[David Hendricks]

I was on up to 60mg while in the hospital but now back to 10mg. I really don’t think it does anything for me other than raising my blood sugar, requiring me to take additional diabetes medication. Sort of a lose/lose situation.

[David Hendricks]

I was diagnosed July 2021. I left the hospital on oxygen 24/7.I was on 2LPM and 4LPM. Since a portable concentrator was not usable for me so I need to drag around a tank on a cart every time I leave the house. In the beginning it was just a slight nuisance. I was still able to drive and loaded the oxygen in the back seat. However I became worse and my oxygen requirements doubled. There were times I had two doctor appointments and two pulmonary rehab sessions per week. This meant I was using a lot of oxygen tanks and they became difficult to get. My supplier was limiting what I could get each week.

After a few months supplies got better but then I doubled my oxygen requirements again. Now I was using a lot of tanks to go out. I finally got to the point that I fell from low oxygen in my blood. Going out was getting very difficult. I had to stop doing tasks at home because I could not keep my oxygen level in my blood high enough for more than 5 minutes at a time. I now use a wheelchair to go out to keep oxygen requirements lower. I no longer drive and my wife not only drives me around but loads and unloads the wheelchair each time.

I was hospitalized this July after a fall in which I fractured the fibulas in both legs. So not only couldn’t I breathe but I couldn’t walk at all. My legs have healed so I can get around the house but we have put a bed in our living room and I sleep there to keep me from going up steps. It also allows me to use just 25 feet of tubing instead of 50 feet. I used to cook supper but now  I am lucky to be able to cut up veggies or make a salad while sitting at the kitchen counter. I used to grill and smoke foods but for some reason I am not supposed to go near flames.

So, IPF has pretty much rendered me useless.

Dave

[David Hendricks]

I was diagnosed with IPF in July of 2021. I left the hospital on 2LPM resting and 4 active. It took a month before someone came out with a portable concentrator for me and then I was told it would not work because I needed constant flow. Since then I have been dragging around size D and E tanks when I go out. In November it was increased to 4 and 8LPM and in April I went to 8 and 15LPM. After several falls from low oxygen I got a wheelchair and use it when leaving the house. This keeps me at 8LPM most of the time. Usually when I leave we take 2 E size tanks to have enough. It’s  a pain in the butt, but I do what I need to do.

Dave

[David Hendricks]

Hi Karen

I have tried an oxymizer three times (Several weeks at a time) and never found them useful. Maybe it is just me but I monitored my oxygen level with my pulse-ox and it appeared my level dropped just as fast using the oxymizer. I was told I could drop my oxygen amount by more than 50% using one but I guess I am the exception to the rule.

Dave