racing and O2 dropped to the high 60’s. Eventually, I was able to stagger back to bed but unable to catch my breath for 30 minutes and that was extremely uncomfortable since my heart was racing the whole time. So I had to go to the CR again and the same thing happened. I wanted to jump up and run because I wanted my breath back (on the verge of panic) but talked to myself to stay still best I could. My wife was in tears – she has seen me in extreme pain before but nothing like this stress. And I was coughing so much I strained my stomach muscles and slightly tore rib cartilage on my left side and my back muscles kept trying to knot up. That just added to the fun. Honestly, I almost died because we had no oxygen and my heart would not go below 105BPM. So my wife and son went on the hunt for O2 in this poor nation and finally found a 400L tank. That didn’t last long as I needed it set on 5L most of the time just to get close to breathing normally without moving around.
It ran out so they tried to get more but the place was closed however a kind security guard told them of another place. That was good news but the bottles were 4900L so quite heavy – I went through a couple of those fast and needed almost 2 a day – a major strain on our tiny budget. I am upstairs so it took 3 guys to move the bottles.
Finally, we got a concentrator after much looking and it works pretty well. However, my lungs filled with mucus and I have been fighting that the past 4 weeks. It still has me stuck in the bedroom but at least now I can do most things in here now on my own and only use 2L in bed but 24/7. Yes, I should have been in the hospital but we were both afraid of the potential problems here as the medical protocol is lacking a lot of times. I am glad we got the concentrator because the O2 bottles were not very good quality and make me cough after an hour or so but I need a big one as we have brownouts.
Total downtime so far is 8.5 weeks…
Status: recovering and as mentally tenacious as ever + a little brain fog… Hahaha.
Stay well friend and thanks for asking…
Steve
PS So I picked up AFib and watch it constantly…
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@charlene-marshall
PPS – Sadly my wife has to do everything and now prepares all the meals and shopping and laundry which I did mostly. She works a fulltime job teaching too. Glad her health is holding up but I know she is tired…
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When flying and using a concentrator, you cant be in the first row, nor in the isle seat. You can be in the 2nd row and have to be in the window seat. The concentrator stays under the seat in front of me or in the middle seat (if available). I keep an extra battery down with me and other batteries in the upper compartment of the plane. If flying for a long period, I take 7 batteries, 15 hours of time usage.
I’m so sorry to hear your not back to feeling your best.
anne
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