COPD & Emphysema Support Group

Dear Friend;

I had the same problem for months and then when I moved house I got my oxygen supplier to plumb separate oxygen feeds from the concentrator (which is a ‘New Life Elite’) into every room. This he did with the exception of the bathroom and kitchen but I do have a feed at the door to both rooms. In each room I have a small bottle which is filled up to the pre-set level – naturally I have to do this to each bottle container everyday – but that is no hassle and only takes seconds..

But gone are the days of yards of twisted hose trailing along behind me.

I trust this helps.

Donal:

Hi Friend;

A very good friend of mine sent me a query about my oxygen plumbing system and after rummaging around the internet I sussed out see below and I trust it gives you a clearer understanding of what I said earlier.

In reply to your query first off you know where the hose comes out of the concentrator usually it feeds into a water bottle and your extension hose goes to your cannula or mask which ever you use. Now in my system the hose feeds directly up to a ‘T’ junction. The top left of the ‘T’ is connected directly to the concentrator – while the top right of the ‘T’ feeds on to the next ‘T’ junction while the bottom of the ‘T’ junction feeds into the small bottle of water. I should also state that the bottle is fixed via a bracket which has an on/off switch on it. When you switch it on the bottle bubbles and the air flow through the feed hose to either your cannula or mask; the length of the hose permits you to move all around the room and it is also long enough to bring you to the next on/off switch bottle arrangement. My second one permits me to travel into the kitchen and even long enough to bring me out to the back yard. I also have an office at the back of my home with a feed into it as well. While I have a similar arrangement in my bedroom; in fact no matter where I want to move in the house all I have to do is change over from one hose to the other. Personally I use a cannula so I have a cannula fitted to each and every hose so I have no problem.

I hope you understand the above but I have scoured the internet and cannot find all that I am looking but go to web site http://www.emphysema-copd.co.uk/24.html and the first picture shows the concentrator I have – but it does not show the ‘T’ feed junction – that makes it all so simple to understand. Hey – hey got something like it at long, – long last go to site http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_View...~idProduct~EH4006950~tab~1.html and you will see a picture of what the ‘T’ junction looks like. Only you will appreciate that the junction for oxygen is much smaller – but the shape is the same.

Let me know if the above is clear to you.

Your Irish Friend;

Donal:

Sorry, no help at all. I have the one oxy/machine, sits sort of near the kit by/in a diningroom area. This is a one bdrm apt like set up. No way to hook up seperate feeds to anything.
I surely can't be the only one going thru this. It seems like no one wants to admit there is a problem, or else, they don't want to tell me just how stupid I really am LOL!!!!! I know, it just doesn't make sense to me. I have a 50' hose and no matter what I do, I'm going the wrong way.
It twists up each time, and the untwists are truly exhausting some days for me to do. My mind just doesn't want to get this straight.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my hoses come all wound up. i have to stretch them to get some of the kinks out. my hose gets twisted alot more when it's still coily (is that a word?). that's why i try to stretch it out some. good luck.
margaret

Ask your supplier if the will get you the colored hose, I have purple but I think there is a green colored one that does not get all twisted up, it is a lot softer than those salter (usually) ones are. The purple one does say West Med in small print, so maybe that is where they come from. They can get them also, so push them.

Ask your supplier for the swivel connector that connects the tubing to your shorter tube with the cannula. Completely stops the tubing from coiling around on itself.It is plastic and about 2-3 inches long.

Gosh, I had a clear tube and it was always tangled
up and kinked. I had to constantly stretch it out
and unravel it. I told Lincare and they gave me
the green tubing. Does the very same thing. Wish
I could help you. This drives me crazy. I can not
for the life of me figure out HOW in the world my
tubing is always getting all twisted up? Good Luck!

At one point I was determined I was going to overcome the trailing, tangling hose. I have to admit it has defeated me thus far. I bought two differnt kinds of electric powercord reels and attached my hoses instead. (they work kind of like a fishing reel. push button release and then hand reel in) No luck. Now I am in a power chair and have started using my portable 02 unit and hang it off the back of the chair. It is really problmatic to deal with the long tube and be in a power wheelchair. My tube was constantly wrapped around the wheels opf my chair. The darn things make you feel like a dog on a chain/leash. It is truly a dogs life! Good luck! JoAnn

breatheasy , you need to stop popping wheelies!!! and no more donuts in the livingroom!!!

Hi Jupiter!
As was mentioned,swivels help a lot.I use two 25' tubes connected with a swivel as well as a swivel where my cannula ties in.
Another thing that helps a lot is to (where possible) coil your tubing from the machine end outward.
Hope it helps!
Have the best day you can!
Brian