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Message started by joedell71 on Aug 7th, 2010 at 7:22am

Title: question about Oxygen
Post by joedell71 on Aug 7th, 2010 at 7:22am
Hi all

Got my first delivery  of oxygen yesterday. I noticed in the oxygen info thread it said that men with facial hair should breath directly from the tube. is this always true? because I have a light mustache and beard. I can get a pretty good seal by pressing the mask to my face hard and then moving one side away a little to exhale is this good or should I be breathing right from the tube?. I tried using it last night and while it did lessen the dance i had to do eith Puta Madre(whet I have affectionatly taken to  calling the pain) it did no stop completely.

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Bob P on Aug 7th, 2010 at 7:33am
I have a mustache and beard, never had any problem using a mask.  I do the same as you, hold it to my face to inhale and tilt it away to exhale.

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by joedell71 on Aug 7th, 2010 at 7:40am
Thanks I will keep doing this. I was just wondering if the seal had to be absolutely air tight? but if you are getting results this way I'll continue on.

Thanks
Joe

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 7th, 2010 at 9:39am
As with anything else, trial and error rules! If you're not getting complete relief, max out the flow rate and try hyper ventilating. Try the mouth piece vs. the mask and see if there is a difference in your abort times.

If you haven't read any of Batch's work with arterial PH levels.....I can't duplicate them here as they're a whisker complex....but it comes down to altering your PH to make you less succeptible to attacks. 02 stopped working for me for  a bit this last cycle, I went on the PH diet and in les then 48 hours it started working again.

Consists of taking magnesium, zinc, calcium citrate with vitamin D, and washing them down with a glass of lemonade. I used store bought Batch uses fresh squeezed. I did it 2X a day, got me thru a high cycle, might be worth a shot.

Joe

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Brew on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:19am
Use a mouthpiece if the mask seal is a concern. That's what I do.

There's no hair on your lips, is there? ;)

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:30am

Brew wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:19am:
Use a mouthpiece if the mask seal is a concern. That's what I do.

There's no hair on your lips, is there? ;)


Mom told me if I didn't stop I'd grow hair on my knuckles.....lips were never mentioned! :o

Joe

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by joedell71 on Aug 7th, 2010 at 3:18pm

Brew wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:19am:
Use a mouthpiece if the mask seal is a concern. That's what I do.

There's no hair on your lips, is there? ;)

Yes there is actually I'm 1/4 wolfman on my moms side [smiley=grin2.gif]

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by -johnny- on Aug 7th, 2010 at 3:52pm

Brew wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:19am:
Use a mouthpiece if the mask seal is a concern. That's what I do.

There's no hair on your lips, is there? ;)

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Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Brew on Aug 7th, 2010 at 4:10pm
And if you buy an O2ptimask (at the ch.com store, link to the left), it comes with a mouthpiece!

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Skyhawk5 on Aug 7th, 2010 at 9:57pm
Breathing thru just the tube without a bag attached will give you little O2. The difference between drinking from a straw and drinking from the glass.

I hope your mask has a bag on it, this is what we need for good CH aborts. If not you need to get a proper NON-rebreather with a bag. Also with a good mask setup there's no need to lift it to exhale.

Don

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Brew on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:04pm

Skyhawk5 wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 9:57pm:
Also with a good mask setup there's no need to lift it to exhale.

But one thing I've noticed is that the mask/mouthpiece/valves need cleaning much less often if you simply exhale into the air instead of through the mask. And they seem to last longer that way.

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by -johnny- on Aug 8th, 2010 at 12:33am

Brew wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:04pm:

Skyhawk5 wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 9:57pm:
Also with a good mask setup there's no need to lift it to exhale.

But one thing I've noticed is that the mask/mouthpiece/valves need cleaning much less often if you simply exhale into the air instead of through the mask. And they seem to last longer that way.


makes sense. if you exhale into the air your not pushing the moisture from your breath back thru the valves. the reclaimer bag will still fill up. and it doesnt start to stink.

even when im driving i can hold the mouthpiece in my teeth and exhale around it. i cant stand having a mask strapped to my face during an attack

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Bob P on Aug 8th, 2010 at 8:09am
I should add that I also squeeze the bag while I inhale.  This insures a positive pressure inside the mask.

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Batch on Aug 8th, 2010 at 7:47pm
Joe,

You got lots of good comments on techniques, but I didn't hear what flow rate your regulator is capable of delivering.  15 liters/minute is the absolute minimum if you start real early before the pain starts and you catch it prior to pain level 4 on the 10-point headache pain scale.  The average abort times for 15 liters/minute are up around 20 minutes, 15 if you start early.  Any later or higher pain levels than that and you're in for some heavy sledding.

An oxygen flow rate of 25 liters/minute is the minimum that supports hyperventilation for much faster aborts at an average of 8 to 9 minutes.  You can pick up one of these on the Internet for $25.

If you can get your hands on a 0-60 liter/minute regulator, they run $140 to $190 depending on the model, and the abort times drop even more.

And yes, these higher flow rates are perfectly safe.  I've over 3000 hours flying Navy fighters and all of it was spent breathing 100$ oxygen at flow rates well over 40 liters/minute during High-G force maneuvering.  Navy and Marine Corps pilots have been sucking down 100% oxygen while flying tactical fixed wing aircraft for over 70 years from takeoff to landing on missions lasting over 2 hours with no ill effects.  In fact, it's mandatory even today and these folks are flying $35 Million to $55 Million dollar aircraft

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by -johnny- on Aug 9th, 2010 at 12:20pm

Batch wrote on Aug 8th, 2010 at 7:47pm:
Joe,

You got lots of good comments on techniques, but I didn't hear what flow rate your regulator is capable of delivering. 


25 lpm :)

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by headbanger45 on Aug 9th, 2010 at 3:40pm
One more question to Batch - I have an oxygen bottle for cutting torch. Is the oxygen at the welders shop a breathable grade??

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Brew on Aug 9th, 2010 at 3:45pm

headbanger45 wrote on Aug 9th, 2010 at 3:40pm:
One more question to Batch - I have an oxygen bottle for cutting torch. Is the oxygen at the welders shop a breathable grade??

Just about anyone here can handle this one (Batch, take a breather): Yes. It's the very same stuff. Only difference between welder's O2 and med. grade O2 is the process by which the tanks are inspected.

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Skyhawk5 on Aug 9th, 2010 at 9:34pm

Brew wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:04pm:

Skyhawk5 wrote on Aug 7th, 2010 at 9:57pm:
Also with a good mask setup there's no need to lift it to exhale.

But one thing I've noticed is that the mask/mouthpiece/valves need cleaning much less often if you simply exhale into the air instead of through the mask. And they seem to last longer that way.


Very true. But during big hits for me I just keep the mask on. But now you've got me thinking, I need to try to lift to exhale.

Don

Title: Re: question about Oxygen
Post by Brew on Aug 9th, 2010 at 9:47pm

Skyhawk5 wrote on Aug 9th, 2010 at 9:34pm:
But one thing I've noticed is that the mask/mouthpiece/valves need cleaning much less often if you simply exhale into the air instead of through the mask. And they seem to last longer that way.Very true. But during big hits for me I just keep the mask on. But now you've got me thinking, I need to try to lift to exhale.

Don

I'm not trying to throw you a curve ball, my friend. Just keep doing what you're doing.

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