Always short of breath, yet not qualified for Oxygen?

Authoritative , I've read a lot that was not. I do know that athletes recovering from serious injuries do use oxygen as a therapy to help them heal faster. Also there was a time when Astronauts flew into space in an oxygen rich environment. That changed with the Apollo 1 fire that saw 3 good men die horrible deaths. The O2 was safe for the men to breath, but was a fire risk and was changed to a normal air mixture.

I'm not a Diver, but I do know that the US Navy and Coast Guard and other highly respected organizations utilize O2 in connection with their very healthy personal. Airlines carry O2 for emergency breathing for their passengers and crews.

My point is that very healthy people utilize O2 all of the time, but suggest that someone suffering with COPD be supplied with O2 and instantly there are hundreds of medical reasons why you should not have it. Carefully and prudently used I believe that O2 therapy may help many to regain some of the quality of their lives back.

I too would like to see an official authoritative presentation covering the question of how O2 is harmful. Perhaps Phillips or Intogen, makers of O2 generating products, could offer some answers. Most Dr.s, health insurance providers, and such would be to fearful of going to court and would not want to break from their place of safety on this subject.

Finally, I saw something recently that might be of aid to myself and other COPD patients. I read where Vitamin D supplements have helped relieve some inflammation in the lungs and airways. I've yet to buy any for myself as yet, but I plan to and will report any benefits that might occur. Additionally, a healthy diet is said to be a helpful in dealing with COPD. I do my best to eat healthy, but I know that I can still do better.

All my best

Gosh, Martin and Larry, one might think that y'all disbelieve the tons of authoritative texts, based upon yet more tons of rigorous, scientific research, which docs/surgeons/ specialists/consultants must learn in their training. Here in the States, all those folks must complete a certain number of Continuing Education credits in their field every 1 - 2 years. Alabama may hold the low spot at a mere 20 credits required every year, versus California, which requires 40 credits. Most good licensed folks also read a number of med journals every month, and thus they keep up to date on new research.

On the other hand we have pro athletes who are paid outrageous sums to abuse their bodies. They suck oxygen so they can be forced to return to play more quickly, or because they play in an oxygen-poor locale. That may only be "oxygen-poor" by comparison to where they live/train, so a team from Houston, 105' above sea level, may need a lot of oxygen in a game set in Denver, elevation 1 mile. But the question is why they use it. Everything i've read says it's helpful with muscle recovery but that the lung benefit disappears when oxygen is stopped, at least in healthy athletes. I no longer watch the Olympics as religiously as i did when younger but i see enough to know that oxygen tanks/masks are not in visible use everywhere on the sidelines. Gasping figure skaters are left to recover their breath on their own as cameras stare them down. Not once have i seen O2 masks on player faces at pro hockey games i attend.

Many athletes believe that training at higher altitudes gives them an edge. Many American athletes aren't well read, to put it kindly, and they have no clue about cause and effect but they do believe in superstition. They assume that O2 from a can helps them more than ambient air because one person somewhere online said that it did. If we believe in it, a sugar pill may help what ails us.

Divers need oxygen for several reasons. First, not many people can hold their breath for a minute; nobody can hold it for 5 minutes. Michael Phelps can't even manage 3! Can't get much done underwater in 30-45 second segments. One also can't go very deep if you can only use 20 seconds on the down trip and need equal time for surfacing. So much energy gets expended in the constant down/ups that even to work for an hour at a 7' depth, SCUBA tanks make sense. To work deeper without them is nigh impossible. I'm from the Gulf coast and my family includes both recreational divers, oceanographic divers, and pro salvage divers. They laugh at the idea that the oxygen tanks are just there for some sort of slightly improved breathing. "Haul all that g*d d**n heavy effing equipment around just for a little boost? Having to refill it all the time, watch your gauges, make sure you're not so deep as to suffer oxygen toxicity? Are you NUTS??? Without it, we can't go down 30' or more, period."

As to NASA and oxygen, it has all been trial and error, with a lot of scientifically-based guessing to start with and a ton of engineering genius. Oxygen was used in the test planes flown superbly by almost all the early astronauts. It was there because one passes out from oxygen deprivation at a certain altitude and/or from pulling too many Gs. It was assumed that oxygen would be as safe in space as in those military fighter & test jets. Bad assumption but a risk all astronauts assumed up to that point when 3 died. Right now, the US military finally admit that there has been a fault in the oxygen supply systems for at least 10 years in all their trainer planes. This fault has caused many trainees to pass out while wearing oxygen masks with O2 ostensibly flowing. It took Congressional hearings to get the military to commission a study. (Yes, Virginia, i grew up next to a Naval Air Base on the Gulf coast, my granddad owned the first airplane factory in Nebraska, my dad was flying at 12 before there were licenses and was a commercial pilot for many years. Two family members became Navy contract trainers on simulated flight apparatus after doing their 20 yr stints. (Yes, HUGE family.)

All of this is to say that oxygen isn't used in healthy people the way it is used in less healthy folk. Because of my bronchiectasis, my pulmonologist now won't sign off on non-emergent surgeries requiring more than 60 minutes of oxygen. Period. He says spinal-block surgeries only unless it's life or death because my lungs can't handle the oxygen.

I guess that you don't have BX, but it would be unwise to assume that the absence of dead areas in your lungs make you a 100% better candidate for O2 than i am. I trust my pulmo's judgment in this matter and am sorry that you have zero confidence in the highly educated opinions of your medicos.

Posting an opinion is why this forum exist. Assuming that you are an authority concerning my daily medical challenges or that of others is unwarranted. Commenting on your own condition, or posting your experience is a part of this threads purpose. Sitting in judgement of me or others is neither your place or assumed authority.

Exercising is important, but placing trying to dictate to others that they must do as much as you is just wrong. Many of us are alone and we get a load of activity each and every day. Some of us don't have our own transportation and just shopping and Dr. visits require making transportation arrangements. Also, I and others I'm sure stretch and lift and stair climb on a daily basis.

Breathing techniques to exhale CO2 can be learned from your Dr./Therapist as I did. I preform these breathing techniques daily and without having to travel to therapy class. That said, I'd enjoy attending COPD Breathing/Exercise classes, but it would just be one more thing to pile on an already full schedule.

Finally, Dr.s are real people too, and they will/do act in their best interest first. Few, if any are willing to step from behind the safety of the industry established and medically approved COPD protocols. Afraid of Lawyers and review boards, some document verbatim the consultations with their patients. Their livelihoods depend on playing it safe and not putting their wealth generating carriers in danger. They are looking out for their own best interest first.

Martin,

I've 30% capacity and each step starts me to breathing heavy, so exercise would be a torture and not the therapy it should be. O2 might just help with my quality of life as well.

Coils, not familiar with that. I will have to look that up.

All the best to you Martin and lets both feel better moving forward.

Thank you for sharing. We are all different and yet we all share the need to breathe O2. Some of us are lucky to be well supported by family and/or friends. Some of us pretty much go it alone for one reason or another. All of us battle our disabilities as best we can. I welcome you to our group and as for me, I'll try to be as supportive for you as any other member.

We will try to be of help if we can, and a good listener at all times.

All the Best.

Bronchiectasis, Chronic Bronchitis and Sjogren's. i lost my significant other last year after 22 yrs together. He was quite unwell the last 9 years, COPD & heart, and felt much as you do about his oxygen.

Like you, if I don't do it, it won't get done.