While I work through the health system to ultimately get medical O2 through a neurologist (which I can't see until I get a referral from my GP), I'm going to try this: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE (thanks Marc).

I've got an O2 tank coming today and a mask coming on Wednesday.  I just want to do one last check to see if anyone has any negative experience or knowledge about non-medical (e.g., welding) O2 tanks or whether I should just go for it.

A much more interesting question: IF so many people are dying via O2, who writes the rave messaeges which we see posted here every day?

It is only the lack of O2 that can kill you, not a surfeit of it.

Jerry

I assume the messages are written by the ghosts of the O2 industrial complex.  Seriously, my question was whether there was a material concern about impurities in non-medical grade O2.  Doesn't sound like it.

In any case, I have the tank and am just waiting on mask that's being FedEx'd.

mmm3bbb wrote on Aug 30^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I assume the messages are written by the ghosts of the O2 industrial complex.  Seriously, my question was whether there was a material concern about impurities in non-medical grade O2.  Doesn't sound like it. In any case, I have the tank and am just waiting on mask that's being FedEx'd.

  Ya damn well better have a regulator to go with that mask and tank.

      Potter

It will give you a power over CH that will boggle your mind!!!!!!!
Joe

The only side effect of O2 is pain relief.

Just don't light a match.  Other than that.. you're good to go.  medical grade or welders.  no difference.

It's actually "food grade" O2 tank.  The regulator goes up to 15 LPM.  And the mask is likely on a plane flying west out of Memphis and should arrive tomorrow!  Very exciting. 

Thanks again Marc and everyone.  I'll report the results... unless it kills me. ;-)

Food grade?  That  I've never heard of.  Could you post a pic?

               Potter

Here's a (fuzzy) photo of the regulator and tank.  You can see Food Grade sticker below big Oxygen sticker on tank.  Note that I work at a winery and we use oxygen now and then for winemaking... same stuff. 

Also note that this is a small tank.  I wanted to make sure I could make it work before bringing a monster tank home.

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

If you crank that white knob far enough clockwise, that regulator will go a few LPM past 15. I've got the same one in my office.

Cool score.Your gonna like the power ya got now. 

                       Potter

I agree with Brew.  Crank that puppy open as far as it will go...  It takes at least 25 liters/minute to generate enough lung ventilation to hyperventilate. 

Anything less that that will work at lower pain levels, but once you get past 5 on the 10-Point pain scale, it's difficult to pump out enough CO2 for a fast abort.  Once you get past pail level 7, a flow rate of 15 liters/minute is going to leave you with some heavy sledding...

As far as safety of oxygen therapy goes... I've used flow rates that support hyperventilation (25 liters/minute up to 60 liters/minute) since early in 2005 on all my hits and I've over 3,000 hours flying fighters breathing 100% oxygen from takeoff to landing for all of that flight time...  The average mission was 2 hours in duration and I know I was sucking down the 100% oxygen at well over 40 liters/minute during air combat maneuvering with high G-Forces... 

I just turned 66 and I'm still here doing just fine...

Take care and good on you for using oxygen therapy.

V/R, Batch

Crud... so I'd have to get a new regulator? My nighttime CHs are pretty nasty... solid 7-8.

I got my mask today and practiced a little... not too intimidating.  Additionally I got a referral to see neurologist today.  And I stocked up on more sumatriptan.  And I'm drinking a lot of lemonade.

The punchline?  No CH in 36 hours... I'm crossing my fingers (and probably jinxing myself) that I'm through this cycle (my cycles typically last 3-4 weeks and I'm exactly a month into this). 

Out of curiosity, if 25 LPM makes you hyperventilate, how could you suck down 40 LPM and fly?

Well said, Marc. Blessings! lance

For what it's worth - I don't want people thinking that they can't be successful on less than 15 lpm either. I had a few cycles at 10 lpm that worked for me ... not that I am suggesting it would work for everyone or that 15 or 25 lpm doesn't work better. Just that if you can't get 15+ lpm, don't give up hope.

Several have posted they get relief at flow rates as low as 7 LPM. My advice is always to get the highest flow regulator you can......then if you can abort at 7...great...if it doesn't work, you have the option of cranking the knob to 15, or even 25! ;)

Joe

Oh yeah....demand regulators rock! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Joe

Last night I had a weird sort of "consolation prize" headache... since my cycle appears to be ending, I've been woken up with a temple to temple headache with a smidgen of CH thrown in there (it's hard to tell because it's a low kip and it's just munged in with the other headache).

Last night I busted out the O2 for the first time.  It was as fast as it could go (say 17 LPM) and after 8 minutes, I checked and the headache was gone.  It might have been even faster than that, but I was pretty sleepy.  Went back to sleep and 4 hours later I woke up with exactly the same headache and O2 - this time 5 minutes - worked again.

Other than not know what the weird headache is, the O2 works as advertised!  Thanks everyone.

Quote:

if 25 LPM makes you hyperventilate,

I'm probably being picky here and it was a typo, but 25lpm doesn't MAKE you hyperventilate.

I'm glad to hear of someone who is willing to learn, and is making progress.   High five to you.