[David Naumann]

There is a big mistake going on in this discussion.  It is very common because the Portable Oxygen Concentrator manufacturers and sales have confused the issue.  Almost none of the POC’s mentioned in the discussion deliver in “Liters Per Minute,” lpm.  That can only be applied to continuous flow.  Even the very best (in most informed opinions) POC, the Philips Respironics SimplyGo Pro delivers a maximum of 2 (yes, that is two) LPM continuous.  It also has numbered settings from 1-6, but they are pulsed.

There is nothing wrong with pulsed, it is effective for a majority of users with relatively low demands.  But it does not compare well with continuous flow.  Most well-informed oxygen people I know or whose writings I have read, have suggested that while the numbers on pulsed settings do not match LPM delivery, they work for many people.  The best estimates recognize there are great differences between persons using Oxygen therapy, the equivalence is about 1/2 the LPM rate.  That is, if you need 2 LPM continuous, you will get about the same oxygen at the pulsed setting of 4.

What this means is that when someone says they are getting 6 LPM from the SimplyGo Pro, they are actually getting 6 pulsed — which corresponds approximately with 3 LPM continuous.  The immensely popular Inogen One G3 and G4 are strictly pulsed.  Users really need to know that if they need more than 3 LPM these light POC’s will not deliver or will be just at the margin.

 

[David Naumann]

Charlene — and others who may need oxygen during car travel.

I discovered that it is fairly easy and cheap to be able to plug your regular home concentrator into your car.  For less than $100, an auto-parts store will sell you an “Inverter”, a book-sized gadget with connectors to the car battery, and wires to the device back inside the car.  You can have it wired permanently for more money.  Check the fine print on the tag of your concentrator, it will likely say less than 500 or 600 Watts.  While that is way too much for the cigar lighter socket, it is fine for your car as long at you keep it mostly running.

Wire it up, plug in the concentrator, start the car, turn on inverter and concentrator, and be on your way.

[David Naumann]

Charlene, I hope I didn’t make a bigger deal out of that 1/2 ratio between continuous and pulsed flow!  That number is more of the “if I didn’t have any individual’s measurement, it would be my best guess of the effect.”  The effect of pulsed oxygen delivery varies greatly from person to person, AND from time-to-time.  As you know, some of us breathe so softly when resting or sleeping that the pulsed device does not sense an inhale and therefore does not deliver any oxygen at all.  (Your SimplyGo is one POC that can sense the missed breath and switch you to continuous immediately, also waking you to take action.)

Many interpersonal differences influence how much and how well a small, short pulse of oxygen actually gets to the right parts of the lungs at the right time.  Similarly, many interpersonal differences affect how much or what proportion of continuous oxygen are actually used in this or the next breath.  The short answer is nobody knows, but the device makers try to cover the majority.

[David Naumann]

There is at least 1, the Respironics SimplyGo Pro.  I am not aware of anything that is less than 18 Lbs (and needs spare batteries etc that push the weight up to about 25 Lbs.  I quit flying when my SimplyGo was no longer enough for me, with its 2 LPM.  (If I absolutely have to fly I’ll rent one of the big ones.)  I think there is an Equinox  portable that goes up to 3 Lpm continuous.

My US supplier, Lincare, delivers whatever I need to hotels and motels as long as I give enough time.  So except for the flight I can continue to travel anywhere in the US, because Lincare seems to cover all states.