RV Life on O2

[sandpaper600]

The better half and I have been full-timing for 15 years now and the time has finally come for me to be on O2. I'm kinda' looking around trying to find out how others cope with it.

I have to be on the hose 24/7, so some chores are more difficult now, with having to accommodate dragging the bottle and hose around. (Hah! I just had a thought...went from "ball and chain" to "tank and hose." Just kidding honey!)

Anyone got any tips or tricks for me to help make my new life easier?

[philaura]

sandpaper600 wrote:
Not to highjack my own thread, but any of you already on O2...how willing is your supplier to work with you, say if you want 2 or 3 regulators, so you don't have to keep switching them or say if I were to want to mount clamps to hold tanks in my ATV. You think they'd help me out or is that one of those things I'd probably buy for myself (the clamps)?

I have yet to talk to a rep from the company (Rotech) as I just started on O2 last Sunday. I'm just feeling so much better than I have in years, and I'm wanting to get back out there again.

Sandpiper 600, Good for you if you want to continue to enjoy the activities you did prior to your oxygen requirement.
I use a V-Pap (Bi-Pap) at night with 3 lt of oxygen. Normally during the day I do not need O2, as Boise is around 3,000 feet in altitude. I have a large 41 liter liquid tank at home. When I dry camp, my supplier lends me anywhere from a 21 liter to a 31 liter travel tank depending on how long I will be gone. I had extra tie down rings installed in our toyhauler where I secure the tank while traveling.
I need O2 when the altitude is over 5100 feet, especially if I ride my four-wheeler on the trails. I use a small portable tank in its own soft case. It has straps that I use to secure it to the front rack and it hangs down on the right hand side fender. I secure the bottom with bungees to the footboard. A four foot or seven foot cannula works fine. Medicare covers the travel O2 as well as my liquid at home. When we take a trip over two weeks the large tank will not last us and we borrow a travel concentrator that uses house power, 12 volt, and battery power. Recently we were told we need to rent a concentrator at $35 per day if it is the portable kind. We will probably purchase our own large home unit when we travel and plan on campgrounds with electricity when we stop at night. Ultimately, I would like to install three more solar panels on the roof and purchase three or four lithium batteries to store the power. Then I could charge a little portable concentrator off the batteries. Of course, this will cost around $5,000 to $6,000, so we need to save up for it.
Anyway, I admire and applaud your desire to continue camping and riding your fourwheeler, and looking for work- arounds.
Phil

[sandpaper600]

Yeah...I don't get how they figure that because you have a POC that you don't need tanks anymore. The battery only lasts 4 hours! (Someone correct me if I'm wrong here.)

I think it's a crock that you can't change providers for 5 years. Mine was chosen for me by the hospital and they weren't going to let me leave without it. What if they don't do a good job?

Thanks for the input. I have more questions, but I'm going to start another thread.

[Janss]

Great that the O2 is helping you feel much better!

I think you just have to talk to a rep at Rotech. I can only tell you what our experience with Apria has been. They seem to be willing to give us mostly what we want of basic things...regulators, hoses, canulas, washers, etc. But for example, Apria only had one kind of backpack for the small bottles. I've seen different styles of carrying bags online from various websites that we could purchase ourselves.

Apria told us that Medicare would cover the Inogen G3, but if we got that, then they would take away all the bottles. (Well, I think they would leave a tall bottle for emergency, like if the electricity went out and couldn't use the big concentrator.)

[sandpaper600]

Not to highjack my own thread, but any of you already on O2...how willing is your supplier to work with you, say if you want 2 or 3 regulators, so you don't have to keep switching them or say if I were to want to mount clamps to hold tanks in my ATV. You think they'd help me out or is that one of those things I'd probably buy for myself (the clamps)?

I have yet to talk to a rep from the company (Rotech) as I just started on O2 last Sunday. I'm just feeling so much better than I have in years, and I'm wanting to get back out there again.

[sandpaper600]

Thanks for the input, guys. For what-ever reason, I was told that medicare didn't pay for the small units and I would have to settle for tanks. It may be because I have a medicare advantage program. I think I am going to call them myself and have a chat.

We have good solar, so I think boondocking may still be within our grasp.

@Janss - My dealings with medicare have been that they give you the bare minimum they have to. So I'm not surprised they didn't volunteer the short hose info.

[Janss]

We just bought (out of pocket) the Inogen One G4...the newest and smallest model. So pleased with it! Medicare will only cover the G3 (when we checked). Look at Inogen's website and compare the specs for both to be sure which one will suffice...different size, weight, flow settings, etc.

Comes with both regular electric plug and 12v plug for recharging the battery. Just push a button to turn on, instead of always changing a regulator from one bottle to the next.

Also, we did not know until recently that there exists a 4-ft canula. Have used 7-ft for years. Who needs 7 feet from the bottle (or Inogen) to nose? So the 4-ft canula helps to not be constantly tucking in or flailing around with extra tubing.

Of course, while inside RV, just use a regular big concentrator with 25 ft hose.

We've had to change our RVing lifestyle to stay at more campgrounds with electric hookup. Yes, we long for the boondocking, forest road exploring kinds of days. Fortunately, we had many good years and wonderful memories doing that.

[Son_of_Norway]

My 97 year-old mother is on oxygen and goes camping with us. Like wrgrs mentioned, she has a stationary concentrator and a portable one. The stationary one we actually got off of Craigslist for about $200, they are easy to find. The portables are much more expensive and it is worth going through medicare. Electrical power can be an issue. The owner's manual will tell you what kind of draw to expect. You might want to get your 12-volt supply from a heavy-gauge wire attached directly to the battery. we have found that the cigarette plugs can get very hot.

[wrgrs50s]

My father used a really long hose for indoors, and used a portable oxygen generator that was battery powered when running errands. It had a 12v plug that worked from his cigarette lighter to keep the battery usage down. There are several models available and I think medicare covered the major portion of the cost.

[Dutch_12078]

You might find a portable concentrator system like the Inogen One series preferable to lugging cylinders around. The Inogen One G3 model is covered by Medicare if you're eligible.

Rent a Portable Oxygen Concentrator through Medicare/Insurance

[Lwiddis]

Have you explored oxygen generators?