[RW]

Hi Frank,

Everyone has covered the use of tanks and POC’s here, but I wanted to bring your attention to 2 very important things:

1)  People with IPF/PF are VERY prone to lung collapse (Pneumothorax). Not using supplemental O2 and exerting with levels down in the 70’s puts tremendous strain on the lungs and could cause a lung collapse. That happened to me. I have PF and was rushing around preparing for a move (cleaning, packing, lugging boxes, etc.) without any supplemental O2, and ended up with multiple tears in my lung, a lung collapse, taken by ambulance to Emergency Room, and hospitalized for over a month!

2) When using a POC, please be aware that most likely all of the ones currently on the market DO NOT filter out VIRUSES… Therefore, those POC’s are taking O2 directly from the surrounding air and delivering it directly into your lungs unfiltered. This completely negates the use of a mask if you are masking in public settings. A tank system however, is enclosed and is the far safer alternative to the POCs. Even though the tanks are heavy, it’s better to use them in crowded settings, such as hospitals, etc. for your safety and peace of mind.

I hope that helps!