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 Living with COPD

COPD and the Coronavirus - recommendations, concerns, advice

avatar NYnNJ1

avatar LynninTx

avatar Courtney_J

 Living with COPD

How do you handle shortness of breath (dyspnea)?

avatar Dr.WhoPeggygmail.com

avatar gommer1

avatar dunecitymike

@KathyA‍, please read what I wrote above on using oxygen. I am so, so, thrilled to have portable oxygen that gave me more of my life back. I was told in 2011 when I lived in San Miguel de Allende at 6,400 ft altitude that I needed to go on oxygen, but all I saw around town was one woman with the heavy metal canisters in a cart behind her, and that looked terrible. I moved back to near sea level and put off needing oxygen all day for another seven years, just a Bipap at night.

Finally I was huffing and having to stop every few feet even near sea level, but I still didn't want to be lugging a heavy canister behind me. I ran into an old friend who was always really active, ballroom dancing, hiking, fly fishing in rivers. And there she was with an Inogen in a backpack, doing everything she'd always done!

She showed me all about hers and the total package with machine, extra 8-hour battery, two battery chargers for house and car, carrying case, and extended warranty, was around $3,300!

Finally I saved enough for it and have loved it every minute since. I started on 2 for almost a year but had to go to 3 for every day. I switch to 4 liters a minute several times a day when I still get winded bad, and have gone up to 5 for stair climbing. I worry that I will need to go higher than 5 eventually, but I hope by then there will be sronger machines developed that go higher, though then the $500 batteries only last a few hours before needing recharging, instead of 6-8.

The portable ones now are breath-operated--you have to be breathing into the nose cannula for them to work. And my BiPap at night requires continuous flow, which the big oxygen machine Medicare covers provides, so I need both machines. Some day they may all be continuous flow and still portable.

There are cheaper, refurbished units available from the Inogen factory, too. After 1 1/2 years mine started sending strange messages and I called the factory and they sent a new one out the next day! I sent them the old one back no charge. So I am pleased with service, too.

Hope this helps you accept your machine. I am so, so happy I got mine and wish Medicare paid for everyone who needed one.(I understand in a few cases they will pay for one now, but not my particular Cigna Medicare Advantage plan.)

I bet when you go to your reunion you won't be the only one on oxygen! And everyone will be so old! The ones who are already dead and not there are the ones to think about--how many of them had COPD? Fourth leading cause of death in the US before Covid, so now we're fifth. Be glad for all the help you can get! I hope  you have a wonderful reunion!

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 Living with COPD

Quitting Smoking: Tips and Advice

avatar kathwestermann30

avatar asaan32

avatar Shenita

 Living with COPD

If you could get rid of one of your COPD symptoms, which one would it be and why?

avatar Rgallagher

avatar jakevan

avatar kaderaahin

 Living with COPD

What is your COPD story? Let's share!

avatar Anna2352

avatar brthfree

avatar copd_healing

 Treatments for COPD

Steroid Inhaler and COPD: Useful or not?

avatar Rgallagher

avatar Geniusma

avatar smccann

@Thakera Yes, even on Medicare it was $400+ a month. My Pulmonologist arranged for me to get it with no copay from GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, you can look up their assistance program at https://www.gskforyou.com/ Hope it goes okay for you, I am just in the process fo renewing mine for next year.

GSKForYou | GSK Patient Assistance Program

Learn how our program can assist you if you need help paying for your GlaxoSmithKline prescription medicines and vaccines, whether you have coverage or not.

