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New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> The price of oxygen (please help)
(Message started by: MellowFellow on Nov 29th, 2002, 8:59am)

Title: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by MellowFellow on Nov 29th, 2002, 8:59am
Hello all,

I have a question about home oxygen therapy.

How much do these units cost? My insurance pays 80% and I pick up the other 20%.

Also, how much oxygen can you cram into a tank? At 8L/min times 15 mins, twice a day, will I be refilling it weekly? monthly?

Thanks for your help.

Title: Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by Mr.Happy on Nov 29th, 2002, 9:35am
I decided to not even bother with getting O2 thru insurance....they'd still be filling out medical necessity forms, etc. If I were to be on it LOOOOOOOONG term, it might be worth the hassle............
The medical supply company selling me Canned Air charges $45/mo, plus $10 per 680 liter (litre?) bottle. That's easily a bottle every other day during peak tourist season.......no idea what it comes out to in dog years. Certainly far less expensive than what I would be spending on beer (verboten during cycle).
Others have mentioned getting a Really Big Tank delivered, but my company doesn't go any larger than the puppy I've got now. The huge tanks (you're welcome!) would cut the price down to pennies per treatment, if you can find a supplier.

O2, Bruté?
RJ

Title: Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by Not4Hire on Nov 29th, 2002, 10:33am
hey Mel.....good to see you're looking into o2 treatment....it's hard to answer your question, because use is variable. Most people need 10-12-15 liters per minute to be effective and the oxygen concentrators can't go over 8LPM...and that's at about 95% o2....the tanks deliver 100% and come in all sizes from "M" at 6 cu.ft. which is the kind you can carry around ...through
-"C" @ 8.7 cu.ft.--
-"R" @ 20 cu.ft.--
-"D" @ 18 cu.ft.-
-"E" @ 22.5 cu.ft. (the type most people have and is 30" tall x 4" Diam. --weighs about 10 lbs. (this one is good for about 4 headaches @ 10-12LPM x 12-15 minutes)
-"Q" @ 83 cu.ft.
-"DEY" @ 124 cu.ft.
-"S" @ 154 cu.ft.--which is the largest you can reasonably manage at home--4' tall x 7" Diam./ weighs about 75-90 lbs.and requires a wheeled "dolly" ---MY personal choice because I only need to refill once every 20-25 (one week for me) headaches---@ 10-12LPM for 12-15 minutes.

YMMV (your mileage may vary) ;D

There are larger tanks, but probably ex$pensive and you would need to contact your Medical Supplier.

There are 2 types of regulators (that I know of): the small ones for the "E" (et al.) tanks that have an (almost) idiot proof connection--only one way to connect--and one capacity gauge--and the larger, threaded connector type with 2 gauges--one for capacity and the other for flowrate. You can attach a "bubbler" type water bottle to the regulators to humidify the gas--highly recommended. Use ONLY the NONREBREATHER type mask with bag---the regular masks and nose canulas do not give you pure 100% o2.

As far as co$t: YMMV........I got a used, certified 2 gauge regulator for $75---new is about $125. The small "E" types are probably $70 new.

I rent my "S" tanks--$9/month and $24/tank to fill (I get a discount for cash and FrequentFlyerMiles=$18 ) and the "E" tanks are about $6 to rent and $15 to fill. I bought my "E" tank--about $35 if I remember correctly. "Size DOES matter...." ;D

I have heard all kinds of horror stories about paying like $115 for "E" tank refills and other abuses, depends on your Insurance Stealer........Be careful!!! I think most Med Supply houses will be helpful--I recommend NORCO if yer in the Northwest US......hope this helps.....click this link for more o2 info......

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1035819596

Title: Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by ChristineL on Nov 30th, 2002, 8:34am


I rent 2 of the big boys.......I guess they are the "S" size according to Nots description. The medical supply company delivered them along with all the supplies needed. I pay $115.00 a month for both tanks here in Maine.

Usage will depend upon how often you need it. I have been PF since early September. I still have one full tank and a little bit left in the first one. Guessing, I would say I used up most of the first tank in 6 weeks time. Some days I only had one CH and other days I had up to five.

Chris L

Title: Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by MellowFellow on Dec 3rd, 2002, 7:55pm
Thanks for your insight. I've got another neuro appt. tomorrow and will make a decision then. Thanks again!

Title: ::)Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by talitha on Dec 10th, 2002, 8:08pm
Just had the weekend from hell...a 4 .5 hour #10!!!  :'(have been on prednisone from 4 weeks now and had tapered way down and whammoo.  Wanted desperately to go to the ER but couldn't drive-my husband doesn't drive and I figured an ambulance trip wouldn't be covered (cause the cluster would probably be gone by the time I got there).  so i went to a walk-in clinic sunday morning-they would not write a prescription for O2, ergotamine, lidocaine drops, nothing-said i needed to get to the er when i have a ha and see if O2 works for me because its really expensive.
come on guys-how are we supposed to go to the er when we are being pounded by the beast-the last thing i want to do is have to pace and dance and rock in a hospital er for hours.  Geez, i feel better now ..so did you try O2 at the er first and found that it worked?

Title: Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by Not4Hire on Dec 10th, 2002, 8:48pm
talitha.....1st: don't expect much sympathy at the ER......those folks deal with gunshot wounds, car wrecks, falling skyscrapers,.......all YOU got is a *headache*......I know, I been there......the first time I got o2 at the ER, it was like .......the BEST orgasm, the BEST sunrise/sunset...yadda....

2nd: you said *expensive*.... if you can put a $$$ amount on RELIEF from this MOFO....... yer just foolin' yerself.... yer either exaggerating the pain....... or yer wallet is more important than yer HEAD...........


Quote:
come on guys-how are we supposed to go to the er when we are being pounded by the beast-the last thing i want to do is have to pace and dance and rock in a hospital er for hours


the first 5 times I went to the ER...I was fucking SURE I was having a STROKE........ and NOBODY was gonna keep me from getting something to kill THAT pain...... not stoplights......not bag ladies with their shopping carts.... not SWAT teams with machineguns......... not paraplegic 10 year olds in wheelchairs...... give me the HEROIN or give me a 9mm in the temple.......

but this ER doctor in Deadwood, South Dakota at 2:30 a.m. calmly said "Give this freak o2 at 15 LPM for about 20  minutes......I'm goin' outside for a smoke......"

and in about 12 minutes.........the MOFO went awaaaaaaaaay.......O MY GOD!

....the rest is history...... but there's a bunch of folks on this board will tell you the same....something like 70%, I'd wager...... and if push comes to shove... I'll knock over the nearest 7-11 in a HEARTBEAT, if I need o2 and don't have the scratch to pay for it.....INSURANCE be DAMNED!!!!!!


Quote:
Geez, i feel better now ..so did you try O2 at the er first and found that it worked?


..sorry for the RANT....but I feel better now TOO....and I feel better every time the MOFO comes knockin' and all I gotta do is put on the mask and twist the dial........

hope it works for YOU too........Steve

PS....if you can stand a 4.5 hour #10 without goin' to the ER.....ya got more sand than me.........

Title: Re: The price of oxygen (please help)
Post by BobB on Dec 18th, 2002, 8:54pm
Hi

I'm on a "H" tank. It cost me $35/month to have and $35 to refill. My insurance won't cover this, so this is the going rate down here in Orlando.

Bob



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