See the best comment

 Living with COPD

what caused your COPD?

avatar Somya.P

avatar Rhea60

avatar Maynerd

 Living with COPD

Diabetes, Hypertension, and COPD - announcing my goal to help me succeed

avatar mr1964

avatar Lee__R

avatar Gordon

 Living with COPD

Do you suffer from emphysema or asthma in addition to COPD?

avatar Cancerdad-II

avatar dunecitymike

avatar kaderaahin

 Living with COPD

Wearing a face mask with COPD: How do you cope with it?

avatar kaderaahin

avatar ger365

avatar pu8909

 Living with COPD

COPD and the Coronavirus - recommendations, concerns, advice

avatar NYnNJ1

avatar LynninTx

avatar Courtney_J

 Living with COPD

How do you handle shortness of breath (dyspnea)?

avatar Dr.WhoPeggygmail.com

avatar gommer1

avatar dunecitymike

@KathyA‍, please read what I wrote above on using oxygen. I am so, so, thrilled to have portable oxygen that gave me more of my life back. I was told in 2011 when I lived in San Miguel de Allende at 6,400 ft altitude that I needed to go on oxygen, but all I saw around town was one woman with the heavy metal canisters in a cart behind her, and that looked terrible. I moved back to near sea level and put off needing oxygen all day for another seven years, just a Bipap at night.

Finally I was huffing and having to stop every few feet even near sea level, but I still didn't want to be lugging a heavy canister behind me. I ran into an old friend who was always really active, ballroom dancing, hiking, fly fishing in rivers. And there she was with an Inogen in a backpack, doing everything she'd always done!

She showed me all about hers and the total package with machine, extra 8-hour battery, two battery chargers for house and car, carrying case, and extended warranty, was around $3,300!

Finally I saved enough for it and have loved it every minute since. I started on 2 for almost a year but had to go to 3 for every day. I switch to 4 liters a minute several times a day when I still get winded bad, and have gone up to 5 for stair climbing. I worry that I will need to go higher than 5 eventually, but I hope by then there will be sronger machines developed that go higher, though then the $500 batteries only last a few hours before needing recharging, instead of 6-8.

The portable ones now are breath-operated--you have to be breathing into the nose cannula for them to work. And my BiPap at night requires continuous flow, which the big oxygen machine Medicare covers provides, so I need both machines. Some day they may all be continuous flow and still portable.

There are cheaper, refurbished units available from the Inogen factory, too. After 1 1/2 years mine started sending strange messages and I called the factory and they sent a new one out the next day! I sent them the old one back no charge. So I am pleased with service, too.

Hope this helps you accept your machine. I am so, so happy I got mine and wish Medicare paid for everyone who needed one.(I understand in a few cases they will pay for one now, but not my particular Cigna Medicare Advantage plan.)

I bet when you go to your reunion you won't be the only one on oxygen! And everyone will be so old! The ones who are already dead and not there are the ones to think about--how many of them had COPD? Fourth leading cause of death in the US before Covid, so now we're fifth. Be glad for all the help you can get! I hope  you have a wonderful reunion!

See the best comment

 Living with COPD

Quitting Smoking: Tips and Advice

avatar kathwestermann30

avatar asaan32

avatar Shenita

 Living with COPD

If you could get rid of one of your COPD symptoms, which one would it be and why?

avatar Rgallagher

avatar jakevan

avatar kaderaahin

 Living with COPD

What is your COPD story? Let's share!

avatar Anna2352

avatar brthfree

avatar copd_healing

 Treatments for COPD

Steroid Inhaler and COPD: Useful or not?

avatar Rgallagher

avatar Geniusma

avatar smccann

@Thakera Yes, even on Medicare it was $400+ a month. My Pulmonologist arranged for me to get it with no copay from GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, you can look up their assistance program at https://www.gskforyou.com/ Hope it goes okay for you, I am just in the process fo renewing mine for next year.

GSKForYou | GSK Patient Assistance Program

Learn how our program can assist you if you need help paying for your GlaxoSmithKline prescription medicines and vaccines, whether you have coverage or not.

See the best comment

 Living with COPD

what caused your COPD?

avatar Somya.P

avatar Rhea60

avatar Maynerd

 Living with COPD

Diabetes, Hypertension, and COPD - announcing my goal to help me succeed

avatar mr1964

avatar Lee__R

avatar Gordon

 Living with COPD

Do you suffer from emphysema or asthma in addition to COPD?

avatar Cancerdad-II

avatar dunecitymike

avatar kaderaahin

 Living with COPD

Wearing a face mask with COPD: How do you cope with it?

avatar kaderaahin

avatar ger365

avatar pu8909

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